A resolution concerning the crisis in the Central African Republic and supporting United States and international efforts to end the violence, protect civilians, and address root causes of the conflict.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[S. Res. 375 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 375

Concerning the crisis in the Central African Republic and supporting
United States and international efforts to end the violence, protect
civilians, and address root causes of the conflict.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 5, 2014

Mr. Coons (for himself and Mr. Flake) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Concerning the crisis in the Central African Republic and supporting
United States and international efforts to end the violence, protect
civilians, and address root causes of the conflict.

Whereas, for more than 50 years, successive governments in the Central African
Republic have struggled to build a durable system of democratic
institutions, to effectively secure and control the country's territory
and borders, and to ensure a basic level of socio-economic development
for the country's people;
Whereas, despite its natural resource wealth, the Central African Republic
remains one of the poorest countries in the world and one of the lowest
ranking countries in terms of a human development index according to the
United Nations Development Program;
Whereas, in January 2013, regional leaders brokered the Libreville Agreements
between the government of then-President Francois Bozize and the loosely
allied rebel militia known as Seleka, which resulted in the formation of
a government of national unity;
Whereas, despite the Libreville Agreements, President Bozize was ousted in March
2013 by the Seleka coalition, and the Seleka leader, Michel Djotodia,
declared himself president;
Whereas, in April 2013, regional leaders issued the N'djamena Declaration in an
effort to pursue a return to constitutional order based on the
Libreville Agreements;
Whereas an influx of foreign fighters, especially from Chad and Sudan, has been
a major factor in the increased number of Seleka fighters, from
approximately 5,000 in March 2013, to an estimated 20,000 as of December
2013;
Whereas both Seleka forces and armed militia groups known as ``anti-balakas'',
which formed initially as a means of protecting communities against
Seleka, have been implicated in ethnically-motivated violence and grave
and systemic human rights abuses against civilians;
Whereas, over the course of the crisis, Seleka and anti-balaka groups have
displayed weak control and command structures, and committed war crimes
with impunity;
Whereas, according to UNICEF, thousands of child soldiers are involved in armed
groups in the Central African Republic, amid the near-total collapse of
the country's primary education system;
Whereas interethnic, intercommunal, and interreligious tensions and violence
have risen to alarming levels and led to systematic human rights abuses
in the Central African Republic, including targeted killings, rapes,
acts of torture, looting, and arbitrary detention;
Whereas the United States Embassy in Bangui closed on December 25, 2012, and the
ordered departure of country team staff has temporarily suspended the
diplomatic presence and consular services of the United States in the
Central African Republic;
Whereas more than 700,000 civilians have been internally displaced; another
230,000 have recently sought refuge in neighboring countries, including
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, Cameroon, and South Sudan;
2,600,000 people, or over half of the population of the Central African
Republic, are in need of humanitarian assistance; and 60 percent of
households have no available food stocks;
Whereas a failure of the international community to appropriately respond to and
address the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Central African
Republic could result in further atrocities, mass displacement, and
protracted instability with significant repercussions for regional and
international security;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 2127 (2013) called for urgent
and increased international assistance to the African Union
International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA) to
ensure that the force can fulfill its mandate to restore security and
protect civilians, and placed an arms embargo on the Central African
Republic;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 2127 requested the Secretary-
General to establish an international commission of inquiry to
investigate reports of human rights abuses in the Central African
Republic in order to ensure accountability for perpetrators of violence;
Whereas the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central
African Republic has been hindered by a lack of resources and
constrained by insecurity;
Whereas, consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2127, the
Government of France launched a peacekeeping operation, Operation
Sangaris, in the Central African Republic to assist MISCA in fulfilling
its mandate;
Whereas, on March 3, 2014, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
recommended to the United Nations Security Council a transition to a
United Nations peacekeeping mission with a primary mandate to protect
civilians; and
Whereas the United States Government is providing support for conflict
resolution efforts, humanitarian assistance to refugees and internally
displaced persons, and assistance to troop contributing countries to
MISCA in order to restore security in the Central African Republic,
primarily by providing airlift, non-lethal equipment, military
logistics, and training, as well as logistical support for France: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) condemns the violence, atrocities, abuses, and human
rights violations committed by all parties to the conflict in
the Central African Republic;
(2) commends the efforts of religious and community leaders
in the Central African Republic condemning violence and
engaging in conflict prevention and conflict resolution
activities;
(3) welcomes the mobilization of international
peacekeeping, conflict mitigation, humanitarian, and diplomatic
resources, and encourages continued efforts to help address
humanitarian needs, bring an end to the violence, and develop
sustainable democratic institutions in the Central African
Republic;
(4) welcomes the January 2014 decision of the Transitional
National Council on the election of Catherine Samba-Panza as
the Central African Republic's new transitional president;
(5) commends the African Union and its troop and police
contributing countries for their work establishing and
supporting MISCA;
(6) recognizes the Economic Community of Central African
States (CEEAS) for its leadership in the political transition
process;
(7) commends France for its swift intervention under United
Nations Security Council Resolution 2127, and for its
contributions to stabilization efforts and other forms of
assistance;
(8) welcomes the United Nations Security Council support
for MISCA and the Department of Peacekeeping Operation's
ongoing contingency planning for a possible transition to a
United Nations peacekeeping operation;
(9) affirms support for multilateral peacekeeping and
policing capacities and recognizes the important contributions
these efforts have made in protecting civilians in the Central
African Republic and promoting international peace and
stability;
(10) calls on the President to work with international
partners to develop a short-term strategy to support a full and
immediate cessation of armed conflict in the Central African
Republic, including attacks targeting civilians and the
recruitment of child soldiers;
(11) calls on the President to develop a long-term United
States strategy, in support of international and domestic
efforts, to establish a durable peace and greater security for
the Central African Republic and to enhance regional stability,
including--
(A) engagement and coordination with the
international community, including the African Union,
the Economic Community of Central African States, the
United Nations, and other partners;
(B) appropriate assistance to help provide
emergency relief and reconciliation for the people of
the Central African Republic;
(C) technical, logistical and other forms of
assistance, as appropriate, in support of effective
disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of
fighters; and
(D) support for appropriate mechanisms to ensure
accountability for perpetrators of human rights abuses
and violence; and
(12) urges the Secretary of State to consider the
expeditious reestablishment of a United States diplomatic
presence in the Central African Republic.
<all>