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H.L.C.

1 That Congress

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(1) strongly urges the League of Arab States

and each Member State individually to declare the systematic torture, rape, and displacement of

Darfurians a genocide;

(2) strongly urges the League of Arab States. and each Member State individually to agree and pass a resolution at their next meeting to support and accept a robust hybrid United Nations-African

Union peacekeeping force, as agreed to by all parties to the Abuja Communique on November 30, 2006,

to enforce the ceasefire, protect civilians, and ensure

access to humanitarian assistance in Darfur; and

(3) strongly urges the League of Arab States to continue to work with the United Nations, the African Union and the United States Presidential Spe

cial Envoy for Sudan, Andrew Natsios, to bring

about real and lasting peace and stability in Darfur,

the refugee camps, and along the Chadian border.

Amend the title so as to read: "Concurrent resolution calling on the League of Arab States and each Member State individually to acknowledge the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan and to step up their efforts to stop the genocide in Darfur.".

IV

110TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

H. RES. 243

Calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to immediately and unconditionally release Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 14, 2007

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. WOLF, Mr. RENZI, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. Tom DAVIS of Virginia, and Mr. PASCRELL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

RESOLUTION

Calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to immediately and unconditionally release Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, and for other purposes.

Whereas, on February 18, 2007, Vietnamese police raided the parish house of Father Nguyen Van Ly and confiscated computers, telephones, more than 100 mobile phone cards, and more than 200 kilograms of documents;

Whereas the police moved Father Ly to the remote location of Ben Cui in central Vietnam, where he is under house

arrest;

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Whereas Father Ly is a former prisoner of conscience, having spent a total of over 13 years in prison since 1983 for

his advocacy of religious freedom and democracy in Viet

nam;

Whereas Father Ly is one of the founders of "Block 8406", a democracy movement that started in April 2006 when hundreds of people throughout Vietnam signed public petitions calling for democracy and human rights;

Whereas Father Ly is also a founder of a new political party, the Vietnam Progression Party, and one of the primary editors of "Freedom of Speech" magazine;

Whereas, on March 6, 2007, Vietnamese police arrested one of Vietnam's few practicing human rights lawyers, Nguyen Van Dai, who has defended individuals arrested for their human rights and religious activities, is the cofounder of the Committee for Human Rights in Vietnam, and is one of the principal organizers of the Block 8406 democracy movement;

Whereas, on March 6, 2007, Vietnamese police also arrested Le Thi Cong Nhan, a human rights lawyer, a member of "Block 8406", the principal spokesperson for the Progression Party, and a founder of the Vietnamese Labor Movement;

Whereas Father Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong Nhan have been charged with disseminating propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam under article 88 of the Penal Code;

Whereas if convicted, they each could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison;

Whereas in none of their activities have Father Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, or Le Thi Cong Nhan advocated or engaged in

•HRES 243 IH

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violence in their opposition to the Vietnamese Government or its policies;

Whereas the arrest of and charges against Father Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong Nhan violate Article 69 of the Vietnamese Constitution, which states that "The citizen shall enjoy freedom of opinion and speech, freedom of the press, the right to be informed and the right to assemble, form associations and hold demonstrations in accordance with the provisions of the law";

Whereas Father Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong Nhan have been arrested and charged in contravention of the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Vietnam is a state party, specifically Article 18 (freedom of religion), Article 19 (freedom of expression) and Article 22 (freedom of association);

Whereas the United State Congress agreed to Vietnam becoming an official member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2006, amidst assurances that the Vietnamese Government was steadily improving its human rights record and would continue to do so;

Whereas the group of Asian countries at the United Nations have nominated Vietnam as the sole regional candidate for a nonpermanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2008-2009 biennium, and pursuant to the United Nations Charter, Vietnam would be required to discharge its duties in accordance with the purposes of the United Nations, including the promotion and encouragement of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all; and

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Whereas the arbitrary imprisonment and the violation of the human rights of citizens of Vietnam are sources of continuing, grave concern to Congress, and the arrests of Father Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong Nhan are part of a trend toward increasing oppression of human rights advocates in Vietnam: Now, therefore, be it

[blocks in formation]

Resolved, That

(1) the House of Representatives—

(A) condemns and deplores the arbitrary

arrests of Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, and Le Thi Cong Nhan by the Govern

ment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and calls for their immediate and unconditional re

lease and the dropping of all criminal charges,

and for the immediate and unconditional release of all other political and religious prisoners;

(B) condemns and deplores the violations of the freedoms of speech, religion, movement, association, and the lack of due process afforded to individuals in Vietnam;

(C) challenges the qualifications of Vietnam to be a member of the United Nations Security Council, unless the Government of Vietnam begins immediately to respect human

rights and fundamental freedoms for all within

its own borders; and

⚫HRES 243 IH

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