[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10542-10550]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   CONDEMNING TALIBAN REGIME OF AFGHANISTAN REQUIRING HINDUS TO WEAR 
                   SYMBOLS IDENTIFYING THEM AS HINDU

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of 
Tuesday, June 12, 2001, I call up the concurrent resolution (H. Con. 
Res. 145) condemning the recent order by the Taliban regime of 
Afghanistan to require Hindus in Afghanistan to wear symbols 
identifying them as Hindu, and ask for its immediate consideration in 
the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of House Concurrent Resolution 145 is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 145

       Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 
     International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 
     guarantee the freedom of religion;
       Whereas on May 22, 2001, the Taliban regime of Afghanistan 
     directed Hindus and other non-Muslims to wear a yellow 
     identity symbol and for Hindu women to fully cover themselves 
     in a veil;
       Whereas this proposal is reminiscent of the yellow Star of 
     David that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany and Nazi-
     occupied areas;
       Whereas Department of State spokesperson Richard Boucher 
     condemned the Taliban action, stating that ``forcing social 
     groups to wear distinctive clothing or identifying marks 
     stigmatizes and isolates those groups and can never, never be 
     justified'';
       Whereas the Taliban regime recently offended the world by 
     ordering the destruction of all pre-Islamic statues in 
     Afghanistan, among them a pair of 1,600-year-old, 100-foot-
     tall statues of Buddha that were carved out of a 
     mountainside;
       Whereas the reprehensible policies of the Taliban are 
     exacerbating the suffering of the

[[Page 10543]]

     people of Afghanistan who are already besieged by a 
     devastating drought and the continued fighting in the region; 
     and
       Whereas the American people feel a great deal of sympathy 
     for the people of Afghanistan and continue to provide 
     humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of the 
     Afghan people: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) strongly condemns the Taliban's use of Nazi tactics to 
     force Hindus in Afghanistan to wear symbols identifying them 
     as Hindu;
       (2) joins with people of all faiths around the world in 
     standing against the religious persecution by the Taliban 
     regime;
       (3) demands the Taliban regime immediately revoke its order 
     stigmatizing Hindus and other non-Muslims in Afghanistan and 
     conform its laws to all basic international civil and human 
     rights standards; and
       (4) calls on the Government of Pakistan to use its 
     influence with the Taliban regime to demand that the Taliban 
     revoke the reprehensible policy of forcing Afghan Hindus and 
     other non-Muslims to wear a yellow identity symbol.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shaw). Pursuant to the order of the 
House of Tuesday, June 12, 2001, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Gilman) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each will 
control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H. Con. Res. 145, 
introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel). First, I would 
like to say that I appreciate the support of the chairman of our 
Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Hyde), and the ranking member of the committee, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Lantos), and the House leadership for making timely 
consideration of this resolution possible.
  It was considered and ordered reported to the House by the full 
Committee on International Relations earlier this month.
  This resolution we are considering condemns a recent order by the 
Taliban regime of Afghanistan to require Hindus in Afghanistan to wear 
symbols identifying them as Hindus, yellow symbols similar to the one I 
have on my lapel at this time.
  Many of us are appalled and deeply concerned by this order. Our 
Nation and the rest of the world need to register the strongest 
possible condemnation of this outrageous regulation. As our resolution 
points out, the world has not been witness to anything like this since 
the Nazis required the Jews to wear a yellow Star of David.
  The Taliban's repression of women and its intolerance of other 
minorities goes hand in hand with other reprehensible behavior. It is 
not surprising, therefore, that the Taliban provides Osama bin Laden, 
the terrorist kingpin, a safe haven, allowing him to reside in 
Afghanistan as its special guest. Bin Laden is responsible for much of 
the terrorist-related murder and mayhem that has shattered peace 
throughout the subcontinent. It is his thugs that killed our State 
Department employees and hundreds of other innocent people.
  The Taliban and bin Laden appear to be made for one another. 
Moreover, the Taliban's involvement in taxing, stocking and the 
trafficking in opium make it responsible for much of the global misery 
related to drug addiction.
  Finally, it is an open secret that Pakistan in many ways supports the 
Taliban. It is appropriate, therefore, that this resolution calls upon 
Pakistan to use its influence to demand that the Taliban revoke its 
edict that identifies Hindus and other non-Muslims.
  Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I fully support H. Con. Res. 145 and I ask 
our colleagues to join us in support.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 145, which was 
introduced by my friend and colleague from New York (Mr. Engel). This 
resolution condemns the Taliban regime of Afghanistan for their 
offensive and inhumane policies towards Hindus and other non-Muslims in 
Afghanistan, and it demands that the Taliban regime immediately revoke 
its edict issued on May 23 requiring Afghan Hindus to wear yellow 
identification badges and for Hindu women to cover themselves in a 
yellow veil.
  This latest despicable action of this despicable regime is only the 
most recent of a long list of horrific human rights and religious 
freedom abuses committed by the Taliban against their own people. They 
have shut down schools, restricted education and have systematically 
discriminated against all women in Afghanistan.
  Earlier this year, Mr. Speaker, the Taliban sparked international 
outrage by destroying the ancient Buddhist statues of Bamian. It is no 
accident that the international terrorist kingpin Osama bin Laden has 
found welcome haven in the land of the Taliban.
  If these barbaric actions were not enough, the Taliban has now 
decided to emulate the most heinous and reviled regime of the 20th 
century, Hitler's Germany, by forcing Hindus and other non-Muslims to 
wear yellow identity badges.
  The edict issued by the Taliban, Mr. Speaker, is reprehensible, and 
it clearly echoes Nazi German policies stigmatizing Jews and others. We 
cannot allow the Taliban to systematically oppress Afghan Hindus in 
such an eerily similar manner.
  Afghanistan, Mr. Speaker, sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. 
For centuries, it has been one of the marketplaces of the world where 
traders of all countries and races and religions came together. This 
rich history and tradition of tolerance is being dismantled by this 
dark and brutal regime. The Taliban's actions, Mr. Speaker, are beyond 
comprehension. At a time when millions of Afghan people are on the edge 
of starvation and thousands of Afghan children are dying every day of 
malnutrition, the Taliban are intent on driving away any international 
support through their offensive and inhumane policies.
  Just last week, the Taliban expanded their restrictions on foreign 
aid workers, further limiting their movement and freedom and making it 
nearly impossible for its humanitarian workers to continue their 
efforts to bring relief to the people of Afghanistan. One must wonder 
if the Taliban are trying to commit genocide against their own people.
  We cannot stand idly by and watch while the Taliban continued their 
reign of darkness and despair. We cannot countenance their deliberate 
attempt to undo centuries of civilization. We must find a way to stop 
this insane regime.
  If there is one country left on Earth, Mr. Speaker, that seems to 
have any influence with the Taliban, it is the country of Pakistan. The 
government of Pakistan has been all too reluctant to use its influence 
with the Taliban and we are calling on the government of Pakistan to 
stand with the international community and call a halt to the 
reprehensible policies of the Taliban regime.
  I want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) for 
introducing this resolution, and I urge all my colleagues to support 
it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Gilman) for yielding the time.
  Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of this resolution and as chair 
of the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, I 
urge strong support for H. Con. Res. 145, and I want my colleagues to 
vote in favor of its passage.

                              {time}  1515

  This resolution was prompted by the Taliban's decree of May 22, 
forcing Hindus to wear identity labels such as this one on their 
clothing to brand and degrade this religious group even further.
  Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this reprehensible policy is but a 
microcosm of the terrible actions taken by the Taliban against all 
minorities in Afghanistan. As the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the 
Elimination of all

[[Page 10544]]

Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination has stated, Afghanistan 
epitomizes the religious extremism, and it underscores that ``the 
Taliban uses religion as a political tool in the interests of power and 
has taken an entire society hostage.''
  In January of this year, for example, the Taliban issued a decree to 
apply capital punishment to Afghans who converted from Islam to either 
Judaism or Christianity. Just a few months ago, in the aftermath of the 
Taliban's destruction of sacred statues, Amnesty International reported 
that the Taliban massacred hundreds of civilians with impunity. On May 
14 of this year, it was revealed that the Taliban has an ethnic 
cleansing manual to eliminate entirely the presence of religious 
minority groups in areas which are not yet under Taliban control.
  Women have also felt the brunt of the Taliban's intolerance and 
extremism. According to Afghan women interviewed by a non-governmental 
organization in France, ``women live like animals.'' Women are excluded 
from treatment by male doctors, who are the only ones allowed to 
practice medicine. Even when exceptions are made, because the woman is 
accompanied by her husband, doctors are still prohibited from actually 
touching the women, and this obviously limits the possibility of any 
meaningful medical treatment.
  The Taliban's policy of treating women as subhuman is also reflected 
in decrees mandating that women must be accompanied by a male relative 
when leaving their homes and that they must be covered in the Taliban-
approved dressing shown here. It says in Taliban-held areas of 
Afghanistan, women can rarely work outside the home, girls can attend 
only same-sex schools, and women can be beaten for not wearing this 
veil. It says, get up, stand up. Refusal to adhere to these rules will 
result in beatings.
  The Taliban's intolerance and extremism has even spilled over to 
international humanitarian workers. Just a few weeks ago, the Taliban 
arrested U.N. aid workers in Afghanistan. Militants who fight for the 
Taliban and are loyal to terrorist Osama bin Laden have threatened to 
kidnap and even kill international aid humanitarian workers.
  Mr. Speaker, if we do not render our unequivocal support for House 
Concurrent Resolution 145, we will be sending a message to the Taliban 
that it can continue to escalate the persecution and the repression 
that they are undergoing with impunity.
  I ask Members to think of the Afghan women, such as this one pictured 
here, and vote with your conscience today. I ask you to think of the 
Hindus who are being required to wear yellow identification labels, 
such as this one. I ask Members to think about the plight of all 
minorities in Afghanistan and vote yes on this powerful resolution.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 5\1/2\ minutes to 
the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), the author of 
this resolution.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Lantos), for yielding me time. I want to thank the 
gentleman, and the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde), and the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) as well, for working with me so 
quickly for bringing this resolution to the floor.
  As was mentioned by my colleagues, I too am wearing a yellow ribbon. 
In fact, I have many yellow ribbons here, and I would like every Member 
of Congress to wear a yellow ribbon for today, since this resolution is 
on the floor today. I think if we all wore the yellow ribbons, it would 
be a very powerful symbolism of the fact that we stand with the 
oppressed people of Afghanistan, with the Hindus of Afghanistan, just 
the way during the terrible Nazi era, when the Jews were told that they 
had to wear the yellow star to identify them, to single them out from 
everyone else, all the Danes wore yellow stars of David and said that 
we are all Jews. I believe here in Congress, all of us should wear 
these yellow ribbons, and today we all should be Hindus and stand in 
solidarity with those oppressed people.
  Mr. Speaker, just over 2 weeks ago, I heard the disturbing news that 
Afghanistan's Islamic Taliban regime had issued an edict requiring 
Afghan Hindus to wear yellow identification badges and Hindu women to 
fully cover themselves in a veil and for Hindu families to have 
curtains that are yellow or some such identification, clearly showing 
that they are different from everyone else.
  This is absolutely an outrage. My colleagues have mentioned all the 
outrages of this Taliban regime, from Osama bin Laden getting cover 
there and planning his terrorist attacks all over the world from the 
safe confines of Afghanistan, being protected, by the Taliban's 
destruction of the Buddhist statutes that were thousands of years old, 
to making it impossible for aid workers to help the starving people of 
Afghanistan. Indeed our country, the United States, is the leading 
country in terms of providing humanitarian aid for those starving 
people.
  So what we are attempting to do here today is saying that the United 
States can make a difference. We can make a difference in providing 
humanitarian aid, so that the people of Afghanistan are not suffering 
because of their regime. And they are suffering, but we can make the 
suffering a little bit better. Also what happens in this Congress is 
listened to around the world. I think it is so important for us to take 
a moral stand.
  Now, what the Taliban are doing is just an outrage that cannot be 
ignored. The Taliban's edict accompanies the 1999 law forbidding non-
Muslims from living in the same houses as Muslims, from criticizing 
Muslims, and from building places of worship. This resolution calls 
upon, demands, that the Taliban regime immediately revokes its order 
stigmatizing Hindus in Afghanistan and to conform its laws to all basic 
international civil and human rights standards, and, of course, 
condemns the recent order by the Taliban regime to require Hindus to 
wear these different identification symbols.
  Now, combined, these edicts have the effect of stigmatizing, 
separating, and disadvantaging the Hindus because of their religious 
beliefs. It should be pointed out that when the Nazi edicts in Europe 
came against the Jews, initially it was just small edicts, and there 
were people that said, well, this is only a very minor thing, and it 
will pass.
  I think we have learned from history that if we ignore these so-
called minor things, they turn into catastrophes; and we do not want to 
ignore this because this is not minor, and it will get worse if the 
world just turns its back.
  Now, to add insult to injury, according to the Taliban regime this 
action was taken, they say, to protect Hindus from the religious 
police, who often arrest Hindus for not following Muslim law or who 
beat Hindus for not conforming to Muslim law. This, of course, adds 
insult to injury, to claim they are putting in this oppressive law in 
order to protect the Hindu citizens. Obviously this is a bunch of 
nonsense.
  This type of religious discrimination has no place in the world 
today. Forcing Hindus to wear distinctive clothing does nothing to 
protect Hindus from the religious police; rather it makes them more 
vulnerable to police and mob violence.
  So, again, we cannot allow the Taliban to systematically oppress 
Afghan Hindus in such an eerily similar manner to the way the Nazis 
oppressed Jews, homosexuals, Romas, and others.
  This is not the first time the Taliban has singled out Afghan Hindus. 
Prior to 1992, Afghanistan had a population of over 50,000 Hindus. Most 
fled due to anti-Hindu violence. There are now only 500 Hindus, 
approximately, left in Afghanistan, subject to the Taliban's edict.
  The international community, including our friends and allies around 
the world have joined us in condemning the Taliban's edict; and 
Pakistan, one of only three countries recognizing the Taliban as a 
legitimate government, said that they deplore these discriminatory 
practices. That is why this resolution calls upon Pakistan to try to 
use its influence with Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with my colleagues in solidarity 
with

[[Page 10545]]

the Afghan Hindus; and again I would urge all of my colleagues to 
support this resolution, to come over, and we will give them ribbons so 
everyone can wear ribbons. Again, I thank the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Lantos), who has been so gracious.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 7 minutes to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), a member of the Committee 
on International Relations.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
legislation. I would like to thank personally my colleague, the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), for the leadership that he has 
demonstrated, even though he does have a beard now, like I used to 
have. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) and I have worked on many 
causes together, and I would like to just begin my remarks today by 
reminding people that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) was a 
hero of the Muslim people in the Balkans who were finding themselves 
under torturous attack, and sometimes being murdered in great numbers, 
especially the people in Kosovo and other places in the Balkans. So 
today it is very fitting that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) 
stands up and points out where another group of people are committing 
repression.
  This time this is a Muslim group; but in the past, when Muslims have 
been attacked and their rights have been destroyed, he has been the 
first one to stand up and speak up for their rights. So this is not a 
religious determination. What we have today is a determination of 
principle, that we in this body stand together for human rights and are 
against the type of fanaticism that is demonstrated by the Taliban 
regime.
  The same, of course, is true with the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos). We have worked on many human rights issues. The gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Gilman) and I have, of course, worked on the China policy 
as well; and the gentleman is one of the most renowned and most 
respected leaders on human rights in this body. As chairman of the 
Committee on International Relations, he made his mark.
  But today this resolution condemns the Taliban regime, not just for 
what it is doing against Hindus, which is today what we were using as 
our hook to draw attention, and I will be wearing one of those yellow 
badges, but this is symbolic of the repression that the Taliban and the 
fanaticism that the Taliban have brought to Afghanistan.
  As someone who spent considerable time in Afghanistan, I would say 
that I am probably the only Member of this body who actually at one 
point fought alongside with Afghans against the Russian troops during 
their long war against Russian occupation, and I found the Afghans not 
to be fanatics.
  The Afghans were very devout in their religion, but they were not the 
fanatics that the Taliban portray today. In fact, I would like to let 
my colleagues know that, by and large, the Taliban were not and are not 
the Mujahadeen, which is a mistake that many people make.
  Most of the Taliban leadership, as well as most of the Taliban, sat 
out the war against Russia in Pakistan. The Taliban means students, and 
they were in what supposedly were schools, although many of them were 
illiterate, being financed by the Saudis and the Pakistanis. That is 
where they were during the war, while many of the people who opposed 
them today were out fighting the Russians.
  Many of the people who I was with are now being repressed by Afghans 
who were not out there fighting the Russians, who now call themselves 
the Taliban, as if they have some corner on the understanding of God. 
What the Taliban are doing is using Islam as a weapon for their own 
power.
  We have seen this in other faiths as well. We have seen the fanatics 
and the charlatans use their religion, whether they are Christians or 
Muslims or whoever, in order to gain their own power.

                              {time}  1530

  Well, that is what has happened in Afghanistan. It is getting worse 
and worse, because the Taliban, ever since they have been in power, 
have allied themselves with the worst elements in the world, people who 
the Afghan people would have nothing to do with if they had some choice 
in their government.
  Of course, as we know, 60 percent of the world's heroin has been 
growing in Afghanistan all of these years that the Taliban have been in 
power. The Taliban now tell us this year they are no longer growing any 
poppies, and the heroin production is down in their country. Of course, 
how convenient. At a time when they have a massive drought that has 
been going on in Afghanistan that has killed all of the crops, now they 
voluntarily are not growing any more poppies. How convenient. We will 
wait and see what happens when the water comes back whether or not they 
enforce this supposed edict.
  Unfortunately, when we are talking about American relations with 
Afghanistan, what we have found over the last 8 years with the last 
administration, every time we had a chance to overthrow the Taliban, 
and I was involved with several organizations whose efforts were in 
that direction, the last administration, the Clinton administration, 
rode to the rescue at the last minute every time. That is unfortunate.
  During the last 8 years while we gave refugee relief supplies to 
Afghanistan, those supplies, our foreign aid, the foreign aid we have 
been giving to Afghanistan and those poor suffering people of 
Afghanistan, they needed some help; but yet, the last administration 
saw to it that those supplies were only distributed in Taliban-
controlled areas.
  I can tell the Members that I fought tooth and nail, I went time and 
time again to the State Department, to try to see that those supplies 
were distributed in non-Taliban areas. But instead, the Clinton 
administration insisted that those supplies go to Taliban-controlled 
areas.
  Why is that? I believe, and I have said this before, the last 
administration and unfortunately the United States, thus, had a covert 
policy of supporting the Taliban for a while, perhaps as part of some 
situation with Pakistan and the Saudis. I do not know.
  But I would hope that the United States policy has changed, and that 
indeed our goal be the elimination of the Taliban regime and support 
for those Afghanis who are struggling for their country and struggling 
to have a moderate and a decent government.
  The Taliban had, by the way, rejected all elections as being 
inconsistent with Afghan tradition. There are a group of people today 
fighting against the Taliban whose goal and idea is to have an 
Afghanistan directed by the democratic process.
  Commander Massoud and many others who fought against the Russians, 
Abdul Haq and his family who are fighting there, fought against the 
Russians, Pashtum as well as minority members, were fighting against 
the Taliban.
  Our goal should be to be on the side of those people who want to 
replace that regime and to help those people. If we send supplies to 
Afghanistan, they should go to the people in need, whether they are 
with Taliban or not.
  There is a group called the Knightsbridge organization headed by Ed 
Artis and Dr. James Law that have $2 million worth of humanitarian 
supplies ready to go now to the people of Afghanistan, but they do not 
have the money for the transport, and they have not been given help 
because it might go to some non-Taliban areas.
  So I would hope that we do what is right in this country, that we 
condemn this repression as exemplified by repression against the 
Hindus, but we put ourselves on the line against the Taliban and their 
fanaticism and support for terrorism and drug dealing.
  It is time the people of Afghanistan deserve a break after these last 
20 years of struggling.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), an indefatigable fighter across 
the globe.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos), a strong voice for freedom

[[Page 10546]]

and human rights, and my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Engel), who, as the previous speaker, the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Rohrabacher), pointed out, has been such a strong, strong 
courageous voice for human rights wherever they are undermined in the 
world.
  Mr. Speaker, this week our Nation closed a chapter on the deadliest 
act of terrorism ever perpetrated on American soil. We were reminded 
again of the dangers of fanaticism, its assault on civil society, its 
attack on our values, its rejection of the rule of law. We were 
confronted again by the evil that works within the zealot's heart, 
where basic human decency is drowned in a sea of arrogance, ideology, 
and hatred.
  As we attempt to heal the wounds caused by this madman at home, let 
us recognize that as the leader for democracy, freedom, and human 
rights throughout the world, we must fight fanaticism, bigotry, and 
hatred wherever it rears its head. That is why I urge my colleagues to 
support this critically important resolution introduced by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).
  Today the people of Afghanistan toil under the boot of the brutal 
Taliban regime, whose crimes, as have been catalogued earlier in this 
debate, are legion. Since seizing power in 1996, the Taliban has 
systematically denied Afghani women and girls their basic human rights. 
They are prohibited from attending school. They are prohibited from 
working outside the home. With few exceptions, they are prohibited from 
appearing in public with nonrelative males.
  The Taliban's chokehold on the Afghani people has only tightened 
recently. It destroyed two ancient statues of Buddha, in spite of all 
the world's protests. It shut down a hospital opened by an Italian 
charity. It prohibited Afghani women from working with the 
international relief agencies, even as an estimated 4 million people 
are at risk of starvation this year in Afghanistan.
  In an order reminiscent of Nazi Germany, the Taliban rulers decreed 
in May that all non-Muslims would have to wear an identifying label on 
their clothing to distinguish themselves.
  Earlier in this debate, the experience of the Danes and the Jews was 
referenced. My father was born in Copenhagen. King Christian, when the 
edict came down from the Nazis, said ``I will wear the Jewish star,'' 
and all Danes wore the Jewish star to indicate their solidarity with 
their Danish brethren, not distinguished by other forms of 
discrimination.
  Mr. Speaker, through this resolution today we join the world 
community in condemning the Taliban regime for their flagrant human 
rights violations. As the leading voice for freedom and human rights 
throughout the world, it is our responsibility, it is our duty, it is 
our opportunity and our cause. We must state unequivocally the savaging 
of human rights by misanthropic fanaticism has no place in a civilized 
world, and it must not stand.
  This resolution, Mr. Speaker, is an important statement, and we must 
join with others to confront this evil perpetrated by the Taliban.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul), a member of our Committee on 
International Relations.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. It gives 
us an opportunity to at least condemn the Taliban in forcing the 
wearing of these symbols.
  Sometimes I think, though, that this type of legislation is more 
feel-good legislation, makes us feel better, but does not do a whole 
lot to solve our problems. I think it would be more important to take 
this opportunity to think about our policy of foreign interventionism.
  We have been involved in Afghanistan now for more than two decades, 
and have spent over $1 billion. Last year we spent $114 million in 
humanitarian aid. This year it is already $124 million.
  It is said that it is not sent to the Taliban, but the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Rohrabacher), who is a bit of an expert on Afghanistan, 
just revealed to us earlier that indeed some of this money and some of 
this aid was designated to go to the Taliban-controlled areas.
  I think more important is that regardless of the intention of where 
we send the aid, the aid is beneficial to the government in charge. The 
Taliban is in charge. They can get control of aid, of food and other 
commodities, and use it as weapons, and they do.
  The point that I would like to make is after these many, many 
millions of dollars and over $1 billion have been spent, we have come 
to this. They are in worse shape than ever. Yes, we can condemn what 
they are doing, but we should question whether or not our policy in 
Afghanistan has really served us well, or served the people well. It 
may well be that when we send aid, that it literally helps the Taliban, 
because they do not have to then buy food. They can take their money 
and use it to enforce these rules and to be a more authoritarian 
society, to buy weapons.
  We do know that when we sent weapons in the eighties, those weapons 
actually ended up in the hands of the violent Taliban, and they are 
still in their hands to some degree. Yes, our policy is well-intended. 
We would like to do good and save all the suffering that is happening 
in this country. But quite frankly, it has not worked very well.
  We should question this. I believe we should assume some 
responsibility in the sense that our aid does not always do what it was 
supposed to do and actually ends up helping the very people that we 
detest. I think that is exactly what has happened here. It has been 
specifically pointed out that some of this aid has gone into the area 
where the Taliban has been helped and strengthened.
  All I am suggesting is, why not question this a little bit? Why 
should we go on decade after decade after decade expanding aid and 
getting these kinds of results that we all detest?
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me just respond to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Paul). While I am pleased he is supporting the resolution, he needs to 
gain some historical perspective. It was billions and billions of 
dollars of Marshall aid which resulted in the rebuilding of Western 
Europe and in creating our allies in NATO, and providing us with a 
prosperous Europe as our single most important trading partner.
  So this melancholy call for isolationism is not supported by the 
historic evidence. The historic evidence shows clearly that in 
Republican and Democratic administrations, overwhelmingly United States 
participation in Europe and elsewhere contributed in a major way toward 
building democratic and prosperous societies.
  I was present at the end of the Second World War, as my friend knows, 
when Europe was in ruins, and it was the farsightedness of a group of 
Republican and Democratic leaders in this country, from Harry Truman to 
Senator Vandenberg, who created a framework which allowed the countries 
of Europe to rebuild themselves to become our powerful NATO allies, our 
democratic friends, and our most significant trading partners.
  There is no evidence for the statement that the previous 
administration directed aid to go to the Taliban. This is an 
unsubstantiated statement. What we voted for and what I think we will 
vote again is to provide humanitarian assistance to the destitute 
people of Afghanistan. It is most unfortunate that the bulk of 
Afghanistan today is in the hands of this despicable regime.
  But I think it is important to realize and to be true to historic 
facts that the bulk of our economic aid since the end of the Second 
World War has succeeded in creating prosperous and democratic societies 
ranging from Taiwan to Denmark. These were destroyed societies, poor 
societies, destitute societies, and American aid was critical in 
building them up as democratic and prosperous allies.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. LANTOS. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

[[Page 10547]]

  Mr. Speaker, we do not have time to get into the Marshall Plan, but 
there is a pretty strong case to indicate that the major part of the 
rebuilding of Europe came from private capital and not specifically 
from the immigration plan.
  But the point that I would like to answer to is the term 
``isolationism.'' I am not a protectionist. I am not an isolationist. I 
am for openness, travel, trade. I vote consistently that way, so the 
term ``isolationist'' does not apply to the policies that I am talking 
about, because I am probably for more openness in trade and travel than 
most anybody in this body.

                              {time}  1545

  So the term is not isolationism.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Crowley), a distinguished member of the Committee on 
International Relations, my friend.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) for yielding me the time.
  Firstly, let me thank the gentleman from the Bronx, New York (Mr. 
Engel), my friend and colleague, for authoring this resolution.
  Let me thank the leadership and the Committee on International 
Relations and the leadership of the House for bringing this timely 
resolution to the floor so quickly.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe we must speak out quickly when tyranny raises 
its ugly head; and, once again, it has raised in Afghanistan. To 
require any minority to wear any symbol harkens back to another age of 
the subjection of religious minorities, the coddling of terrorism, the 
destruction of world treasures.
  We simply cannot let this go on without stating our opposition to 
that. It is shear, shear fascism. This fanaticism though has the 
potential to spread, unfortunately.
  Having talked to some friends in the Bangladeshi community, their 
concerns that this could possibly spread to other moderate Muslim 
countries in the region is also a concern of mine.
  This is a very, very difficult part of the world to begin with and to 
have this taking place there now is only going to exacerbate that.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this 
resolution to the floor, and I will also wear this ribbon in 
remembrance of the Hindus of Afghanistan.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Crowley) for his strong support for this and other issues of human 
rights. We have worked together on many issues in Ireland, Bangladesh, 
and elsewhere; and we thank him for his poignant remarks today.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. 
Morella).
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 
145 to condemn the treatment of Hindus in Afghanistan by the Taliban 
Government, and I wear my yellow badge.
  It is a government that continues to commit blatant violations of 
human rights. I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) 
for introducing this important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be one of the many original cosponsors. 
Since taking power over 90 percent of Afghanistan in the fall of 1996, 
the Taliban regime has restricted the freedoms of women by limiting 
their social participation, their work, and education. Not only do 
Hindu women have to wear the badge, they wear a veil. They are required 
to.
  State Department and international human rights groups report that 
violence against women continues to be one of the regime's largest 
human rights violations. The Taliban regime has established a Ministry 
for the Promotion of Virtue and the Suppression of Vice to monitor how 
its moral laws are followed and to punish those who do not comply.
  Individuals in violation have found their homes burned, livestock 
killed, irrigation systems destroyed. Over the past 2 years, more than 
a dozen politically active citizens have been arrested and killed by 
the Taliban regime.
  Since its implementation, the protection and freedoms of women have 
been stripped, making women the property of their husbands, their 
fathers, or the state.
  Reports site acts of violence that include rape, kidnapping, and 
forced marriages that were in many cases perpetrated by the Taliban.
  Most recently, the Taliban leaders have imposed laws mandating the 
public identification of all Muslims and that is this required yellow 
identification symbol. It echoes the feelings associated with the 
yellow star of David that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany.
  As we take a firm stand against human rights violations, we encourage 
other nations to recognize the Taliban leadership continues to violate 
United Nations Security Council resolutions and international standards 
as identified by Amnesty International.
  As we recognize and respect the sovereignty of independent nations, 
we cannot remain silent when women and children are brutally murdered 
for not following the moral stands of a barbaric regime. We have acted 
to economically and politically isolate Afghanistan in efforts to 
eliminate human rights violations, but the world must also follow suit.
  Earlier this year, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and I 
introduced H.R. 1152, the Human Rights Information Act, in an effort to 
expose human rights abusers outside the United States. As a world 
leader, the United States must condemn religious persecution and 
gender-based discrimination. I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. 
Res. 145. I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde). I 
want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos). I want to 
thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) for floor managing the 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) 
and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for bringing this issue 
to the floor and indeed the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) for 
introducing this very important issue.
  Let us all support H. Con. Res. 145.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from 
Maryland (Mrs. Morella) for her strong supportive remarks and for 
always being there on human rights situations.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. McDermott), my friend and colleague.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise as the cochair of the India Caucus 
to support this initiative. Today we all wear the yellow in emulation 
of the Danish king who said we are all Danes. There are not Jews and 
Catholics and Protestants, we are all Danes. But what this means is not 
that we are Hindus, but that we are all human beings.
  When we fail to keep that clearly in mind, when we mix religion and 
government and get it all mixed up, we wind up with some very terrible 
situations. We cannot just look out at the Taliban. We have to look at 
ourselves, because Martin Niemoller, who was a Lutheran minister who 
died in the camps in the 1940s said, When they came for the Communist, 
I was not a Communist, so I did not stand up. When they came for the 
homosexuals, I was not a homosexual, so I did not stand up.
  When they came for the socialists, I was not a socialist, so I did 
not stand up. When they came for the trade unionists and the Catholics, 
I did not stand up and when they came for the Jews, I did not stand up.
  Then they came for me, and there was no one to stand up.
  What this is about is all of us standing up for the right of people 
to have their own religion and to live in peace in a country where they 
can raise their children as they want to and not force anybody to do 
anything.
  We must look at that separation of church and state in our own 
country. We will consider out here soon the issue of faith-based 
initiatives and what that does to the separation of church and state.
  All we have to do is look at Afghanistan to see what happens when we 
melt the two together. That is a frightening possibility, and it starts 
one at a time.

[[Page 10548]]

As it did in Germany. They did not go out and get the Jews first and 
grab them all. They started with a lot of other people that they did 
not like, and that is why this is so important that everyone wear this, 
not just today, but in their mind every day.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi), my neighbor, friend and colleague, an 
indefatigable fighter for human rights.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) for yielding the time to me, and I want to commend him and the 
majority side of the Committee on International Relations for bringing 
this important piece of legislation to the floor.
  This committee has challenged the conscience of this Congress and of 
our country on many occasions. Today I am sorry I missed the debate on 
Sudan but will be submitting a statement on the record for that.
  But I also want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) 
for his leadership in introducing this resolution. I am proud to be an 
original sponsor of it.
  In his dear colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) calls 
what is happening in Afghanistan a horror, a horror. That is a perfect 
word for it.
  The Taliban in their activities that I will talk about a bit and that 
our Members have addressed over and over again today, their activities 
there have placed them outside the circle of civilized human behavior.
  It is very important that people in the rest of the world speak out; 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) gives us that opportunity here 
today. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).
  We have written, under the leadership of the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), to the President of the United States 
because we were concerned about this yellow badge that the Hindus were 
obliged to wear in Afghanistan. We are appreciating his considering our 
request that our Nation lead in its opposition to this dangerous, 
dangerous plan.
  Mr. Speaker, much has been stated on the floor of this House about 
our commitment to religion and the free expression of religion, and 
that is why it is so important that we all join the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel) and the committee and join with people of all faiths 
around the world in standing against the religious persecution by the 
Taliban regime.
  The gentleman's resolution strongly condemns the Taliban's use of 
Nazi tactics to force Hindus in Afghanistan to wear symbols identifying 
them as Hindus. These are strong words. But these are terrible actions, 
and this is how we can meet this challenge.
  So I am pleased to be, as I said, an original cosponsor. I commend 
the maker of the motion, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel). I 
once again applaud the Committee on International Relations for 
challenging the conscience of this Congress. Hopefully our whole 
country will rise to that challenge.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to have the opportunity to have 
the last comments.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Gilman) has the right to close.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I again want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Engel) for bringing this important resolution to our attention. I trust 
that we will have a unanimous consent vote which would reflect the 
views not only of the Congress but of the American people that we do 
not stand for religious discrimination or persecution in any form. I 
urge all of my colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Taliban regime is a threat to the stability not only 
of the Asian regime but the entire world. Our Nation needs to join with 
other nations that are seeking to reinstate that regime.
  The former king of Afghanistan has suggested that all of the parties 
come together in Afghanistan for a grand assembly known as a Loya 
Jirga. This could be an appropriate way to bring peace to that Nation.
  Another method could be to work with the Northern Alliance that has 
been opposing the Taliban. No matter what route our Nation takes, we 
must help to restore stability through the formation of a 
representative form of government in Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with our colleagues on this 
issue, and I urge my colleagues to approve H. Con. Res. 145.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of this legislation, I rise 
today to talk about an issue that concerns me greatly--the recent 
actions of the Taliban regime.
  I visited Afghanistan nearly 25 years ago. I was impressed by the 
resilient independence of its people. I deeply lament the destruction 
of art and the censorship of literature.
  The giant statues of Bamiyan, which I had the privilege of seeing and 
admiring long ago, have been demolished.
  All of this is very lamentable, but the recent violations of human 
rights and religious freedom must be condemned as crimes of a higher 
order.
  Last month, the Taliban Islamic militia imposed a rigid new social 
code requiring Hindus in Afghanistan to wear a distinctive yellow piece 
of cloth identifying them as Hindus. The similarities between this 
recent action and those of pre-war Nazi regimes are disturbing.
  Even more disturbing are the other similarities between pre-war Nazi 
Germany and the Taliban militia.
  From what we have seen, the government of Afghanistan is waging a war 
on its certain members of its populace--particularly women and 
religious minorities. Before the Taliban took power in 1996, the women 
of Afghanistan had relative freedom: they could work, even as 
professionals, dress generally as they wanted, and drive and appear in 
public alone. Under the Taliban, women have lost not only these 
``privileges'' but also all their rights as persons.
  Now, the women of Afghanistan must ensure that not even an inch of 
their flesh shows; they must screen the windows of their homes so they 
cannot be seen, or see.
  Women can no longer work and are forbidden to go out in public 
without a male relative. Even in their own homes, they are not allowed 
to be heard; they must wear silent shoes and obey and serve silently.
  The slightest violation of the Taliban law is punishable by beating 
and stoning, often to death.
  And now the Taliban regime has turned its hatred toward religious 
minorities. Recently, the world watched in horror as the Taliban 
militia destroyed ancient Buddhist statues, simply because they were of 
another religion.
  And now, we are witnessing the Taliban's policy to mark its religious 
minorities. I fear what this action will lead to.
  We already know what it can lead to.
  Calling the Taliban's actions a ``human rights violation'' is a gross 
understatement.
  We must--the world must--condemn it.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution which not only 
condemns the Taliban's use of Nazi tactics, but it also demands that 
the Taliban regime immediately revoke its order stigmatizing Hindus and 
other non-Muslims in Afghanistan and conform its laws to all basic 
international civil and human rights standards.
  We must not be silent on these atrocities.
  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 145. Recently, the Taliban in Afghanistan has issued a 
decree that all non-Muslims should wear a yellow identity symbol in 
addition to the requirement that women must fully cover themselves in a 
veil. This decree, although affecting all in Afghanistan, is directly 
targeted toward a minority Hindu population. It is unthinkable that we, 
here in America, would remain silent while religious persecution is 
actively promoted. Furthermore, this sort of action by the regime is 
reminiscent of previous leaders and governments that also set out a 
path of differentiation between people. In many of these cases, 
including the Nazis coercing Jews into wearing a yellow Star of David, 
a small action such as this, was only the precursor for larger, more 
violent forms of discrimination.
  In addition, the Taliban has ordered the destruction of all pre-
Islamic statues in Afghanistan, including a pair of 1600-year-old, 100-
foot statues of Buddha that were carved out of a mountainside.

[[Page 10549]]

  I find no other choice but to rise up with my colleagues to condemn 
these actions and to condemn the Taliban. I join with all people from 
around the world, people of all faiths and nationalities, to denounce 
this latest action of religious discrimination by the Taliban in 
Afghanistan.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my strong support 
for H. Con. Res. 145. I commend my colleague Mr. Engel, for introducing 
this important piece of legislation that condemns the Taliban for 
requiring Hindus and non-Muslims in Afghanistan to wear identifying 
symbols.
  The Taliban regime's policies are inhuman, and clearly resonate Nazi 
tactics used to stigmatize Jews during the Holocaust. The Taliban 
policies are reprehensible, and not only should this Congress and the 
international community condemn the Taliban for their action against 
Hindus, I also call upon Pakistan to take a stand and use its influence 
with the Taliban to end these reprehensible policies.
  The Taliban's record on human rights and support for terrorism have 
been documented in several reports, including the U.S. State 
Department's Patterns of Global Terrorism 2000 Report. The findings in 
these reports on the Taliban exemplify a clear pattern of basic human 
and civil rights to the Afghan people, especially women, minorities and 
children. The statistics of violence against women and girls is simply 
overwhelming.
  Not only is the Taliban's record on human rights atrocious, the State 
Department's Patterns of Global Terrorism reports that ``The Taliban 
continued to provide a safehaven for international terrorists, 
particularly Osama bin Laden and his network, in the portions of 
Afghanistan it controlled.'' Not only does the Taliban house Osama bin 
Laden, the Taliban allows Afghanistan to be used for a base of 
operation for worldwide terrorist activities and training.
  The people of Afghanistan are being held hostage in their own country 
under the terrorist regime of the Taliban. Their recent policy of 
requiring Hindus to wear identification badges, mandating Hindu women 
to fully cover themselves in veil, demanding Hindu homes to be 
identified, and prohibiting Muslims and Hindus to live together all 
further exacerbate the current situation and indicate that the Taliban 
is trying to implement a genocide against their own people.
  I urge Pakistan to step up to the plate and use its influence to 
allow Afghan Hindus to continue to live their lives and practice their 
religious beliefs and I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
important resolution.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in 
support of House Concurrent Resolution 145, which condemns the 
Afghanistan Government for requiring non-Muslims to wear identifying 
symbols and other acts of human rights violations.
  A recent order by the Taliban regime of Afghanistan to require Hindus 
and other non-Muslims in Afghanistan to wear symbols identifying them 
as non-Muslim is very disturbing.
  It is inconceivable that after the experience of World War II, when 
Jewish members of European countries were forced to wear the Star of 
David as a means of identifying their religious beliefs that we should 
see this type of action again on the part of any government.
  Women, minorities, and children suffer disproportionately. The U.S. 
State Department's Country Report on Human Rights Practices found that 
violence against women and girls in Afghanistan occurs frequently, 
including beatings, rapes, forced marriages, disappearances, 
kidnappings, and killings.
  Amnesty International's Report 2001, covering events from January-
December 2000 and issued May 30, 2001, states in its findings on 
Afghanistan that:

       Human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention and 
     torture, continued to be reported in the context of the 
     ongoing conflict between warring factions. The Taliban 
     continued to impose harsh restrictions on personal conduct 
     and behavior as a means of enforcing their particular 
     interpretation of Islamic law. Fighting in the northern 
     provinces intensified during the second half of the year as 
     the Taleban and anti-Taleban forces fought for control of 
     territory. Forced displacement of the civilian population was 
     used by the Taleban to gain control of territory in areas 
     north of Kabul, creating a severe humanitarian crisis.

  The Taliban has repeatedly interfered with United Nations relief 
programs and workers, preventing the provision of much-needed food and 
emergency relief services to the people of Afghanistan.
  There are more than 25 million internally displaced persons within 
Afghanistan, and more than 2 million refugees who have left the 
country.
  The Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, headed by Mullah 
Mohammad Omar, is recognized as a government by only three countries, 
including Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Of the 
three, Pakistan's relations with the Taliban are the most extensive, 
including military and economic assistance. The anti-Taliban alliance's 
Islamic State of Afghanistan, headed by Burhanuddin Rabbani, is 
recognized as a government by other governments and the United Nations. 
According to the State Department's report Patterns of Global Terrorism 
2000, issued in April 2001, ``The Government of Pakistan increased its 
support to the Taliban.''
  According to the State Department's Patterns of Global Terrorism:

       The Taliban continued to provide safehaven for 
     international terrorists, particularly Usama Bin Ladin and 
     his network, in the portions of Afghanistan it controlled.

  On May 29, 2001, a jury in Federal District Court in Manhattan 
convicted four bin Laden followers on all 302 counts they faced in 
connection with the August 7, 1998, bombings at the U.S. Embassies in 
Nairobi, Kenya, and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which killed 224 
people, including 12 Americans, and wounded thousands.
  The State Department's Patterns of Global Terrorism 2000 report 
states:

       Islamic extremists from around the world including North 
     America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central, South, 
     and Southeast Asia continued to use Afghanistan as a training 
     ground and base of operations for their worldwide terrorist 
     activities in 2000. The Taliban, which controlled most Afghan 
     territory, permitted the operation of training and 
     indoctrination facilities for non-Afghans and provided 
     logistics support to members of various terrorist 
     organizations and mujahidin, including those waging jihads 
     (holy wars) in Central Asia, Chechnya, and Kashmir.

  On October 15, 1999, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted 
resolution 1267, in which it demanded that the Taliban in Afghanistan 
turn over Osama bin Laden, in order that he might be brought to 
justice, and required the Taliban to cease the provision of sanctuary 
and training for international terrorists and their organizations. The 
Taliban took no steps to comply with the Security Council's demands.
  The willful act of segregating groups in any society based on their 
innate human differences is wrong, it was wrong in the southern United 
States before the civil rights movement forced a change in our Nation's 
policy regarding African-American, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian 
members of our society. It was wrong for South Africa to impose 
apartheid on the majority African and Indian population, and it is 
wrong for Afghanistan. The 56th session of the United Nation's 
Commission on Human Rights reported that a constitutional vacuum exists 
in Afghanistan. The Taliban government acknowledges the need for a 
constitution that would encompass an inclusive process, which would 
enable all segments of the Afghan population to participate in working 
out an acceptable constitutional framework and procedures for its 
acceptance and approval by the Afghan people.
  There continues to be a denial to women of access to education, 
health and employment. The rights of women have been curtailed by 
limitation on their freedom of movement of women, with little access to 
employment or education. I have also heard about refugees stories 
concerning refugees and reports that chronicle the abduction of women, 
rape, infliction of the punishment of stoning, lashing, and other forms 
of inhuman punishment.
  I would strongly encourage the Taliban government to rethink this 
decision along with their treatment of women in light of the strong 
negative connotations that are implied by their action. I do not reject 
the right of the Afghanistan people to self-determination, but I do 
reject any attempt to abuse women or to ostracize members of their 
diverse society.
  The road that they are traveling on has been traveled on before with 
dire consequences for those who attempted to enforce laws and policies 
based on prejudice or fear. The intent of the government may not be to 
take action against these religious groups, but the end result could 
indeed lead to untold violence against others because they worship God 
in their own way.
  America was willing to aid the Afghan people in their struggle for 
freedom from the former Soviet Union. Our Nation's support came from 
our shared interest in stopping the violence that was being committed 
against their people because of their deep faith in God expressed in 
their commitment to Islam.
  I would ask that the Taliban not forget their history with those who 
were intolerant of them, and remember that a nation like the United 
States gains it strength from the diversity of the people who call her 
home.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

[[Page 10550]]


  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the order of the House of Tuesday, June 12, 2001, the 
previous question is ordered.
  The question is on the concurrent resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 420, 
noes 0, not voting 12, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 161]

                               AYES--420

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Andrews
     Armey
     Baca
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldacci
     Baldwin
     Ballenger
     Barcia
     Barr
     Barrett
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Becerra
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonior
     Bono
     Borski
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Brown (SC)
     Bryant
     Burton
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardin
     Carson (IN)
     Carson (OK)
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Collins
     Combest
     Condit
     Conyers
     Cooksey
     Costello
     Cox
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Davis, Tom
     Deal
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     DeLay
     DeMint
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     Engel
     English
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Everett
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Flake
     Fletcher
     Foley
     Frank
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gekas
     Gephardt
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Goss
     Graham
     Granger
     Graves
     Green (TX)
     Green (WI)
     Greenwood
     Grucci
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall (OH)
     Hall (TX)
     Hansen
     Harman
     Hart
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Herger
     Hilleary
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hoeffel
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Horn
     Houghton
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Inslee
     Isakson
     Israel
     Issa
     Istook
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jenkins
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MN)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kerns
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kleczka
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     LaFalce
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Largent
     Larsen (WA)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lucas (KY)
     Lucas (OK)
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Mascara
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meeks (NY)
     Menendez
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (FL)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Mink
     Mollohan
     Moore
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Morella
     Murtha
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nethercutt
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Osborne
     Ose
     Otter
     Owens
     Oxley
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Pence
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Phelps
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Portman
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Riley
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Roemer
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roukema
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Ryan (WI)
     Ryun (KS)
     Sabo
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sandlin
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Scarborough
     Schaffer
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schrock
     Scott
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shows
     Shuster
     Simmons
     Simpson
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Souder
     Spence
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Stump
     Stupak
     Sununu
     Sweeney
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Terry
     Thomas
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Thune
     Thurman
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Toomey
     Towns
     Traficant
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Vitter
     Walden
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Waters
     Watkins (OK)
     Watson (CA)
     Watt (NC)
     Watts (OK)
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--12

     Allen
     Burr
     Ferguson
     Ford
     Fossella
     Hill
     Hoekstra
     Hostettler
     Johnson, E. B.
     Larson (CT)
     Lowey
     Meek (FL)

                              {time}  1622

  So the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________