[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 3 Referred in House (RFH)]
1st Session
S. J. RES. 3
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 5, 2003
Referred to the Committee on International Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
JOINT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to human rights in
Central Asia.
Whereas the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are providing the United States with
assistance in the war in Afghanistan, from military basing and
overflight rights to the facilitation of humanitarian relief;
Whereas in turn the United States victory over the Taliban in Afghanistan
provides important benefits to the Central Asian nations by removing a
regime that threatened their security and by significantly weakening the
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a terrorist organization that had
previously staged armed raids from Afghanistan into the region;
Whereas the United States has consistently urged the nations of Central Asia to
open their political systems and economies and to respect human rights,
both before and since the attacks of September 11, 2001;
Whereas Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are
members of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), both of which confer a range of
obligations with respect to human rights on their members;
Whereas while the United States recognizes marked differences among the social
structures and commitments to democratic and economic reform of the
Central Asian nations, the United States notes nevertheless, according
to the State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, that
all five governments of such nations, to differing degrees, restrict
freedom of speech and association, restrict or ban the activities of
human rights organizations and other non-governmental organizations,
harass or prohibit independent media, imprison political opponents,
practice arbitrary detention and arrest, and engage in torture and
extrajudical executions;
Whereas by continuing to suppress human rights and to deny citizens peaceful,
democratic means of expressing their convictions, the nations of Central
Asia risk fueling popular support for violent and extremist movements,
thus undermining the goals of the war on terrorism;
Whereas President George W. Bush has made the defense of human dignity, the rule
of law, limits on the power of the state, respect for women and private
property, free speech, equal justice, religious tolerance strategic
goals of United States foreign policy in the Islamic world, arguing that
``a truly strong nation will permit legal avenues of dissent for all
groups that pursue their aspirations without violence''; and
Whereas Congress has expressed its desire to see deeper reform in Central Asia
in past resolutions and other legislation, most recently conditioning
assistance to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on their progress in meeting
commitments to the United States on human rights and democracy: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That it is the sense of
Congress that--
(1) the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan should accelerate democratic
reforms and fulfill their human rights obligations, including,
where appropriate, by--
(A) releasing from prison anyone jailed for
peaceful political activism or the nonviolent
expression of their political or religious beliefs;
(B) fully investigating any credible allegations of
torture and prosecuting those responsible;
(C) permitting the free and unfettered functioning
of independent media outlets, independent political
parties, and nongovernmental organizations, including
by easing registration processes;
(D) permitting the free exercise of religious
beliefs and ceasing the persecution of members of
religious groups and denominations that do not engage
in violence or political change through violence;
(E) holding free, competitive, and fair elections;
and
(F) making publicly available documentation of
their revenues and punishing those engaged in official
corruption;
(2) the President, the Secretary of State, and the
Secretary of Defense should--
(A) continue to raise at the highest levels with
the governments of the nations of Central Asia specific
cases of political and religious persecution, and to
urge greater respect for human rights and democratic
freedoms at every diplomatic opportunity;
(B) take progress in meeting the goals specified in
paragraph (1) into account when determining the scope
and nature of our diplomatic and military relations and
assistance with each of such governments;
(C) ensure that the provisions of foreign
operations appropriations Acts are fully implemented to
ensure that no United States assistance benefits
security forces in Central Asia that are implicated in
violations of human rights;
(D) press the Government of Turkmenistan to
implement the helpful recommendations contained in the
so-called ``Moscow Mechanism'' Report of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) respect the right of all prisoners to due
process and a fair trial and release democratic
activists and their family members from prison;
(E) urge the Government of Russia not to extradite
to Turkmenistan members of the political opposition of
Turkmenistan;
(F) work with the Government of Kazakhstan to
create a political climate free of intimidation and
harassment, including releasing political prisoners and
permitting the return of political exiles, and to
reduce official corruption, including by urging the
Government of Kazakhstan to cooperate with the ongoing
Department of Justice investigation;
(G) support through United States assistance
programs individuals, nongovernmental organizations,
and media outlets in Central Asia working to build more
open societies, to support the victims of human rights
abuses, and to expose official corruption; and
(H) press the Government of Uzbekistan to implement
fully the recommendations made to the Government of
Uzbekistan by the United Nation's Special Rapporteur on
Torture; and
(3) increased levels of United States assistance to the
governments of the nations of Central Asia made possible by
their cooperation in the war in Afghanistan can be sustained
only if there is substantial and continuing progress towards
meeting the goals specified in paragraph (1).
Passed the Senate May 1, 2003.
Attest:
EMILY J. REYNOLDS,
Secretary.