Ending the Genocide in Darfur Should be a Top Priority
Mr. Speaker, I rise, joining my colleagues, thanking them for all of the work that they have done. The Congressional Black Caucus, led by Mr. DONALD PAYNE, have done everything we could possibly do.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus and other concerned Members of Congress have written letters to the Bush administration, letters to the United Nations, visited the United Nations on more than one occasion, met with Kofi Annan. We have done everything we could possibly do. Each of us individually have written letters. I wrote to the President back in 2004 and implored him to take action.
In July of 2004, I sent letters to the other members of the United Nations Security Council, urging that the United Nations take action to end the slaughter in Sudan. This letter was signed by 41 Members of Congress, including my good friend from across the aisle, Congressman SPENCER BACHUS.
Last April, Members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice expressing our support for the appointment of a Special Envoy for Sudan. Well, I understand 2 years later, after the administration even admitted and agreed that genocide was going on and after the Members of Congress have sent letters to the Secretary of State and to the President, finally an envoy is being sent to the Sudan. A little bit late, but we are appreciative for that. We are desperate.
Also, last April the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3127, the Darfur Peace Accountability Act by an overwhelming vote of 416-3. This bill would impose sanctions on the Government of Sudan and block the assets and restrict travel to individuals who are responsible for acts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Unfortunately, the Senate has yet to take up the bill. I understand that the Senate will be taking up the bill, but they have stripped out an important part of the bill on divestment, but we are desperate. Even with that part of it stripped out, we want this bill passed.
My colleague DONALD PAYNE who helped to author this bill has done everything that he could possibly do to get the Senate to move this bill. We humbly come before the people of this country tonight, not only imploring the President of the United States to use his bully pulpit to make this a priority, to talk with the Chinese, to talk with whomever needs to be talked with, to get something done, to get those troops up there to stop this genocide.
Earlier this year, I traveled to Sudan as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation led by NANCY PELOSI, the minority leader. We visited the refugee camps. As far as the eye could see, there were crowds of displaced persons who had been driven from their homes, living literally on the ground, the little tarps just covering them. It is unconscionable that this should continue.
On April 28, and again on May 16, several of my colleagues were arrested in front of the Embassy of Sudan, protesting the genocide.
And as I said, yesterday, finally, Bush appointed a Special Envoy for Sudan, and this is 2 years after the Bush administration determined that genocide was taking place in Darfur. Again, it is late, but we are appreciative; but we want to say in no uncertain terms, the President must lead an all-out diplomatic offensive in support of a robust United Nations peacekeeping force that will have the authority to protect the people of Darfur.
More than 450,000 people have died since 2003 as a result of the genocide in Darfur. There are 2.5 million displaced people in camps in Darfur and another 350,000 in refugee camps in neighboring Chad. Almost 7,000 people are dying every month in Darfur. There can be no doubt that what is taking place in Darfur is genocide and the Government of Sudan is responsible.
Crimes against humanity in Darfur have escalated in recent months. Over 500 women were raped over the summer in one camp alone. There have been renewed attacks and aerial bombardment and 12 humanitarian workers were killed, two of them in the last 4 weeks. If the United Nations does not intervene in Darfur now, the death toll could rise dramatically in the next few months.
The world stood by and watched the genocide that occurred in Rwanda. The world has noted over and over again the atrocities of the Holocaust. Well, enough said.
To see the speach select the link.
https://www.house.gov/waters/media/9-20-06_Darfur.wmv
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