[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 102 (Wednesday, July 21, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H6519-H6521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF MAJORITY RULE IN REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 436) celebrating 10 years of
majority rule in the Republic of South Africa and recognizing the
momentous social and economic achievements of South Africa since the
institution of democracy in that country, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 436
Whereas the Republic of South Africa peacefully and
successfully held democratic elections and transitioned to a
democratic, nonracial form of government in 1994;
Whereas South Africa helped initiate and frame the New
Partnership for Africa's Development as a new partnership
between Africa and the rest of the world in order to place
the continent of Africa on the path to sustainable
development and to further the values of democracy and
economic reform throughout Africa;
Whereas South Africa actively supports the South African
Development Community, which promotes regional economic
cooperation and higher standards of living in Southern
Africa;
Whereas South Africa has made significant advances in
housing by constructing 1,600,000 houses for the poor of
South Africa;
Whereas, since 1994, 9,000,000 people in South Africa have
gained access to clean water;
Whereas, before 1994, 22,000,000 people in South Africa did
not have access to adequate sanitation, but 63 percent of
households in South Africa now have access to adequate
sanitation;
Whereas, before 1994, 60 percent of people in South Africa
did not have electricity, but more than 70 percent of
households in South Africa now have electricity;
Whereas, from 1994 to 2004, secondary school enrollment in
South Africa increased from 70 percent to 85 percent, and
students in South Africa now learn in a racially integrated
school system;
Whereas the Government of South Africa has established
nutritional and educational programs to benefit the youngest
and poorest people in South Africa;
Whereas South Africa is experiencing the longest period of
consistent positive growth, as measured by its gross domestic
product (GDP), since growth in GDP was properly recorded in
the 1940s;
Whereas F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela share a Nobel
Peace Prize for their work in ending apartheid in South
Africa and establishing a representative government;
Whereas Desmond Tutu led the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission to repair injustices among South Africans and
improve race relations in the country, and was awarded a
Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts;
Whereas South Africa has contributed troops to peacekeeping
efforts in Burundi, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Ethiopia, and Eritrea;
Whereas South Africa President Thabo Mbeki has forged a
relationship with President George W. Bush, making three
state visits to the United States and hosting President Bush
during his visit to Pretoria, South Africa;
Whereas South Africa has served as an inspiration for other
African nations striving for democracy and the peaceful
cooperation of many ethnic groups;
Whereas, after being isolated for many years because of the
odious system of apartheid, South Africa has since 1994
become a premier location for large international
conferences, a leading tourist destination, and the locale
for numerous films; and
Whereas, in 1993, the Government of South Africa
voluntarily halted its biological, chemical, and nuclear
weapons programs and, in 1994, hosted the first conference in
Africa on the implementation of the Convention on the
Prohibition on the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and
Use of Chemical Weapons and On Their Destruction, with
annexes, done at Paris January 13, 1993, and entered into
force April 29, 1997: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) applauds the Republic of South Africa for the
remarkable transition to a democratic government and the
tremendous progress achieved during 10 years of majority
rule;
(2) looks forward to a continued partnership with South
Africa focused on a sustained commitment to the health of
South Africans; and
(3) anticipates continued social development and economic
growth in South Africa.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach).
General Leave
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 436.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Iowa?
There was no objection.
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Payne) for bringing before us this resolution, celebrating 10 years of
majority rule in the Republic of South Africa and recognizing the
momentous social and economic achievements of South Africa since the
institution of democracy in that country.
In April 1994, nearly 19 million South Africans went to the polls to
elect South Africa's first democratic government. The African National
Congress, or ANC, which had led the struggle against white majority
rule in the apartheid system of state-enforced racial segregation, won
control of the national assembly and elected Nelson Mandela, who had
been in prison for 27 years for the crime of advocating democracy,
president.
President Mandela was succeeded by Deputy President Thabo Mbeki in
June 1999, and Mr. Mbeki was re-elected in April 2004.
Since the end of apartheid, South African leaders have faced the
daunting task of meeting the great expectations of the black electorate
while fulfilling the economic potential of the country. Half a century
of apartheid and years of sanctions have decimated the economy and left
most black South Africans poor and undereducated. High rates of
unemployment and crime, as well as the specter of HIV/AIDS, continue to
pose significant challenges. Still, South Africa's transition has been
remarkable and serves as an example to all nations striving for
democracy, reconciliation, and development.
This is a bipartisan resolution which has been given full
consideration during a hearing and a markup by the Committee on
International Relations, and I urge the support of this body.
But, again, before yielding to the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos), let me thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for his
prominent leadership on this and so many other issues; and I would also
like to recognize a former Member, Mr. Ron Dellums, for his leadership
in Congress on antiapartheid efforts. And there are few Members in my
career that I have been prouder to stand behind on an issue of such
fundamental human rights significance.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I strongly support this resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues
to do so as well.
When I first came to the Congress in 1981, the nation of South Africa
suffered under the yoke of the brutal apartheid system. Few things in
modern history were as palpably evil as
[[Page H6520]]
apartheid, an appalling system of racial discrimination. Under
apartheid policies, 3.5 million African people, let me repeat this, Mr.
Speaker, 3.5 million African people were removed forcibly from their
land and from their homes between 1960 and 1983. Under one removal
program called the Black Spot Removal Policy, 475,000 blacks living on
their own farms in rural communities were robbed of their land,
forcibly relocated, and reconstituted as a vast cheap labor pool for
commercial farms.
Mr. Speaker, what a difference 10 years make. Today, South Africa has
made a truly historic transition from the hateful and racist apartheid
regime to a multiracial and peaceful democracy. In South Africa today,
citizens of all races, all cultures, and all religions live and work
together in peace.
In 1994, thanks to decades of internal resistance and comprehensive
sanctions by the responsible segments of the international community,
the apartheid regime ended; and it was replaced by a vibrant and
peaceful democracy. We in Congress fought for 2 decades to turn our
government's policies away from supporting segregation in South Africa
towards democracy and freedom.
Throughout the 1980s, many Members of this Congress introduced
legislation denouncing apartheid and offering sanctuary to both its
black victims and to white citizens of conscience who refused to serve
in the military and security forces of an apartheid regime.
In 1986, Congress passed the apartheid sanctions bill and overrode
the administration's veto of that critically important legislation.
With this historic congressional override, we put our Nation on the
side of freedom and justice for all the people of South Africa.
I am proud to have been a cosponsor of that legislation and many
other bills that kept Congress focused on the travesty of racial
discrimination.
Mr. Speaker, with the passage of our resolution, we recognize the
difficult path to freedom taken by South Africa's people. Unlike today
where terrorists seek to change political regimes and social order with
barbaric attacks on civilians, South Africa's liberation movements
condemn violence directed at civilians.
The African National Congress led by their imprisoned leader Nelson
Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Helen Joseph, and others understood that a
future of peace could not be built on a foundation of terror, hatred,
and fear. Instead, they fought through the pain of apartheid, embraced
the ideals and values of democracy, and in the end shook hands with the
enemy whose founding ideology defined them as less than human beings.
Mr. Speaker, South Africa stands today as a strong democratic ally of
the United States and is strategically important to Africa's political
and economic future.
We must do all we can to solidify further relations between our two
nations and to continue our joint quest to bring justice, prosperity,
and freedom to all of Africa.
On a personal note, Mr. Speaker, my wife, Annette, and I had the
privilege of visiting South Africa during the crucial weeks when the
apartheid regime collapsed, and it was a joy to meet and work with and
see the leaders on both sides who were ready to build a new, peaceful
multiracial society.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution. I want to
congratulate my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey
(Mr. Payne), for his leadership on this matter and our former colleague
Ron Dellums, my neighbor in California, for his leadership on this
issue.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), the leader of this legislation and this
whole concept, and my good friend.
(Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
{time} 1930
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos) for the outstanding work he has done as the ranking member of
the Committee on International Relations. I stand very proudly today to
urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 436, commending a decade of
democracy and majority rule in the Republic of South Africa.
I did not believe when I visited South Africa in the 1970s that we
would see a transformation of that apartheid-run racist government
transformed by peaceful means. When the first elections were held 10
years ago, I recall the lines of people who waited for hours and hours
in order to vote.
Let me say that South Africa has transformed from an apartheid state
to a nonracial, peaceful and democratic form of government. The country
successfully held democratic elections in 1994 to elect its first
democratically elected president.
After being imprisoned for 27 years, Nelson Mandela became South
Africa's first democratically elected president. As the first
democratically elected president, Mr. Mandela laid the foundation for
more reliable government and an economically viable country and is seen
not only as a leader in Africa, but as we all know, as a world leader.
Before 1994, only 40 percent of the people in South Africa had
electricity; now more than 70 percent of the households in South Africa
have electricity. South Africa has made a significant advance in
housing by constructing 1,600,000 houses for the poor in South Africa,
a remarkable, remarkable feat.
From 1994 to 2004, secondary school enrollment in South Africa
increased from 70 percent to 85 percent and students in South Africa
now learn in a racially integrated school system. Also, during this
time, 9 million people in South Africa have gained access to clean
water. In addition, the Government of South Africa has established
nutritional and educational programs to benefit the youngest and the
poorest.
As the world's leading democracy, we should applaud the Government of
South Africa for the reforms it has substituted to better serve its
people. South Africa has served as an inspiration for other African
nations striving for democracy and peaceful cooperation through their
many ethnic groups in their individual countries and look to South
Africa as the example.
The 1990s saw the spread of democracy across the continent of Africa,
once dominated by military dictators and authoritarian leaders. Nigeria
held its second multiparty election this month, and despite reported
irregularities, the elections were largely peaceful. The world also
witnessed the end of white minority rule and subsequent democratic
elections in South Africa, as we talked about. And Mr. Mandela has
taken his leadership to try to find prospects for peace in Burundi.
Now Mr. Thabo Mbeki is leading that cause. Mr. Mbeki has done an
outstanding job as the president, following Mr. Mandela, and his
leadership is second to none on the continent. So it is a pleasure for
me to join with my colleagues to say that the example set by Mr. Nelson
Mandela serving one term and stepping down, I think, is an example we
are all proud of.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Davis).
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, like thousands of others across
the world, I was involved actively in the efforts to free South Africa.
I attended many rallies, participated in demonstrations, walked picket
lines, raised money and was very pleased as a member of the Chicago
City Council to introduce the anti-apartheid ordinance that we passed,
which prohibited the city from doing business with the Government of
South Africa until such time as their policies changed.
So I am pleased to rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 436,
celebrating 10 years of majority rule in the Republic of South Africa
and recognizing the momentous social and economic achievements of South
Africa since the institution of democracy in that country.
Ten years ago the people of South Africa were given hope for the
redresses of injustices in the past. When they held their first
nonracial democratic elections to parliament in 1994, many South
Africans were poor, hungry, sick and homeless. But today the people of
South Africa and the world can say that progress has been made to
improve the lives of South Africans and the conditions of the country.
Before 1994, 22 million South Africans did not have access to
adequate sanitation. Now approximately 63 percent of
[[Page H6521]]
the households do. Also, more than 70 percent of households in South
Africa now have electricity compared to 60 percent before 1994. Since
1994, 9 million people in South Africa have gained access to clean
water, 1.6 million houses have been built for the poor people of South
Africa, secondary school enrollment increased from 70 percent to 85
percent, and students now learn in a racially integrated school system.
Furthermore, to help the poor and to improve the educational system
of the country, the Government of South Africa established nutritional
and educational programs to benefit the youngest and poorest
individuals in the country. And while we cannot say that all of the
problems have been solved or all of the needs have been met, we can say
with assurance that the quality of life for people in South Africa, for
the masses of people, has indeed changed and that is a tribute to
democracy. It is also a tribute to all of the struggles of the people
who helped to make it happen.
I commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for his
introduction of this resolution. I thank the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lantos) for yielding me time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), the distinguished ranking member
of the Committee on the Judiciary. I want to pay tribute to the
gentleman and his leadership on all these important issues.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos) and the members of the committee. I am delighted to join with
all of them in celebration of 10 years of rule in a democratic way in
the Republic of South Africa.
I can remember the days in Congress when the question of sanctions
consumed, as the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the others
here remember, a couple of years' worth of rather fierce debate as to
whether they were appropriate or not. I think fondly of our former
colleagues, Ron Dellums of California, Bill Gray of Pennsylvania, and
those of us that are here with us now, including the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) and many others.
The fact of the matter is that the turning point toward this 10 years
of celebration of a democratic Republic of South Africa occurred
because it was finally determined that the time had come that we would
impose sanctions, that we would not approve of doing business or
continuing relationships with a country whose government was so one-
sided, so unfair, so oppressive to the majority of its citizens. And so
it is in that remembrance and out of those memories of the struggle
that I am so happy to join this evening in this decade celebration of
how far they have come.
Obviously, all the problems are not solved. How could they be in 10
years after the long reign of oppression that occurred there? But this
was the finest hour of this Congress and our country to have played
this leading role in making it clear to all of the nations of the world
that we can no longer sit by and silently suffer that kind of rule.
The same situation regrettably still may apply and leave us with the
same responsibilities now as applied then. I think now of the Congo. I
think of the Sudan. I think of Haiti, all countries who are desperately
in need of the continued support of this country. And that makes our
foreign policy and the decisions we make in the committee that control
foreign policy legislation so incredibly important.
I congratulate the authors of this very important resolution.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend and distinguished
colleague for his thoughtful observations. Let me just say that
occasionally, when we are downcast with respect to international
developments, we must remember that there are lots of things we were
justly proud of in recent decades, one clearly is the ending of racial
discrimination, of apartheid in South Africa. And the second is the
collapse of the Soviet system and its replacement in large part by
democratic and free societies.
Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hensarling). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res.
436, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________