Whereas on or about December 24. 1989. a group of insurgents opposed to the government of President Samuel Doe entered the eastern county of Nimba and killed a number of Liberian officials and unarmed civilians. Whereas Liberian troops and provincial security forces were dispatched to Nimba County to counter the insurgency and indiscriminately killed Liberian civilians without regard to the distinction between combatants and noncombatants. Whereas media reports and International human rights organizations have estimated that at least 200 persons. primarily members of the Mano and Gio ethnic groups. have been killed by troops of the Government of Liberia during the counterinsurgency campaign. and Whereas according to the estimates of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and other relief organizations. more than 140.000 Liberians have been forced to flee their homes in Nimba County Into the Republic of Cote dIvoire and the Republic of Guinea as a result of the recent fighting: Now. therefore. be it. Resolved. That(1) the House of Representatives condemns the recent violence against unarmed civilians (particularly members of the Mano and Gio groups who have been singled out on the basis of their ethnicity) in Nimba County. Liberia. and calls on all parties to the conflict to comply with Article 3 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War which establishes the right of noncombatants to humane treatment in the case of armed conflict. and (2) It Is the sense of the House of Representatives that(A) the President should convey to the Government of Liberia the concerns of the United States about human rights abuses in Liberia since 1980. especially the recent killing of unarmed civilians by Liberian Government troops. (B) the President should urge the Government of Liberia to quickly resolve the conflict in a manner which permits the thousands of Liberian refugees to return to their homes. (C) the President should provide all necessary support to efforts by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other relevant international and private voluntary organizations to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of Liberian refugees in neighboring countries. (D) the President should not permit any United States military advisors to accompany Liberian troops In fighting the insurgency in Nimba County: (E) the President should consider recent events in Nimba County in making the assessment. related to human rights in Liberia. required by section 549 of the Foreign Operations. Export Financing. and Related Programs Appropriations Act. 1990: (F) in the event that the suspension of foreign assistance to the Republic of Liberia Is no longer required by those provisions of law which restrict foreign assistance to countries which are In default on foreign assistance loans (commonly known as the Brooke amendment). the President should not resume military assistance to the Republic of Liberia until the Government of Liberia has(i) ended the indiscriminate killing of civilians by Liberian troops in Nimba County. (i) instituted a fair and impartial inquiry into human rights abuses in Nimba County and allowed credible international human rights organizations complete access to the affected regions. (iii) taken steps to investigate and prosecute those individuals. including members of the Liberian armed forces. guilty of human rights abuses. and Civ) made substantial progress in promoting the safe return of refugees to Nimba County. and (0) the Government of Liberia should honor its commitment to hold scheduled elections in 1991 and ensure circumstances in Liberia that are conducive to a free and fair election process.
Keywords matched
Refugees refugees