[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 470 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 470

Calling on the relevant governments, multilateral bodies, and non-state 
actors in Chad, the Central African Republic, and Sudan to devote ample 
political commitment and material resources towards the achievement and 
implementation of a negotiated resolution to the national and regional 
  conflicts in Chad, the Central African Republic, and Darfur, Sudan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 4, 2008

    Mr. Feingold (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Levin, and Mr. Hagel) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Calling on the relevant governments, multilateral bodies, and non-state 
actors in Chad, the Central African Republic, and Sudan to devote ample 
political commitment and material resources towards the achievement and 
implementation of a negotiated resolution to the national and regional 
  conflicts in Chad, the Central African Republic, and Darfur, Sudan.

Whereas armed groups have been moving freely among Sudan, Chad, and the Central 
        African Republic, committing murder, banditry, forced recruitment, mass 
        displacement, gender-based violence, and other crimes that are 
        contributing to insecurity and instability throughout the region, 
        exacerbating the humanitarian crises in these countries and obstructing 
        efforts to end violence in the Darfur region of Sudan and adjacent 
        areas;
Whereas, on February 2, 2008, rebels stormed the capital of Chad, N'Djamena, in 
        their second coup attempt in two years, prompting clashes with forces 
        loyal to President of Chad Idriss Deby that caused more than 100 
        civilian deaths, thousands of displacements, and an estimated 10,000 
        refugees from Chad to seek refuge in neighboring Cameroon;
Whereas, on February 2, 2008, the United States Embassy in N'Djamena was forced 
        to evacuate employees' families and all nonemergency staff and urged 
        United States citizens to defer all travel to Chad;
Whereas, on February 2, 2008, the United States Government condemned the armed 
        attack on N'Djamena and expressed ``support [for] the [African Union]'s 
        call for an immediate end to armed attacks and to refrain from violence 
        that might harm innocent civilians'';
Whereas, on February 12, 2008, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
        (UNHCR) reported that recent offensives by the Government of Sudan in 
        Darfur have prompted up to 12,000 new refugees to flee to neighboring 
        Chad, where the UNHCR and its partners are already struggling to take 
        care of 240,000 refugees from Sudan in eastern Chad and some 50,000 
        refugees from the Central African Republic in southern Chad;
Whereas cross-border attacks by alleged Arab militias from Sudan and related 
        inter-communal ethnic hostilities in eastern Chad have also resulted in 
        the displacement of an estimated 170,000 people from Chad in the region, 
        adding to the humanitarian need;
Whereas there have been allegations and evidence in both Chad and Sudan of 
        government support for dissident rebel militias in each other's country, 
        in direct violation of the Tripoli Declaration of February 8, 2006, and 
        the N'Djamena Agreement of July 26, 2006;
Whereas, on January 16, 2008, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for 
        the Central African Republic reported that waves of violence across the 
        north of that country have left more than 1,000,000 people in need of 
        humanitarian assistance, including 150,000 who are internally displaced, 
        while some 80,000 have fled to neighboring Chad or Cameroon;
Whereas, since late 2007, arrests, disappearances, and harassment of 
        journalists, human rights defenders, and opposition leaders--
        particularly those reporting on military operations and human rights 
        conditions in eastern Chad--mirror the repressive crackdown in the 
        aftermath of an attack on N'Djamena in April 2006, and conditions have 
        only worsened since the February 2008 attempted coup;
Whereas, on September 27, 2007, the United Nations Security Council passed 
        Security Council Resolution 1778 (2007), authorizing a limited United 
        Nations peacekeeping mission (MINURCAT) and a concurrent European-led 
        force (EUFOR), which is permitted to ``take all necessary measures'' to 
        protect refugees, civilians, and aid workers in eastern Chad and 
        northern Central African Republic;
Whereas, despite the explicit support of President Deby, deployment of both the 
        3,700 EUFOR troops and the 350 MINURCAT officers has been hampered by 
        political and security delays as well as insufficient resources; and
Whereas continuing hostilities will undermine efforts to bring security to 
        Sudan's Darfur region, dangerously destabilize volatile political and 
        humanitarian situations in Chad and the Central African Republic, and 
        potentially disrupt progress towards peace in southern Sudan: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses the concern and compassion of the citizens of 
        the United States for the hundreds of thousands of citizens of 
        Sudan, Chad, and the Central African Republic who have been 
        gravely affected by this interrelated violence and instability;
            (2) calls upon all parties to these conflicts to cease 
        hostilities immediately and uphold basic human rights;
            (3) urges the governments of Chad and Sudan, with support 
        from other key regional and international stakeholders, 
        including France, Libya, and China, to commit to another round 
        of inclusive negotiations towards a sustainable political 
        solution for national and regional stability facilitated and 
        monitored by impartial third-party leadership;
            (4) calls upon the governments of Chad and Sudan to 
        reaffirm their commitment to the Tripoli Declaration of 
        February 8, 2006, and the N'Djamena Agreement of July 26, 2006, 
        refrain from any actions that violate these agreements, and 
        cease all logistical, financial, and military support to 
        insurgent groups;
            (5) urges the Government of Chad to increase political 
        participation, strengthen democratic institutions, respect 
        human rights, improve accountability and transparency as well 
        as the provision of basic services, and uphold its commitment 
        to protect its own citizens in order to redeem the legitimacy 
        of the Government in the eyes of its citizens and the 
        international community;
            (6) calls for diplomatic and material support from the 
        United States and the international community to facilitate, 
        implement, and monitor a comprehensive peace process that 
        includes an inclusive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders 
        to end violence, demobilize militias, and promote return and 
        reconstruction for internally displaced persons and refugees; 
        and
            (7) encourages the United States Government and the 
        international community to provide immediate and ongoing 
        support for the multilateral peacekeeping missions in Darfur, 
        eastern Chad, and the northern Central African Republic, along 
        with adequate assistance to meet the continuing humanitarian 
        and security needs of the individuals and areas most affected 
        by these interrelated conflicts.
                                 <all>