[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 134 (Friday, September 26, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12052-S12053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT IN SUDAN

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I want to discuss an encouraging 
development that most Americans have had no reason, at least initially, 
to pay attention to. That is what has happened in a country on another 
continent, the country being Sudan.
  This week, several days ago, we received word that the civil war that 
has raged there for 20 years and has claimed over 2 million lives, 
lives lost as a product of this civil war, a war that has caused over 5 
million families to leave their homes, to be displaced from their homes 
and have to move to another part of the country--that civil war may be 
one step closer to ending.
  On Tuesday evening the Sudanese rebels and the Khartoum Government 
reached an agreement on the position and size of their respective armed 
forces. A formal agreement, since that time, has been signed. This 
agreement includes three significant breakthroughs: A substantial 
withdrawal of government forces from the southern region of the 
country; redeployment of the Sudan People's Liberation Army, the SPLA, 
forces in Khartoum, and third, the formation of an integrated force in 
the southern Blue Nile region and the Nuba Mountains.
  What this typically means is that units are integrated to include 
troops from each side. That way, each side acts as a check, a check and 
a balance on each other.
  Sudan's Vice President, Osman Ali, says the deal ``has paved the way 
for a comprehensive peace agreement.''
  The Southern People's Liberation Army, SPLA, leader John Garang, 
concurs, saying, ``With this agreement, the direction and orientation 
for peace in Sudan is irresponsible.''
  Clearly, while the agreement is key, there are still significant 
issues to be resolved. Many issues remain; for example, those regarding 
power and regarding the whole topic of wealth sharing. But the good 
news and the encouraging news, the news that brings joy to my heart, 
having spent so much time in the Sudan personally, is that both sides 
have looked at extending the cease-fire for 2 additional months, so 
they can keep talking and keep working toward peace.
  A 2-month cease-fire, what does that mean? It means there will be 
less of the destructive killing, the bombing, the wars, and the battles 
that go on almost in a routine manner in that part of the world.
  I was just in the Sudan about 4 weeks ago. I had the opportunity to 
work at the mission hospital there and become very intimately 
acquainted, again not as a Senator but as a doctor, with individuals 
who have suffered, directly or indirectly, from these war injuries. I 
go to the Sudan about once a year, plus or minus several months, where 
in the past I again have had the opportunity to treat people who have 
been hurt directly in the war, people who have lost their legs from the 
land mines which have been planted because of that war.
  I mentioned part of the agreement applied to the Nuba Mountains. It 
is now about 4 years ago that I first took a trip to the Nuba 
Mountains. At that time the United Nations did not allow relief flights 
to go in that part of the world. The Nuba Mountains have been neglected 
in many ways by the international community. I am pleased since we 
first went in about 4 years ago, the region has opened up to more 
relief and more transparency and much more of a spotlight, where the 
world can see the human tragedy that has gone on in that part of the 
world.
  I also mentioned, as part of the agreement, the southern Blue Nile. 
About 2 years ago I had the opportunity to go to the Blue Nile region. 
I was in the Blue Nile region actually just a day after a very 
significant battle that had been fought in that region. It was just the 
night before. Again, I am delighted that is part of this formation of 
an integrated force, both in the southern Blue Nile and the Nuba 
Mountains.
  I have had the opportunity to go to Pabong, which is in the oil 
region, where people have been displaced several years ago. Although 
this whole wealth sharing is an issue that has to be addressed in the 
future, it is an issue about which I am very hopeful, now that progress 
is being made along the lines of increased peace in the Sudan.
  Last month I was able to operate and perform surgery in a hospital 
called Lui Hospitala, a hospital sponsored by the Samaritan's Purse, a 
faith-based organization here in the United States. When I first 
started going to that hospital, it was just a schoolhouse. That was 
about 6 or 7 years ago, 1997. Osama bin Laden had just left, I think 
about 1996, from the Sudan. When we first went into the area of 
southern Sudan, it was just a schoolhouse there. The original hospital 
had land mines around it.
  Since that point in time, over the last 6 or 7 years, the land mines 
have been removed from the old hospital grounds and now 30,000, 40,000, 
50,000 patients are seen a year at that particular facility.
  Through these experiences, I have had the opportunity of seeing first 
hand the shattering results of a brutal civil war. President Bush very 
early on, right after he began office as President, appointed Jack 
Danforth as a special envoy to that region--again showing the 
importance to the United States to establish, to promote, and to work 
for peace in that part of the world.
  In the Senate we passed the Sudan Peace Act. We will continue to 
follow very closely the situation. We will continue to work with the 
administration, Jack Danforth and President Bush, to support the 
efforts of the Kenyan mediator, Lazarus Sumbeiywo, to encourage and 
support this encouraging undertaking.
  It is the people of the Sudan--and that's who I spend most of the 
time with as part of this medical mission work in these clinics and in 
the treatment and in the doctor-patient relationship--it is the people 
of Sudan who long the most for the end of this violence.

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  So this reported progress from this week is something that is very 
gratifying and pleasing to me and leaves me very optimistic about the 
future. It is a wonderful part of the world.

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