[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 49 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3805-S3806]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 90--ACKNOWLEDGING AFRICAN DESCENDANTS OF 
 THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE IN ALL OF THE AMERICAS WITH AN EMPHASIS 
  ON DESCENDANTS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, RECOGNIZING THE 
INJUSTICES SUFFERED BY THESE AFRICAN DESCENDANTS, AND RECOMMENDING THAT 
 THE UNITED STATES AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WORK TO IMPROVE THE 
   SITUATION OF AFRO-DESCENDANT COMMUNITIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE 
                               CARIBBEAN

  Mr. DODD submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 90

       Whereas we must remember that African-Americans are not the 
     only survivors of the transatlantic slave trade;
       Whereas like the United States, many European nations 
     benefitted greatly from the colonization of Latin America and 
     the Caribbean and their participation in the slave trade;
       Whereas the story of African descendants in all of the 
     Americas remains untold, leading them to be forgotten, made 
     invisible, and allowed to suffer unjustly;
       Whereas it is important to acknowledge that as a result of 
     the slave trade and immigration, approximately 80,000,000 to 
     150,000,000 persons of African descent live in Latin America 
     and the Caribbean, making them the largest population of 
     persons of African descent outside of Africa;
       Whereas Afro-descendants are present in most Latin American 
     countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, 
     Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, 
     Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela;
       Whereas the size of Afro-descendant populations varies in 
     range from less than 1 percent in some countries to as much 
     as 30 percent in Colombia and 46 percent in Brazil and make 
     up the majority in some Spanish speaking Caribbean nations, 
     such as Cuba and the Dominican Republic;
       Whereas Afro-descendant populations have made significant 
     economic, social, and cultural contributions to their 
     countries and the Western Hemisphere from their unfortunate 
     involvement in the transatlantic slave trade to their recent 
     contributions to trade, tourism, and other industries;
       Whereas although persons of African descent have made 
     significant achievements in education, employment, economic, 
     political, and social spheres in some countries, the vast 
     majority are marginalized--living in impoverished communities 
     where they are excluded from centers of education, 
     government, and basic human rights based upon the color of 
     their skin and ancestry;
       Whereas Afro-descendants have shorter life expectancies, 
     higher rates of infant mortality, higher incidences of HIV/
     AIDS, higher rates of illiteracy, and lower incomes than do 
     other populations;
       Whereas Afro-descendants encounter problems of access to 
     healthcare, basic education, potable water, housing, land 
     titles, credit, equal justice and representation under the 
     law, political representation, and other economic, political, 
     health, and basic human rights; and
       Whereas skin color and ancestry have led African-Americans 
     in the United States and African descendants in Latin America 
     and the Caribbean to share similar injustices, leading to 
     economic, social, health, and political inequalities: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),  That Congress--
       (1) recognizes and honors African descendants in the 
     Americas for their contributions to the economic, social, and 
     cultural fabric of the countries in the Americas, 
     particularly in Latin American and Caribbean societies;
       (2) recognizes that as a result of their skin color and 
     ancestry, African descendants in the Americas have wrongfully 
     experienced economic, social, and political injustices;
       (3) urges the President to take appropriate measures to 
     encourage the celebration and remembrance of the achievements 
     of African descendants in the Americas and to resolve 
     injustices suffered by African descendants in the Americas;
       (4) encourages the United States and the international 
     community to work to ensure

[[Page S3806]]

     that extreme poverty is eradicated, universal education is 
     achieved, quality healthcare is made available, sustainable 
     environmental resources, including land where applicable, is 
     provided, and equal access to justice and representation 
     under the law is granted in Afro-descendant communities in 
     Latin America and the Caribbean; and
       (5) encourages the United States and the international 
     community to achieve these goals in Latin America and the 
     Caribbean by--
       (A) promoting research that focuses on identifying and 
     eradicating racial disparities in economic, political, and 
     social spheres;
       (B) promoting, funding, and creating development programs 
     that focus on Afro-descendant communities;
       (C) providing technical support and training to Afro-
     descendant advocacy groups that work to uphold basic human 
     rights in the region;
       (D) promoting the creation of an international working 
     group that focuses on problems of communities of Afro-
     descendants in the Americas; and
       (E) promoting trade and other bilateral and multilateral 
     agreements that take into account the needs of Afro-
     descendant communities.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a concurrent 
resolution acknowledging African descendants of the transatlantic slave 
trade throughout the Western Hemisphere, and in particular, Latin 
America and the Caribbean. This resolution would raise awareness about 
the continued injustices they face and urge the U.S. and the 
international community to work to improve the condition of Afro-
descendent communities in these regions.
  Slavery remains a dark stain on human history. Over the past century, 
this terrible evil has been virtually eliminated in many parts of the 
world, including in the Western Hemisphere.
  Here in the United States, we most often speak of slavery as it 
existed within our borders. But we need to remember that the 
institution of slavery extended throughout the Americas.
  Across the hemisphere, slaves were brought in bondage from Africa, 
enduring extraordinary hardships, brutal maltreatment, and the 
deprivation of a most fundamental human right--the right to liberty. 
Yet, despite this reality, Afro-descendent communities have contributed 
a great deal to the countries and communities in which they have lived. 
Unfortunately, though, even today, the many contributions of Afro-
descendent communities throughout our hemisphere are underappreciated.
  Currently, there are approximately 80 million to 150 million 
individuals of African descent living in Latin America and the 
Caribbean. In some countries, including the Dominican Republic and 
Cuba, Afro-descendants actually constitute the majority of the 
population. But all too often, they are left marginalized in these 
societies.
  Indeed, individuals of African descent throughout Latin America and 
the Caribbean suffer disproportionately from a variety of social and 
economic ills.
  On average, they have lower incomes and rates of literacy than do 
other populations in the same areas. And while Afro-descendants make up 
30 percent of the population of Latin America, they comprise 60 percent 
of the region's poor.
  These circumstances severely impact Afro-descended communities in the 
Americas. Their inhabitants have shorter life spans and higher rates of 
infant mortality. They suffer from higher rates of HIV/AIDS infection 
than their compatriots. And many live in deplorable conditions, without 
potable water, access to healthcare, or basic education.
  The resolution I am submitting today is a companion to a measure 
introduced by Congressman Charles Rangel in the House of 
Representatives. I believe it is an important resolution, which 
celebrates the contributions of Afro-descendants to the economic, 
social, and cultural fabric of our hemisphere, while drawing attention 
to the continued injustices they face.
  This resolution is a message that more attention needs to be focused 
on the continuing plight of Afro-descendants in the hemisphere. Most 
importantly, it proposes positive initiatives that would enable us to 
take a step towards alleviating the suffering caused by extreme poverty 
and racial disparities in this hemisphere.
  Among other things, it encourages the United States and the 
international community to invest in critical measures to combat racial 
disparities, including research into identifying and eradicating the 
causes of such iniquities; funding for development programs targeted at 
the needs of Afro-descendent communities; technical assistance for 
groups advocating for the rights of Afro-descendents; the creation of 
an international working-group focused on the problems facing these 
communities; and the promotion of trade agreements that take into 
account their needs.
  Individuals of African descent have and will continue to play an 
essential role in the long-term development of our hemisphere. This 
resolution will help to shed some light on the historic injustices they 
have faced, and will raise awareness about the challenges continuing to 
face them in their daily lives throughout Latin America and the 
Caribbean. Doing so is an important step toward righting a historical 
wrong and paving the way for a more prosperous future. I ask my 
colleagues for their support in this effort.

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