109 HRES 333 IH: Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Weekend of Prayer and Reflection for Darfur, Sudan. U.S. House of Representatives 2005-06-20 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 333 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 20, 2005 Mr. Payne (for himself, Mr. Tancredo, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Conyers, and Ms. Lee) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Weekend of Prayer and Reflection for Darfur, Sudan.

Whereas, on July 22, 2004, Congress declared that genocide was taking place in Darfur, Sudan; Whereas, on September 9, 2004, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell testified to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that genocide has been committed in Darfur; Whereas, on September 21, 2004, President George W. Bush stated to the United Nations General Assembly that the world is witnessing terrible suffering and horrible crimes in the Darfur region of Sudan, crimes my government has concluded are genocide; Whereas Article 1 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, done at Paris December 9, 1948, and entered into force January 12, 1951, states that “[t]he Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish”; Whereas fundamental human rights, including the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, are protected in numerous international agreements and declarations; Whereas the United Nations Security Council, in Security Council Resolution 1591, condemned the continued violations of the N’djamena Ceasefire Agreement of 8 April 2004 and the Abuja Protocols of 9 November 2004 by all sides in Darfur and the deterioration of the security situation and negative impact this has had on humanitarian assistance efforts; Whereas scholars estimate that as many as 400,000 have died from violence, hunger, and disease since the outbreak of conflict in Darfur began in 2003, and that as many as 10,000 may be dying each month; Whereas it is estimated that more than 2,000,000 people have been displaced from their homes and remain in camps in Darfur and Chad; Whereas religious leaders, genocide survivors, and world leaders have expressed grave concern over the continuing atrocities taking place in Darfur; and Whereas it is appropriate that the people of the United States, leaders and citizens alike, unite in prayer for the people of Darfur and reflect upon the situation in Darfur: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)supports the goals and ideals of a National Weekend of Prayer and Reflection for Darfur, Sudan; (2)encourages the people of the United States to observe that weekend by praying for an end to the genocide and crimes against humanity and for lasting peace in Darfur, Sudan; and (3)urges all churches, synagogues, mosques, and religious institutions in the United States to consider the issue of Darfur in their activities and to observe the National Weekend of Prayer and Reflection with appropriate activities and services.