Senator Boxer:  Stopping Human Rights Violations in Guinea   

Tuesday, November 24, 2009  

Dear Friend:

I have some good news on a grim subject.  Recently the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed S.Res.345, my Senate Resolution deploring the rape and assault of women in Guinea and the killing of political protesters.

The resolution calls for an immediate end to violence – including gender-based violence – by security forces in Guinea and the prosecution of those who orchestrated or carried out the violence.  It also encourages the Obama administration to work with world leaders to consider measures against Guinean officials who are complicit in the violence, to continue to fight for women’s rights around the world, and to help ensure credible elections in Guinea.

I am pleased and gratified to have a bipartisan group of Senators joining in this effort.  My resolution is co-sponsored by Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bob Corker (R-TN), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

With its passage by the Foreign Relations Committee, S.Res.345 now moves to the full Senate for consideration.  You can count on me to keep working to pass this resolution and to keep working to stop violence against women and political prisoners.  

These horrific acts are unacceptable and we must make sure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.  We must continue to shine a light on violence against women around the world until we end it once and for all.

Sincerely,