[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12944]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ENSURING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN GABON

  The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution (S. Res. 285) 
expressing the sense of the Senate that all necessary steps should be 
taken to ensure elections to be held in Gabon in December 1998 are free 
and fair.
  The amendment (No. 3834) was agreed to, as follows:

       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following:
     That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and commends those Gabonese who have 
     demonstrated their love for free and fair elections;
       (2) commends the Government of Gabon for inviting the 
     International Foundation for Election Systems to perform a 
     pre-election assessment study;
       (3) calls on the Government of Gabon to--
       (A) take further measures to ensure the organization and 
     administration of a transparent and credible election and to 
     ensure that the national election commission is able to 
     independently carry out its duties; and
       (B) further welcome the International Foundation for 
     Election Systems, the National Democratic Institute, the 
     International Republican Institute, and other appropriate 
     national and international nongovernmental organizations to 
     aid the organization of, and to monitor, the December 1998 
     Presidential election in Gabon, in an effort to assist the 
     government in ensuring that the elections are free and fair;
       (4) urges the United States Government to continue to work 
     with the international community, and through appropriate 
     nongovernmental organizations, to help create an environment 
     which guarantees free and fair elections; and
       (5) urges the United States Government and the 
     international community to continue to encourage and support 
     the institutionalization of democratic processes and the 
     establishment of conditions for good governance in Gabon.
       Strike the preamble and insert the following:
       Whereas Gabon is a heavily forested and oil-rich country on 
     the west coast of Central Africa;
       Whereas Gabon gained independence from France in 1960;
       Whereas Gabon is scheduled to hold national elections in 
     December 1998 for the purpose of electing a President;
       Whereas the Government of Gabon was subject to single-party 
     rule until 1990 and only one person has held the office of 
     the President since 1967;
       Whereas the International Foundation for Election Systems 
     (IFES) and the African American Institute (AAI) served as 
     observers during the organization of the 1993 Presidential 
     and legislative elections in Gabon and found widespread 
     electoral irregularities;
       Whereas the Government of Gabon is a signatory to the Paris 
     Accords of 1994, which was approved by national referendum in 
     July 1995, and was instituted to provide for a state of law 
     guaranteeing basic individual freedoms and the organization 
     of free and fair elections under a new independent national 
     election commission;
       Whereas the people of Gabon have demonstrated their support 
     for the democratic process through the formation of numerous 
     political parties since 1990 and their strong participation 
     in prior elections; and
       Whereas it is in the interest of the United States to 
     promote political and economic freedom in Africa and 
     throughout the world: Now, therefore, be it
       The title was amended so as to read as follows: 
     ``Expressing the sense of the Senate that all necessary steps 
     should be taken to ensure the elections to be held in Gabon 
     are free and fair.''.

  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 285), as amended, was agreed to.

                          ____________________