Supports the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Somalia.
Commends the humanitarian and human rights workers in Somalia.
Recognizes the valuable work of the African Union Peacekeeping Mission and the mediation efforts of the government of Djibouti and the United Nations Special Envoy Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah.
Calls on the Obama Administration to provide education, health care, infrastructure, and security assistance to Somalia.
Urges the Obama Administration to recognize the TFG and allow the opening of an official Somali Embassy in Washington, DC.
Calls on the government of Somaliland to hold free and fair elections without further delay.
Recommends that the governments of Puntland and Somaliland work together with the TFG to contain extremist groups and work toward a mutually acceptable political arrangement.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 859 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 859
Expressing strong support for lasting peace, democracy, and economic
recovery in Somalia.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 22, 2009
Mr. Payne submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing strong support for lasting peace, democracy, and economic
recovery in Somalia.
Whereas following the collapse of central authority in Mogadishu, the capital of
Somalia, rival Somali groups have engaged in armed struggle, committed
serious atrocities against innocent civilians, and obstructed the
delivery of humanitarian assistance;
Whereas more than 500,000 people died from violence, starvation, disease, and
many more have been displaced from their homes over the past decade;
Whereas in October 2002, the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD)
launched a peace process designed to end factional fighting in Somalia,
led by the Government of Kenya and in September 2003, the parties agreed
on a Transitional National Charter (TNC);
Whereas in June 2006, the forces of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) took control
of Mogadishu;
Whereas during the 6-month rule by the ICU, Mogadishu became relatively
peaceful, but efforts to bring peace did not lead to sustained progress;
Whereas on December 28, 2006, Ethiopian troops captured Mogadishu with little
resistance from the ICU;
Whereas the Ethiopian intervention led to more chaos and instability in Somalia;
Whereas humanitarian, political, and security conditions deteriorated across
south-central Somalia;
Whereas in the past 3 years, more than 22,000 civilians have been killed, an
estimated 1,100,000 people displaced, and 476,000 Somalis have fled to
neighboring countries;
Whereas in November 2008, the Ethiopian Government announced that its forces
would pull out of Somalia by the end of 2008 and in January 2009,
Ethiopian forces completed their withdrawal from Somalia;
Whereas in June 2008, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Alliance
for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), a group dominated by members of
the ICU, signed an agreement in Djibouti mediated by United Nations
Special Envoy Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah;
Whereas the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), made up of peacekeeping
troops from Uganda and Burundi, has done and continues to do remarkable
work to secure a just peace in Somalia;
Whereas, on September 17, 2009, the terrorist group Al-Shabaab carried out a
suicide attack against AMISOM forces in Mogadishu, injuring and killing
over 35 peacekeepers, including the Deputy Force Commander of AMISOM;
Whereas in September 2009, United States Armed Forces killed Saleh Ali Saleh
Nabhan, an al-Qaeda terrorist responsible for the suicide bombing in
Mombasa in 2002 and a suspect in the bombings of the United States
embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and several other foreign terrorists in
Mogadishu;
Whereas in January 2009, the Somali Parliament elected the leader of the ARS,
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad as President;
Whereas in February 2009, President Ahmad appointed Omar Abdirashid Ali
Sharmarke as Prime Minister;
Whereas civilians, humanitarian workers, journalists, and human rights advocates
have been the primary targets of the insurgent groups;
Whereas a number of Somali journalists covering the crisis in Somalia have been
assassinated by insurgents, while dozens of humanitarian and human
rights advocates have been killed or injured;
Whereas the terrorist group Al-Shabaab continues its terror campaign, with the
support of al-Qaeda and other foreign jihadists; and
Whereas the TFG continues to fight these terrorist and extremist groups and is
committed to establishing a terror-free and democratic Somalia: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses strong support for the Transitional Federal
Government (TGF);
(2) commends the dedicated humanitarian and human rights
workers and the sacrifices they continue to make to help the
people of Somalia;
(3) recognizes the valuable work and sacrifice of the
African Union Peacekeeping Mission;
(4) recognizes and commends the mediation efforts of the
Government of Djibouti and the United Nations Special Envoy
Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah;
(5) calls on the Obama Administration to provide assistance
in education, health care, infrastructure, and security sectors
to Somalia;
(6) strongly urges the Obama Administration to support
civil society, human rights groups, and the independent media
to lay the foundation for a democratic and peaceful Somalia;
(7) strongly recommends that the Obama Administration
appoint an ambassador and commence work on opening up a United
States Embassy, once security conditions improve;
(8) urges the Obama Administration to recognize the TFG and
allow the opening of an official Somali Embassy in Washington,
DC;
(9) calls on the Government of Somaliland to respect the
rule of law and hold free and fair elections without further
delay; and
(10) recommends that the governments of Puntland and
Somaliland work together with the TFG to contain the threats
posed by terrorist and extremist groups and work toward a
mutually acceptable political arrangement.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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