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[DOCID: f:hr358ath.txt]






107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 358

    Expressing support for the democratically elected Government of 
    Columbia and its efforts to counter threats from United States-
              designated foreign terrorist organizations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 6, 2002

  Mr. Hyde (for himself, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. Menendez, Mr. 
Goss, Mr. Farr of California, Mr. Kolbe, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Gilman, Mrs. 
     Tauscher, and Mr. Moran of Virginia) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
                               Relations

                             March 6, 2002

   Committee on International Relations discharged; considered under 
                 suspension of the rules and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing support for the democratically elected Government of 
    Columbia and its efforts to counter threats from United States-
              designated foreign terrorist organizations.

Whereas the democratically elected Government of Colombia, led by President 
        Andres Pastrana, is the legitimate authority in the oldest 
        representative democracy in South America;
Whereas the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and 
        the Secretary of the Treasury, is required to designate as foreign 
        terrorist organizations those groups whose activities threaten the 
        security of United States nationals or the national security interests 
        of the United States pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act;
Whereas the Secretary of State has designated three Colombian terrorist groups 
        as foreign terrorist organizations, including the Revolutionary Armed 
        Forces of Colombia (FARC), the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia 
        (AUC), and the National Liberation Army (ELN);
Whereas all three United States-designated foreign terrorist organizations 
        regularly engage in criminal acts, including murder, kidnapping, and 
        extortion perpetrated against Colombian civilians, government officials, 
        security forces, and against foreign nationals, including United States 
        citizens;
Whereas the FARC is holding five Colombian legislators, a presidential 
        candidate, and Colombian police and army officers and soldiers as 
        hostages and has recently escalated bombings against civilian targets, 
        including a foiled attempt to destroy the city of Bogota's principal 
        water reservoir;
Whereas, according to the Colombian Government, the FARC has received training 
        in terrorist techniques and technology from foreign nationals;
Whereas, since 1992, United States-designated foreign terrorist organizations in 
        Colombia have committed serious crimes against United States citizens, 
        kidnapping more than 50 Americans and murdering at least ten Americans;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration believes that members of the FARC 
        and the AUC directly engage in narcotics trafficking;
Whereas individual members of Colombia's security forces have collaborated with 
        illegal paramilitary organizations by, inter alia, in some instances 
        allowing such organizations to pass through roadblocks, sharing tactical 
        information with such organizations, and providing such organizations 
        with supplies and ammunition;
Whereas while the Colombian Government has made progress in its efforts to 
        combat and capture members of illegal paramilitary organizations and 
        taken positive steps to break links between individual members of the 
        security forces and such organizations, further steps by the Colombian 
        Government are warranted;
Whereas in 1998 Colombian President Andres Pastrana began exhaustive efforts to 
        negotiate a peace agreement with the FARC and implemented extraordinary 
        confidence-building measures to advance these negotiations, including 
        establishing a 16,000-square-mile safe haven for the FARC;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has also undertaken substantial efforts to 
        negotiate a peace agreement with the ELN;
Whereas the United States has consistently supported the Government of 
        Colombia's protracted efforts to negotiate a peace agreement with the 
        FARC and supports the Government of Colombia in its continuing efforts 
        to reach a negotiated agreement with the ELN;
Whereas the United States would welcome a negotiated, political solution to end 
        the violence in Colombia;
Whereas, after the FARC hijacked a commercial airplane and took Colombian 
        Senator Jorge Eduardo Gechem Turbay as a hostage into the government-
        created safe haven, President Pastrana ended his government's 
        sponsorship of the peace negotiations with the FARC and ordered 
        Colombia's security forces to re-establish legitimate governmental 
        control in the safe haven;
Whereas President Pastrana has received strong expressions of support from 
        foreign governments and international organizations for his decision to 
        end the peace talks and dissolve the FARC's safe haven; and
Whereas the Government of Colombia's negotiations with the ELN are continuing 
        despite the end of the negotiations with the FARC: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) expresses its support for the democratically 
                elected Government of Colombia and the Colombian people 
                as they strive to protect their democracy from 
                terrorism and the scourge of illicit narcotics; and
                    (B) deplores the continuing criminal terrorist acts 
                of murder, abduction, and extortion carried out by all 
                United States-designated foreign terrorist 
                organizations in Colombia against United States 
                citizens, the civilian population of Colombia, and 
                Colombian authorities; and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        the President, without undue delay, should transmit to Congress 
        for its consideration proposed legislation, consistent with 
        United States law regarding the protection of human rights, to 
        assist the Government of Colombia protect its democracy from 
        United States-designated foreign terrorist organizations and 
        the scourge of illicit narcotics; and
            (3) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        the Secretary of State should designate a high-ranking official 
        to coordinate all United States assistance to the Government of 
        Colombia to ensure clarity of United States policy and the 
        effective delivery of United States support.
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