[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 233 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 233

   Welcoming the new state of Southern Sudan, encouraging Sudan and 
Southern Sudan to resolve separation issues and the future of the Abyei 
region, and urging the Governments of Sudan and Southern Sudan to abide 
        by the principles of peace, democracy, and human rights.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 15, 2011

 Mr. Hastings of Florida submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Welcoming the new state of Southern Sudan, encouraging Sudan and 
Southern Sudan to resolve separation issues and the future of the Abyei 
region, and urging the Governments of Sudan and Southern Sudan to abide 
        by the principles of peace, democracy, and human rights.

Whereas Sudan is geographically the largest country in Africa;
Whereas among Sudan's 36,900,000 population, 85 percent of southern Sudan's 
        population and 46 percent of northern Sudan's population live below the 
        poverty line;
Whereas the vast majority of northern Sudanese are Muslims while southern 
        Sudanese are mainly Christians or practice traditional religions;
Whereas military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated 
        national politics since Sudan's independence from Egypt and the United 
        Kingdom in 1956;
Whereas in 1989, President Omar Al-Bashir seized power in a military coup;
Whereas Sudan has been ravaged by civil war intermittently for 4 decades;
Whereas the abrogation in 1983 of the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement, which had 
        ended the first phase of the civil war in the south, is considered a 
        major factor triggering the civil war;
Whereas 20 years of conflict and famine have left an estimated 2,000,000 people 
        dead and 4,000,000 displaced;
Whereas the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, 
        established a semi-autonomous government for southern Sudan and ended 
        the conflict between the northern and southern parts of Sudan;
Whereas under the CPA, the 2 sides agreed on a 6-year transition period, after 
        which southern Sudan would vote for secession or unity in a referendum;
Whereas 3,800,000 people were registered for the Southern Sudan referendum;
Whereas these southern Sudanese exercised their right of self determination, 
        recognized in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration 
        on Human Rights, by participating in the Southern Sudan referendum held 
        from January 9, 2011, to January 15, 2011;
Whereas, on February 7, 2011, the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) 
        submitted the final results of the referendum to Sudan President Omar 
        Al-Bashir;
Whereas 98.83 percent of southern Sudanese voted in favor of independence from 
        northern Sudan;
Whereas Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir officially accepted the final results of 
        the referendum on February 7, 2011;
Whereas the nation of Southern Sudan will become independent on July 9, 2011;
Whereas, on February 7, 2011, the United States announced its intention to 
        formally recognize Southern Sudan as an independent nation in July 2011;
Whereas the nation of Southern Sudan will be officially named the Republic of 
        Southern Sudan;
Whereas a simultaneous referendum was supposed to be held in the oil rich Abyei, 
        a region of contention between the northern and southern parts of Sudan, 
        on whether to retain its current status or become part of Southern 
        Sudan;
Whereas the referendum in Abyei has been postponed due to disagreements between 
        the parties;
Whereas remaining issues relating to the implementation of the CPA must be 
        resolved prior to conclusion of the transition period; and
Whereas the legal status of populations in the north and south, wealth sharing, 
        resource management, especially oil revenues, division of assets and 
        debt, currency, and security arrangements must be agreed upon to prevent 
        a potential spark of violence: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates the people of Southern Sudan for 
        exercising their right to self determination;
            (2) welcomes the new nation of Southern Sudan;
            (3) urges both parties to work with the African Union High 
        Level Implementation Panel and its Chairman President Thabo 
        Mbeki to finalize the separation arrangements, prior to the 
        conclusion of the transition period;
            (4) calls for a peaceful separation of southern Sudan from 
        northern Sudan;
            (5) condemns any form of violence as an instrument to 
        pursue political objectives;
            (6) urges that the future status of the Abyei region be 
        resolved fairly and in a transparent manner;
            (7) calls on the Government of Southern Sudan to create 
        democratic institutions, plan elections, build infrastructures, 
        and ensure the protection and well-being of its citizens;
            (8) urges the Government of Sudan to put an end to 
        repression and violence in the region and abide by the 
        principles of democracy, peace, and human rights;
            (9) pledges that the United States will work with the 
        Governments of Sudan and Southern Sudan to ensure a peaceful 
        transition to independence;
            (10) calls on the United States Government to appoint an 
        Ambassador to Southern Sudan; and
            (11) encourages other nations to welcome the new state of 
        Southern Sudan and assist with the transition process.
                                 <all>