rotating images House Committee on Foreign Affairs: Republicans: Press Release: Ros-Lehtinen Expects House Passage of Zimbabwe Arms Resolution Bill commends South African dock workers and regional governments for refusal to unload armaments bound for Mugabe
House Committee on Foreign Affairs: Republicans: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Member

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House Foreign Affairs Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Republican
 
For Immediate Release
June 17, 2008		 Contact:  Sam Stratman, (202) 226-7875
Alex Cruz, (202) 225-8200
 
Ros-Lehtinen Expects House Passage of Zimbabwe Arms Resolution
Bill commends South African dock workers and regional governments
 for refusal  to unload armaments bound for Mugabe
 
(WASHINGTON) – The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to approve on Wednesday a resolution authored by U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) commending the efforts of those who sought to block a Chinese arms shipment bound for Zimbabwe. The resolution, H.Res. 1270, also calls for an international arms embargo against the dictatorial regime of Robert Mugabe.

Authored by Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and co-sponsored by Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), the resolution lauds the South African dock and freight workers who refused to offload or transport weapons aboard the An Yue Jiang, a Chinese vessel reportedly carrying arms to the Mugabe regime. The governments of South Africa, Mozambique, and Tanzania reportedly also denied the Au Yue Jiang permission to dock at their ports. 

Mugabe has unleashed an orchestrated campaign of torture and murder since the contested Zimbabwe elections on March 29. According to reports from the region, at least 36 people have been killed, nearly 3,000 people have been beaten or tortured, and an estimated 1,000 people flee from Zimbabwe each day to escape the political, economic, and humanitarian catastrophe that has befallen them.

"The dock and freight workers of South Africa who refused to unload arms from the An Yue Jiang deserve praise and thanks of the highest kind,” said Ros-Lehtinen. “Through their valor and steadfastness, these courageous individuals saved hundreds of lives from Mugabe’s reign of terror.”

“It is essential that all responsible nations stand as one with the governments and people of southern Africa who would not allow arms to reach this murderous regime,” said Ros-Lehtinen. “Denying Mugabe the wherewithal he needs to torture and murder his political opponents is the first step toward ending the bloodshed and oppression in Zimbabwe.”

 

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