STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1561

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 304

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 304 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE HUMAN-RIGHTS ATROCITIES AND VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN NORTHERN UGANDA AND THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, AND URGING CONGRESS TO LEAD THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN OF UGANDA AND THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Governments of Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo to abolish child soldiering in their armed forces in conjunction with the United States' Child Soldiers Accountability Act signed into law by President Bush on October 3, 2008.

 

     This measure also urges the Hawaii Congressional Delegation to support legislation allocating sufficient funds for continued humanitarian aid to the people of Uganda and the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as legislation urging the Lord's Resistance Army to engage in good faith negotiations to pursue a political solution to this conflict.

 

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Family Forum; Hawaii Catholic Church in Hawaii; and one hundred sixteen individual petitions.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

After twenty-three years of civil war, the Lord's Resistance Army, led by Joseph Kony, has engaged in an armed conflict with the Government of Uganda, resulting in thousands of murders, at least twice that number of children abducted, and nearly two-million people displaced.  The continuing violence and instability obstruct the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of northern Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and impede national and regional trade, development and democratization efforts, and counter-terrorism efforts.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 304, and recommends its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair