[House Hearing, 106 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
MARKUP ON H. CON. RES. 20 AND H. CON. RES. 46
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MARKUP
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
Thursday, October 14, 1999
__________
Serial No. 106-100
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.house.gov/international
relations
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
64-473 CC WASHINGTON : 2000
COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York, Chairman
WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut
JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa TOM LANTOS, California
HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
DAN BURTON, Indiana Samoa
ELTON GALLEGLY, California MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey
DANA ROHRABACHER, California ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey
DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois SHERROD BROWN, Ohio
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY, Georgia
PETER T. KING, New York ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio PAT DANNER, Missouri
MARSHALL ``MARK'' SANFORD, South EARL F. HILLIARD, Alabama
Carolina BRAD SHERMAN, California
MATT SALMON, Arizona ROBERT WEXLER, Florida
TOM CAMPBELL, California STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, New Jersey
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York JIM DAVIS, Florida
BILL LUTHER, Minnesota EARL POMEROY, North Dakota
LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts
ROY BLUNT, Missouri GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
KEVIN BRADY, Texas BARBARA LEE, California
RICHARD BURR, North Carolina JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York
PAUL E. GILLMOR, Ohio JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Pennsylvania
GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California
JOHN COOKSEY, Louisiana
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado
Richard J. Garon, Chief of Staff
Kathleen Bertelsen Moazed, Democratic Chief of Staff
------
Subcommittee on Africa
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman
AMO HOUGHTON, New York DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
TOM CAMPBELL, California GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
GEORGE RADANOVICH, California BARBARA LEE, California
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado
Tom Sheehy, Subcommittee Staff Director
Malik M. Chaka, Professional Staff Member
Charisse Glassman, Democratic Professional Staff Member
Charmaine V. Houseman, Staff Associate
C O N T E N T S
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Page
LEGISLATION
H. Con. Res. 46, Urging an end of the war between Eritrean and
Ethiopia and calling on the United Nations Human Rights
Commission and other Human Rights Organizations to investigate
human rights abuses in connection with the Eritrean and
Ethiopian conflict............................................. 6
H. Con. Res. 20, concerning economic humanitarian, and other
assistance to the Northern part of Somalia..................... 10
APPENDIX
The Honorable Alcee Hastings..................................... 13
MARKUP ON H. CON. RES. 20 AND H. CON. RES. 46
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Thursday, October 14, 1999
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Africa,
Committee on International Relations,
Washington, D.C.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:30 p.m., in
room 2200, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Edward R. Royce
(Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding.
Mr. Royce. [presiding] The Subcommittee on Africa will now
come to order to mark up two resolutions.
We will now consider House Concurrent Resolution 20, a
resolution concerning economic humanitarian and other
assistance to Somalia. The Chair lays the resolution before the
Committee. The clerk will report the title of the resolution.
The Clerk. ``H. Con. Res. 20, concerning economic
humanitarian----''
Mr. Royce. Without objection, the clerk will read the
preamble and operative language of the resolution for
amendment.
The Clerk. ``Whereas, in the area of the northern part of
Somalia----''
Mr. Royce. Without objection, the resolution is considered
as having been read and is open to amendment at any point.
[The information referred to appears in the appendix.]
Mr. Royce. Now, this resolution was introduced on February
2 and referred by Chairman Gilman to this Subcommittee. It
draws much needed attention to Somalia, which has ceased to
exist as a nation. As a result of fighting between factions led
by self-serving war lords, there is no nation state left in
Somalia today.
This resolution recognizes that the northern part of
Somalia has achieved a significant level of economic and social
stability. This should be commended. The resolution, however,
should not be construed as calling for diplomatic recognition
of Somalia-land. In fact, the resolution calls for all Somali
parties to work with the international community to achieve,
quote, ``a permanent end to the civil strife there in the
adoption of a permanent governmental structure most conducive
to the well-being and basic human rights of all Somali
people.''
I would like to commend Mr. Campbell for authoring and Mr.
Payne, the Ranking Member, for co-sponsoring the resolution.
Do any Members seek recognition to discuss the resolution?
Mr. Campbell. Mr. Chairman?
Mr. Royce. Mr. Campbell of California.
Mr. Campbell. Mr. Chairman, thank you for your kind words.
You have accurately and forcefully described the purpose of the
legislation. I am proud that Congressman Payne agreed to be the
original co-sponsor. I would emphasize that this is not all
that some want. It is not a recognition of a new country. I
recognize under our Constitution that the President to the
United States has the authority to recognize countries.
What it is, is a request that for the sake of the
humanitarian goals of assistance, that we should not hold that
assistance back from people capable of using it because
conditions over which they have no control have not yet
ripened.
With that, and in view of the pending vote on the floor,
Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you for scheduling this
hearing.
Mr. Royce. Thank you, Mr. Campbell.
Are there any other Members seeking recognition?
If not, the gentleman from California, Mr. Campbell, is
recognized to offer a motion.
Mr. Campbell. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Subcommittee
report H. Con. Res 20, as amended--I believe it has been
amended--but let me say, if amended--if that is appropriate to
say--that I move this Subcommittee report H. Con. Res 20
favorably to the Full Committee.
Mr. Royce. Without objection, the motion is agreed to.
Let us call the roll if we can.
The question is on the motion of the gentleman from
California.
All those in favor of the motion say aye.
All those opposed say no.
The ayes have it. That motion is agreed to.
Mr. Campbell. Excuse me. Do you think we should go to the
second resolution now or do you want to wait?
Mr. Hastings. Mr. Chairman, let us try to finish.
Mr. Campbell. Let us do it.
Mr. Royce. OK. We will now consider House Concurrent
Resolution 46, urging the end of the war between Eritrean and
Ethiopia and calling on the United Nations Human Rights
Commission and other human rights organizations to investigate
human rights abuses in connection with the Eritrean and
Ethiopian conflict concerning economic, humanitarian, and other
assistance.
The Chair lays the resolution before the Committee. The
clerk will report the title of the resolution.
The Clerk. ``H. Con. Res. 46, urging an end to the war
between Eritrean and Ethiopia and calling on the United Nations
Human Rights Commission and other human rights organizations to
investigate human rights abuses in connection with the Eritrean
and Ethiopian conflict.''
Mr. Royce. Thank you, and, without objection, the clerk
will read the preamble and operative language.
The Clerk. ``Whereas, peace and stability----''
Mr. Royce. Without objection, the resolution is considered
as having been read and is open to amendment at any point.
Mr. Royce. Just to brief, this resolution was introduced on
March 9 and referred to this Subcommittee. It urges an end to
the 17-month long war between Eritrean and Ethiopia that has
resulted in the loss of more than 70,000 to date and calls for
the investigation of human rights abuses in connection with the
conflict.
Hopefully, this resolution will help to bring home to both
sides of the conflict that Congress has lost patience with the
intransigence that keeps a war going that neither side can
afford. It recognizes the OAU framework, which both sides claim
to accept, and provides an equitable basis to end the
devastating conflict. I would like to commend the author, Mr.
Campbell for this resolution.
Do any Members seek recognition?
Mr. Campbell. Mr. Chairman?
Mr. Royce. Mr. Campbell.
Mr. Campbell. I am honored to have my good friend,
Congressman Payne, as original co-sponsor and my good friend,
Congressman Chabot. I think, however, that it is a point of
view what we all share.
Personal note: My heart is broken over this fight. I have
said so publicly. My wife and I spent Thanksgiving in Eritrea
and then in Ethiopia 2 years ago. We love the people of both
countries. They should not be at war.
Not only are they at war, Mr. Chairman, but they are
engaging in human rights abuses of the most serious kind, which
have come to light during the war. It is only because of a
desire of diplomacy that I do not like going into much more
pointed accusations, which I would perhaps go into; in fact, I
might even at some point very soon.
Mr. Royce. Perhaps on the floor.
Mr. Campbell. I would say we are tempted to. This war
should not happen, and the people should not be killing each
other in the manner that they are. There are human rights
abuses in connection with deportation, in connection with the
way the war is conducted, in connection with the manner in
which lives are being lost.
Mr. Chairman, because you care so deeply, how hard it is to
get colleagues' attention to Africa. When something like this
happens, the natural reaction is ``Well, there they go again.''
If Americans had taken this attitude about World War I,
they would have said, ``Well, there go those Europeans fighting
each other again.'' Or the second world war, as well, and yet
when people say that about Africa, it seems to pass without
challenge. So, that is the harm that has come from this war.
At risk of making a diplomatic breech, I shall be silent
and simply say this one matters to me immensely. I am grateful
that you scheduled it for markup, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. Royce. We thank you, Mr. Campbell.
Mr. Hastings. Mr. Chairman?
Mr. Royce. Mr. Hastings.
Mr. Hastings. Mr. Chairman, I would just like to echo the
remarks of my distinguished colleague from California, but,
more importantly, in light of the fact that he is not here to
say for the record what I know all of the Members of this
Committee know and that is that Donald Payne has spent an
extraordinary amount of time, and we all appreciate very much
his not only being a co-sponsor here but his continuing urging
of parties to continue to engage in actions that will decrease
tensions and bring about a quick and peaceful resolution of
this conflict. I join in that, and the statement that I had for
the record, Mr. Chairman, I would ask permission to revise and
extend and include that statement.
Mr. Royce. We will do that, Mr. Hastings.
Mr. Chabot.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you, and I will be very brief. I would
like to join my colleagues. I am an original co-sponsor of this
resolution, and we had an opportunity to meet with
representatives of the Eritreans and the Ethiopians on numerous
occasions, and, as Mr. Campbell said, one just can't help but
just shake their head about this. All wars are tragic. This is
a war that is particularly tragic and really pointless, and
these parties should not be fighting. One can never afford a
war, so they--and they certainly can't afford this one--and I
hope that this does some good, but it gets very frustrating.
Yield back.
Mr. Royce. Thank you. There being no other further debate
on this issue, I will recognize the gentleman from California
for a motion.
Mr. Campbell. Mr. Chairman, I move the Subcommittee report
H. Con. Res. 46 favorably to the Full Committee.
Mr. Royce. Without objection, the motion is agreed to.
The question is on the motion, and all those in favor say
aye.
Opposed say no.
The ayes have it. The motion is agreed to.
This markup session is adjourned, and we are adjourned
until after the vote at which point we will come back for our
hearing on the United States South Africa Relations: Present
and Future.
So we will return in 15 minutes.
[Whereupon, at 1:46 p.m., the Subcommittee recessed, and
proceeded to other business at 2 p.m.]
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A P P E N D I X
October 14, 1999
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