110 HRES 1245 IH: Urging the international community to U.S. House of Representatives 2008-06-05 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 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1245 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 5, 2008 Mr. Capuano (for himself, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Wolf) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Urging the international community to provide the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur with essential tactical and utility helicopters.

Whereas on August 30, 2006, the United Nations Security Council approved Resolution 1706, in which the existing United Nations Mission in Sudan assumed responsibility of supporting the implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement from the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) upon expiry of AMIS’s mandate; Whereas on July 31, 2007, the Security Council approved Resolution 1769, reaffirming Resolution 1706 and stating that the Security Council authorized and mandated the creation of an African Union (AU) and United Nations joint operation in Darfur (UNAMID); Whereas Resolution 1769 allowed for the incorporation of AMIS personnel and United Nations Heavy and Light Support Packages with up to 19,555 military personnel, including 360 military observers and liaison officers, and up to 3,772 civilian personnel, including 19 formed police units of up to 140 members each; Whereas on December 31, 2007, UNAMID formally assumed control of peacekeeping operations in Darfur, but did so with only approximately 9,000 troops and police on the ground, far short of the necessary levels; Whereas the Government of Sudan continues to obstruct the implementations of Resolutions 1706 and 1769 in several respects, including by refusing to cooperate on issues such as the force composition, the authorization of night flights, communications, land access, and visas for staff; Whereas on January 7, 2008, uniformed elements of the Sudanese army attacked a clearly marked UNAMID supply convoy, severely wounding a Sudanese civilian driver; Whereas government forces, militias, rebels, bandits, and others continue to prey upon the people of Darfur and humanitarian workers, increasing the urgency of both deploying the full complement of peacekeepers and police and reaching a lasting political settlement; Whereas the preliminary results of an United Nations assessment entitled Food Security and Nutrition Assessment of the Conflict-Affected Population of Darfur revealed that global acute malnutrition in Darfur increased in 2007, exceeding emergency levels in some regions; Whereas on April 17, 2008, the United Nations World Food Programme announced a 50 percent cut in food rations to Darfur, as trucks contracted by the organization were being attacked, preventing the vital food relief from reaching its intended recipients; Whereas UNAMID has been hampered not only by obstruction on the part of the Government of Sudan, but also by the failure of the international community to commit the resources, equipment, and personnel needed to carry out the peacekeeping mission, most notably the failure to provide critically needed aviation and transportation assets; Whereas UNAMID needs at least 18 utility helicopters and 6 tactical helicopters and crews, among other critical mobility needs that have not been met; Whereas in a report to the Security Council dated December 24, 2007, the Secretary-General said these helicopters were indispensable and necessary for large distances and rough terrain, and stated, Without the missing helicopters, this mobility—a fundamental requirement for the implementation of the UNAMID mandate—will not be possible; Whereas a large number of countries possess the military assets that could help to fulfill this requirement; Whereas the United States continues to lead the world in its contributions to efforts to end the genocide in Darfur, including by providing more than $4,500,000,000 since 2004 in response to the Darfur crisis; Whereas continued failure on the part of the international community to take all steps necessary to generate, deploy, and maintain an effective United Nations and African Union joint peacekeeping force will result in the continued loss of life and further degradation of humanitarian infrastructure in Darfur; and Whereas it would be inexcusable for the international community to allow an authorized peacekeeping mission intended to help bring an end to genocide and its effects to founder or be compromised because of a failure to commit critical elements, such as the 24 helicopters needed to meet the critical mobility capabilities of UNAMID: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)urges the members of the international community, including the United States, that possess the capability to provide the tactical and utility helicopters needed for the United Nations and African Union peacekeeping mission to do so as soon as possible; (2)urges the President to personally intervene by contacting other heads of government and asking them to contribute the aircraft and crews for the Darfur mission; and (3)urges the Department of State to organize a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council, the Friends of UNAMID working group, and the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations to resolve outstanding force resource and equipment issues.