[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 21, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5711-H5713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CALLING FOR STABILITY AND THE CESSATION OF VIOLENCE AND CONDEMNING 
 ISIS-AFFILIATED TERRORIST ACTIVITY IN NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE, INCLUDING 
           THE CABO DELGADO PROVINCE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 720) calling for stability and the cessation of 
violence and condemning ISIS-affiliated terrorist activity in northern 
Mozambique, including the Cabo Delgado Province, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 720

       Whereas, in August 2019, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, 
     of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), and the 
     Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) President Ossufo 
     Momade signed the Peace and Reconciliation Accord in Maputo, 
     ending several years of resurgent armed conflict between 
     RENAMO and FRELIMO before RENAMO's rebel leader Mariano 
     Nhongo was killed by Mozambican forces in October 2021;
       Whereas, in October 2017, violent extremists locally known 
     as al-Shabab or Ahlu al-Sunnah wal-Jamaah targeted civilians 
     in the Cabo Delgado Province and eventually took up arms 
     against the Mozambican state, launching an armed insurgency 
     that has had dire consequences for human rights, security, 
     and socioeconomic welfare in the Cabo Delgado Province;
       Whereas, since 2017, Ahlu al-Sunnah wal-Jamaah has killed 
     thousands of civilians and brutalized communities in Cabo 
     Delgado Province, including through mass beheadings of men 
     and boys, abductions, including of children who are forced to 
     take up arms, and attacks against transportation, supply 
     convoys, government facilities, and other buildings, such as 
     homes, schools, and hospitals;
       Whereas, in 2018, the Cabo Delgado-based violent extremist 
     group reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 
     Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and was acknowledged by ISIS as an 
     affiliate in August 2019;
       Whereas, on March 10, 2021, the Department of State 
     designated Ahlu al-Sunnah wal-Jamaah, also known as ISIS-
     Mozambique, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act, and as Specially Designated 
     Global Terrorists under Executive Order 13224, and identified 
     Tanzanian national Abu Yasir Hassan as the leader of the 
     organization;
       Whereas, in late March 2021, ISIS-Mozambique launched a 
     complex attack against the northern Mozambican town of Palma 
     over several days, overwhelming Mozambican forces, killing 
     and abducting dozens of people, and destroying 
     infrastructure, leading TotalEnergies to declare force 
     majeure in relation to its partially United States 
     Government-financed $20,000,000 liquified natural gas project 
     near Palma;
       Whereas, in May 2021, the United States Holocaust Memorial 
     Museum reported a high risk of new mass killings in 
     Mozambique as part of the Early Warning Project risk 
     assessment for 2020-2021;
       Whereas the United States Government announced in March 
     2021 its segment training of the Mozambican armed forces to 
     help build their counterterrorism capacities, and the 
     European Union announced in July 2021 that it would establish 
     a military training mission in Mozambique;
       Whereas, on June 23, 2021, the Southern African Development 
     Community (SADC) heads of state issued a communique approving 
     the deployment of the SADC Standby Force Mission to combat 
     ``acts of terrorism and violent extremism in Cabo Delgado'';
       Whereas, on July 10, 2021, Mozambican President Filipe 
     Nyusi confirmed that 1,000 Rwandan forces had begun deploying 
     to the Cabo Delgado Province and that a SADC standby force 
     would follow, and on August 8, 2021, Rwandan forces announced 
     they had retaken a strategic provincial port from ISIS-
     Mozambique;
       Whereas grievances fueling terrorist recruitment reportedly 
     include allegations of state corruption and exploitation, 
     including by security forces, and historical socioeconomic 
     and political marginalization of the Cabo Delgado Province 
     and other northern regions, which has constrained development 
     and brought about high rates of poverty, youth unemployment, 
     and socioeconomic inequality;
       Whereas international development of northern Mozambique's 
     natural resources has the potential to yield economic benefit 
     to the Cabo Delgado Province's local populations through job 
     creation, increased private investment, and expanded 
     development initiatives, yet in some cases resource 
     development has reportedly displaced local communities and 
     some have been inadequately compensated for lost land, homes, 
     and disrupted livelihoods;
       Whereas international human rights monitors have reported 
     human rights violations perpetrated by Mozambican security 
     forces during counterterrorism operations in the Cabo Delgado 
     Province, including arbitrary arrests, abductions, torture of 
     detainees, excessive force against unarmed civilians, 
     intimidation, and extrajudicial killings;
       Whereas, as of June 2021, ISIS-Mozambique's attacks and 
     resulting clashes with government forces throughout the Cabo 
     Delgado Province have killed over 3,000 people and displaced 
     nearly 800,000, left 1,300,000 people in need of humanitarian 
     assistance, including approximately 900,000, primarily women 
     and children, in emergency-levels of food insecurity, and in 
     July 2021, the World Food Program warned that insufficient 
     funding could lead to famine in the region;
       Whereas the United States, through the United States Agency 
     for International Development, is the single largest donor of 
     humanitarian assistance in Mozambique; and
       Whereas, in April 2021, the World Bank approved a 
     $100,000,000 grant to Mozambique's Agency for Integrated 
     Development of the North for the ``restoration of livelihoods 
     and economic opportunities, building of social cohesion, and 
     improving access to basic services as well as the 
     rehabilitation of selected public infrastructure intended to 
     benefit internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host 
     communities in targeted areas of Northern Mozambique'', and 
     has determined Mozambique is eligible for its Prevention and 
     Resilience Allocation, granting potential access of up to 
     $700,000,000 in additional assistance for similar projects: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns the violence, targeting of civilians, and 
     terrorist attacks carried out by ISIS-Mozambique in the Cabo 
     Delgado Province;
       (2) urges the Mozambican Government to--
       (A) continue to work with international partners to restore 
     security in the Cabo Delgado Province and counter violent 
     extremism and terrorism in a manner that prioritizes the 
     protection of civilians and their human rights;

[[Page H5712]]

       (B) take steps to protect children from abduction, forced 
     conscription, and other forms of exploitation;
       (C) ensure humanitarian workers have access to vulnerable 
     populations in the Cabo Delgado Province, including by 
     reducing bureaucratic constraints on travel documents, 
     humanitarian aid, and related equipment;
       (D) hold to account any government official who sought to 
     disrupt the equitable provision of humanitarian assistance, 
     or who diverted such assistance, profited from its 
     distribution, or otherwise engage in exploitative or corrupt 
     acts relating to the acquisition or provision of humanitarian 
     aid;
       (E) work with the international community to document, 
     investigate, and prosecute human rights abuses and other 
     crimes committed by state security forces, militias, 
     terrorists, and other armed actors, and to build government 
     capacities to accomplish such outcomes; and
       (F) develop comprehensive national strategies and 
     implementation plans to address underlying social, political, 
     and economic grievances of local populations in the Cabo 
     Delgado Province and neighboring provinces;
       (3) calls on Mozambican community leaders and civil society 
     members in the Cabo Delgado Province to strengthen local 
     resiliencies and prevent targeting and other forms of 
     intercommunal violence and conflict;
       (4) calls on the United States Government and other donor 
     governments to appropriately coordinate diplomatic, defense, 
     and development resources and continue to expand, where 
     possible, efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, promote 
     good governance, spur economic growth, and build the capacity 
     of the Government of Mozambique to counter terrorism and 
     violent extremism and address conflict through existing 
     programs, such as the Partnership for Regional East Africa 
     Counterterrorism (PREACT), and future interagency 
     initiatives, while ensuring respect for human rights and 
     protection of civilians;
       (5) urges the Mozambican Northern Integrated Development 
     Agency to consult with local populations and civil society 
     groups in the Cabo Delgado Province and to ensure 
     transparency and accountability in the provision of 
     development assistance; and
       (6) calls on the international donor community to support 
     continued humanitarian assistance, particularly in support of 
     Mozambique's Humanitarian Response Plan and local and 
     national aid organizations providing aid to populations in 
     the Cabo Delgado Province or other conflict-affected areas in 
     Mozambique.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Manning) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. 
Kim) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from North Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 720, calling for stability and 
cessation of violence and condemning ISIS-affiliated terrorist activity 
in northern Mozambique, including the Cabo Delgado Province, and for 
other purposes.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 720 calling for 
stability and the cessation of violence and condemning ISIS-affiliated 
terrorist activity in northern Mozambique, including the Cabo Delgado 
Province, and for other purposes.
  Let me start by thanking Representative Sara Jacobs for her work on 
this critical resolution.
  Since 2017, terrorists operating under the ISIS banner have laid 
waste to a large part of the Cabo Delgado Province in northern 
Mozambique, killing thousands of civilians, displacing millions, and 
grinding almost all economic activity in the region to a halt. The 
devastation these terrorists inflicted on the people spurred an 
unprecedented humanitarian crisis in northern Mozambique that continues 
to unfold.
  With the support of the United States, Rwanda, the European Union, 
South Africa, and other Southern African Development Community members, 
the terrorist threat in northern Mozambique has been largely 
neutralized. There is more work to do, including those efforts underway 
to stabilize the region, return refugees and IDPs to their homes, and 
revitalize livelihoods and the regional economy.
  To effectively address these issues, including the underlying drivers 
of violent extremism, the Government of the Republic of Mozambique must 
spearhead a strong, comprehensive plan to implement a national security 
strategy and establish an inclusive process for economic growth and 
development in the north.
  The United States remains committed to supporting Mozambique's 
efforts to strengthen democracy, improve transparency and other good 
governance measures, and stimulate its economy.
  This resolution condemns the violence against civilians in the Cabo 
Delgado Province, including the terrorist attacks carried out by ISIS-
Mozambique, and calls on the Government of the Republic of Mozambique 
to end the conflict and increase its humanitarian support effort.
  The United States stands with the people of Mozambique and will 
continue to counter the spread of violent extremism there and around 
the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. KIM of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 720 that I am 
co-leading alongside my colleague, Representative Sara Jacobs. I thank 
Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul for their support, as well.
  This resolution calls for a cessation of violence and condemns ISIS-
affiliated terrorists in northern Mozambique. Since 2017, ISIS-
affiliated extremists launched an armed insurgency in northern 
Mozambique and have brutalized communities, displaced civilians, and 
attacked schools, homes, and hospitals.
  Last year, terrorist elements took over the town of Palma, further 
causing chaos, displacement, and gruesome civilian casualties. The 
largest private U.S. investment on the continent--a natural gas 
project--was forced to halt work and temporarily withdraw.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly condemn these violent attacks, and I commend 
the Government of Mozambique's efforts to dedicate resources to 
addressing this threat and early steps to partner with the United 
States and allies to build the capacity and professionalization of 
security forces, bolster the justice system, and ensure governance and 
services to communities in previously marginalized areas of Cabo 
Delgado Province. I also commend the troop deployment by the Southern 
African Development Community to stabilize the region.
  We have seen this elsewhere--whether the early days of ISIS in Syria 
or Boko Haram in Northeast Nigeria. Terrorist insurgency movements 
cannot be left unaddressed, and early steps to address the root causes 
of such movements can prevent costly interventions and massive loss of 
human life later on.
  The United States has key economic, security, and diplomatic 
interests in urgently addressing this terrorist threat.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Jacobs), the vice chair of the International 
Development, International Organizations, and Global Corporate Social 
Impact Subcommittee.
  Ms. JACOBS of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, 
Representative Manning, for yielding time; to Chairman Meeks for 
advancing this legislation in committee; and to Chairwoman Bass; and my 
friend Congresswoman Kim, for partnering with me on this important 
effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution on Mozambique, 
which calls for stability and the cessation of violence in northern 
Mozambique and condemns the attacks and violence by ISIS-Mozambique.
  It calls for a new strategy and a new approach for how the U.S. 
engages with Mozambique to address conflict and violent extremism. And 
part of why passing this resolution today is so important, is because 
we need to raise awareness in this body and in this country about the 
dire humanitarian situation in Mozambique.

  Since 2017, ISIS-Mozambique, also known as Ahlu al Sunnah wal Jamaah, 
has inflicted violence on communities in Mozambique. These insurgents 
have brutalized people and targeted civilians through mass beheadings 
of men and boys, abductions of children, and attacks against key 
civilian infrastructure.

[[Page H5713]]

  This violence, combined with the government response to it, has 
killed over 1,700 civilians in Cabo Delgado Province alone.
  The international community, particularly the Southern African 
Development Community forces and Rwanda's forces, have responded with 
troop deployment to secure areas and shield civilians from continued 
violence. But let's be clear. We know that a military-led response will 
not be enough.
  That is why I was so supportive of the Biden administration's recent 
designation of Mozambique as a priority country under the Global 
Fragility Act, so that we can better align resources among the 
interagency and work to address the key drivers of this violence and 
other forms of instability in the country.
  And as we craft our strategy for Mozambique, we must be clear-eyed 
about the underlying grievance and what it will really take to make a 
difference in preventing new violence from occurring. We know that 
terrorism and violent extremism are also fueled by perceptions of state 
repression, human rights abuses, and socioeconomic and political 
marginalization. We know that these factors exist in Mozambique and in 
the state response to ISIS-Mozambique. We need to be honest about the 
challenges impacting the Mozambican people in order to get serious 
about preventing future terrorist recruitment.
  We also need to ensure that we are helping the Mozambican Government 
support development goals of Cabo Delgado and northern Mozambique that 
will allow all sectors of society to thrive.
  That is why I am looking forward to the United States' partnership 
with the Mozambique Government and the Mozambican people and to 
ensuring our strategy is shaped by lessons learned from our 
counterterrorism missions across the world that have consistently 
fallen short.
  This resolution has strong support from across the ideological 
spectrum. I am proud to lead the passage of this important resolution, 
and I urge my colleagues to support it.

                              {time}  1630

  Mrs. KIM of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  This resolution condemns the terrorist attacks and ISIS insurgency in 
northern Mozambique and urges the administration to prioritize efforts 
to address this threat.
  I am pleased that the administration selected Mozambique as a 
priority country to implement a 10-year strategy for U.S. diplomatic, 
development, and security engagement. This type of long-term 
interagency planning is critically important to coordinating U.S. 
efforts and ensuring the most effective use of resources to target the 
root causes of the instability and terrorism. This issue cannot wait, 
and the administration must implement the requirements of the Global 
Fragility Act without further delay.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, the terrorist activity that has destabilized parts of 
northern Mozambique is a symptom of a larger issue at hand. The United 
States is working closely with the Mozambican Government to help 
address the drivers of terrorist recruitment by supporting governance 
reforms, providing humanitarian assistance, and promoting other 
stabilization efforts in the country.
  This resolution underscores that commitment and urges the Mozambican 
Government to create a centralized and comprehensive strategy to 
counter violent extremism and restore security in its northern region.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Jacobs for her leadership on this 
resolution, and I urge all my colleagues to join us by voting in the 
affirmative.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Torres of New York). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning) 
that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 
720.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________