Congressional Record, Volume 150 Issue 67 (Thursday, May 13, 2004)

[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 67 (Thursday, May 13, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H3000-H3005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

SUDAN

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 7, 2003, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I want to take time this evening to talk
about a very serious situation occurring in Africa as we speak, a
situation of ethnic cleansing in Darfur, Sudan, and Sudan's vicious
campaign of terror which it is raining on its people.
Mr. Speaker, in June 2001, I came to this floor to speak about
slavery and genocide perpetrated against the people of southern Sudan.
I said then that innocent civilians are the victims in this war. We are
well aware of the number of people killed, maimed, displaced and
enslaved during that terrible conflict, which still goes on. Yet we as
members of the international community failed to do the right thing, to
end the suffering. In the north-south conflict, more than 2 million
people perished and an estimated 5 million people have been displaced
during the 40 years of this dread conflict. It is the same government
that terrorized, enslaved and killed innocent civilians in the southern
Sudan and the Nuba that is now yet again engaged in a terror campaign
in Darfur in western Sudan.
When we thought that things were going well with the Sudan Peace Act

[[Page H3001]]

and that negotiations between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM, Dr.
John Garang's forces, and that there had been efforts in time and
energy put in by negotiators, then we see that this pariah government
in Khartoum simply cannot help itself and now have unleashed the same
reign of terror now on the west which it had done in the south. The
National Islamic Front government is solely responsible for the current
atrocities in Darfur. In just the last 12 months, the National Islamic
Front government of Sudan and its allied militia, the Janjaweed,
displaced more than 1 million people, forced over 110,000 people into
Chad, and killed more than 10,000 innocent civilians. Government troops
and their allied militia raped, tortured, maimed and burned entire
villages in a deliberate and systematic manner to cleanse the area of
African Muslims.
Up to now, the conflict was supposed to be between the Arab north
trying to push Shiria and Islamic government onto the people of the
south who were Christians and animists, and it was then supposed to be
a war that lines were drawn by virtue of religion, which is also a
horrible thing to do. However, the new battle is that the people in the
west are also Islamic. They are Muslims. The excuse of religious
differences does not hold water, although it never should have been
raised in the first place. And so now you have the Islamic government
of Khartoum attacking, maiming, killing, raping, burning villages of
other Islamic people in the west.

{time} 1830

What are the differences in these? They are all the same religion.
But there is a marked difference. Because the Arab Muslims of the north
are different than the African black Muslims in the west, and so it
cannot be religious cleansing. It has to only be ethnic cleansing where
black followers of Islam are being systematically pushed out and
ethnically cleansed by the Arab Government of Sudan. So regardless of
what we do in the next several months, more people will die from
disease and hunger. Why? Because we have a genocidal government bent on
destruction and mayhem.
Mr. Speaker, this is the same government that gave sanctuary to Osama
bin Laden from 1991 to 1996, allowing him to build his terror network
worldwide. The bombings of our embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es
Salaam in Tanzania was planned right there in Sudan by al Qaeda forces
of Osama bin Laden, harbored and protected by the Government of Sudan,
allowed to strengthen himself and to develop a worldwide network as he
recruited people to be a part of his al Qaeda network. Other terrorists
acts are also linked to Osama bin Laden because there were a number of
terrorist acts that were going on at that time.
Mr. Speaker, what is stunning to me is that not a single senior
official has been removed from power in the Government of Sudan or has
gone to jail because of involvement in or support of terrorist
activities. It is important to recall that the Government of Sudan's
involvement in international terrorism goes back over a decade.
Sudanese officials were involved directly or indirectly in the first
World Trade bombing in 1993 in New York. The mastermind of the 1993
bombing, Shiekh Abdel Rahman, who was sentenced to life in 1995,
received his visa in Khartoum, Sudan, and reportedly was a guest of a
senior Sudanese government official for several weeks. Of the 15 men
indicted for the terror act, five are Sudanese nationalists. These
Sudanese nationalists have strong ties with Sudanese diplomats
stationed at the time in New York in the Sudanese embassy at the United
Nations.
Mr. Speaker, in 1995 members of an Egyptian terrorist group tried to
assassinate President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt while he was in Ethiopia
for an OAU, Organization of African Unity, summit. The 11-man
assassination team that had been given safe haven in Sudan so that they
could prepare for this attempted assassination were there, and their
plans to kill the Egyptian President were created and planned there.
The weapons used in the assassination attempt were reportedly flown
into Ethiopia by Sudan Airways. The passports used by assassins were
also prepared in Khartoum, according to a United Nations report.
Why is this relevant to Darfur? It is relevant because there is a
clear pattern of behavior by this regime targeting civilians, engaging
in terrorist acts and clear patterns of lies and deception. Ethnic
cleansing in Darfur occurred while the government was still negotiating
with the SPLM in Kenya, negotiating for a peace between the north and
the south but still doing the damage to the west as if this act could
be disassociated with acceptance of Sudan after peace between the north
and the south could be attained. In fact, the mastermind of the Darfur
atrocities is the chief government negotiator and First Vice President
Taha.
Mr. Speaker, it is important for us to remember that in 1994 the
international community watched with utter indifference when 1 million
Rwandanese were hacked to death in 100 days. The genocide in Darfur
occurred while the international community was commemorating the 10th
anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. We failed to learn from Rwanda,
and we are unlikely to learn from Darfur. The similarities between the
Rwandan genocide and Darfur are stunning. In Rwanda the former
government of Rwanda and the Rwandan Patriotic Front rebels were
negotiating while plans for genocide were underway.
In Sudan, the government was negotiating with the SPLM while its
troops were engaged in ethnic cleansing in Darfur. The inaction by the
international community in Darfur was in large part due to protecting
the ongoing peace process between the government and the SPLM. So as we
watched 10 years ago when the world looked the other way, when the word
``genocide'' would not be used, when we had repeated letters and calls
and television appearances to our government at that time and to those
who would listen, we saw that the world turned its back.
And as I continue, I see the chairman of the Congressional Black
Caucus, who has come in. The chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus
has been doing an outstanding job on all fronts, today commemorating
the Brown v. The Board of Education 50 years after, many programs that
are to improve the quality of life for all Americans in this country
and, in particular, those who are the least among us, those who need
the most help, those who are most fragile, and those are people in our
rural areas around the country and in our urban centers.
I yield to the gentleman from the State of Maryland (Mr. Cummings),
the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding
to me, and I want to thank the gentleman for his constant vigilance. I
have often said that the gentleman from New Jersey is one who
understands the dreams of so many around the world and he makes their
dreams his dreams, and we know that he represents his district
extremely well in New Jersey; but we also know that he spends a
significant amount of time trying to address problems all over the
world, sometimes taking up the time that he would normally spend with
his family and vacation time, going to Africa, trying to resolve
differences between various peoples, trying to make sure that children
and others are fed, trying to make sure that peace is brought to that
land.
So we take a moment, I take my moment here, to salute him and to
thank him for his leadership. I think that when history is written and
the history of Africa is written, it would have to have the gentleman
from New Jersey's (Mr. Payne) name written there in a lot of places
because he certainly has touched so many people and so many people who
will probably never say thank you, so many people who will not even
know that he has touched their lives. But as I have said about him so
often, sometimes we are unapplauded, unappreciated, unseen, and
unnoticed. And I just want him to know on behalf of all those that he
has touched that I take this moment to salute him.
Mr. Speaker, I want to rise this evening with my fellow members on
the Congressional Black Caucus to shed a light on the horrific
humanitarian crisis that the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) has
been talking about which is taking place in Sudan.
Mr. Speaker, although most people are probably unable to locate this

[[Page H3002]]

country on the map, everyone should care about the ethnic cleansing
that has dislocated over 1 million Sudanese, killed thousands of
Africans, and is literally starving men, women, and children to death.
Essentially, the Arab Muslim government in Sudan is condoning and even
promoting the murder and displacement of the native Black African
Sudanese. As I speak, the Sudanese Government is supporting armed
militias that are raiding villages, raping women, and literally killing
everyone in sight. The basis of the blood shed in Darfur, a region of
Sudan, is one that has been repeated time and time again throughout
history. Clearly, at the root of this ethnic cleansing lies the
stubborn existence of intolerance and prejudice. When will we, as a
global community, learn that we promote bigotry at our own peril?
Mr. Speaker, the conflict in Sudan is further complicated by the fact
that those who survive the attacks of these militiamen are fleeing over
the border into the country of Chad. Women, children, and fathers are
being forced to leave their homes and to move to refugee camps where
there are no doctors, no permanent shelter, and no food.
It is a travesty of humanity, Mr. Speaker, that children in these
camps are dying of preventable diseases or, worse yet, diseases like
diarrhea and malnutrition that can easily be cured with a little food
and a little water.
Mr. Speaker, it is important for the American people to understand
that what is taking place in this often-neglected corner of the world
is moving closer and closer towards being described as a genocide.
It is quite ironic that this year marked the 10th anniversary of the
tragic genocide that took place in Rwanda. The world stood idly by as
the Rwandan Tutsis and Hutus massacred one another openly in the
streets. The world stood idle as the Germans attempted to exterminate
the Jews in the Holocaust. And the world stood idle as Europeans
enslaved Africans and ravaged their society. In hindsight, we look at
these atrocities and wonder how would silence prevail in the presence
of human suffering.
Mr. Speaker, I beg the world community to please let this not be one
of those situations that we reflect upon years from now and say we
should have done more, we could have done more. Let us all work
together to stop the suffering now. If not, we will be raising a world
of children who will grow insensitive and immune to human tragedy. They
will view murder as an everyday occurrence and joyously welcome death
as an end to suffering.
Mr. Speaker, just last week the Congressional Black Caucus had a very
substantive and productive meeting with Secretary of State Colin
Powell. During our meeting, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne)
asked the Secretary about the United States's efforts to end the crisis
in Darfur. Secretary Powell assured the entire caucus that the State
Department was working to bring peace to the region and was actively
engaged in resolving the crisis. But, Mr. Speaker, so long as people
continue to die and children lack the hydration in their bodies to shed
tears, whatever we are doing is simply not enough; and we must work
faster.
It is incumbent upon the United States as a global leader to lead a
massive humanitarian intervention similar to the intervention in Congo
in 1994 and Somalia in 1992.
And for those watching in the world community, I call on the
Government of Sudan to immediately stop the bloodshed, stop supporting
the janjaweed militias, and enforce the cease-fire in Darfur that was
reached last month.
Mr. Speaker, all too often it is easy for us to distance ourselves
from the plight of people thousands of miles away. But just as the
pictures of the abused Iraqi prisoners struck a chord of disgust and
anguish in all of us, we should all be outraged and horrified by what
is taking place in Darfur.
Just picture, Mr. Speaker, thousands of Sudanese fleeing to Chad, a
country with only 271 doctors to serve 9 million people. Imagine the
grief and sorrow they must feel daily at the memory of their children,
grandmothers, and husbands that were killed by the janjaweed militias
or left behind in villages that they will never see again.
Mr. Speaker, if you could, feel their hunger pain and hear the cries
of the parents who look for food for their children in vain. Although
we may not have seen physical pictures of what is taking place in
Darfur, as humans we should be able to relate to the pain of the
Sudanese refugees nonetheless. Let us all work together to transfer our
empathy into action and end this crisis now. Our humanity depends on
it.
As I close, I would also like to encourage our newspaper editors,
television producers, and friends in the media to shine a bright light
on this horrific situation.

{time} 1845

Put it on your front pages. Lead with it on your news shows. Talk
about it on your talk radio shows. We need everybody to join in this
effort.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman
very much. Let me thank him for his compliment and for his very
thoughtful presentation. As I have indicated, the gentleman has really
been a beacon of light for the Congressional Black Caucus, and we
follow his leadership with pride and with dignity for the justice that
he has laid out for this Nation.
I would like to yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-
Lee), a person who has fought for justice, not only here in the U.S.
and in her State of Texas and Houston, but has traveled throughout the
world; whether it is Iraqi women that she is fighting for, or the
rights of African women to have property rights and to have the rights
of what women throughout the world are looking for, but also on general
issues of just humanitarian importance.
With that, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I think this is one of the
more important Special Orders that we have had an opportunity to
participate in, and it is because of the gentleman's vision we have
been called to the floor to really stop, if you will, the ethnic
cleansing and the horrific results of what appears to be, again, a
tragedy in the works of an enormous magnitude.
Let me add my appreciation that has been rendered by the gentleman
from Maryland (Chairman Cummings) to thank the gentleman for really
having the focus on the continent of Africa, along with many, many
other issues dealing with the need for humanitarian relief and focus.
I think it is important to note, for this body to be aware, of the
pivotal road the gentleman played relating to Eritrea and Ethiopia, we
had an opportunity to discuss that just a few days ago, and as well for
this body to know of the very vital role that the gentleman plays with
the United Nations.
I have heard extensive discussions on this floor about the United
Nations, some of it worthy of repeating, much of it not; and I think
what the gentleman has been able to do for this Congress is to be a
bridge to the United Nations.
We spent, as the gentleman can recall, Friday at the United Nations,
and I think if I could deviate for a moment, because I want to
encourage the United Nations, as the gentleman did, to get involved in
Sudan. I believe it is imperative.
As I recall, one of the ranking members of the United Nations
hierarchy was being dispatched as we spoke to the Sudan to try to
engage, because, as the gentleman knows, it was noted they were not
there as maybe they should be. The gentleman was there to press the
point that they should be there.
But I also know we discussed the Oil for Food program, and I just
think for a moment it is important to note that the United Nations is
likewise ashamed or concerned about what that program turned into. I
think this body needs to be aware that they are doing their own
investigation, and the gentleman is pressing them to get to the truth
of this program. But I would hope that we would not discard the United
Nations for an effort that other nations supported, and that maybe we
should just reconsider the value of sanctions, as they have asked us to
work with them on, that they be pointed toward the government, and not
so much toward the people.
But the reason why the gentleman has brought us here today, and the
reason why I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Chairman Cummings), and
as well as the gentleman noted the

[[Page H3003]]

fact, that he has not only been given to great leadership, but he has
focused the caucus on international issues. We just cannot live in this
country without being focused on international issues.
So I want to remind our colleagues why the gentleman's message is so
important today, because I will say to the gentleman that I believe I
will always, always be reminded of Rwanda. I will never, never forget
Rwanda. I think this Nation and this world will never live Rwanda down.
We are grateful for some of the progress that the state of Rwanda is
now making. But seeing some of the victims, survivors of that purge,
ethnic cleansing, that conflict that seemed to be submerged, and then
as our eyes began to open, and I will not say, I am not castigating, I
know there were many pressing the point, and we know the Congressional
Black Caucus went on record and literally asked this Nation to take a
stand. And I would imagine that those in power at the time will even
tell you they are remorseful of what happened and that they did not act
soon. Because 1 million-plus, and I would almost say we do not have the
final count, we do not know how many died. We know it is claimed to
have been 1 million, and we realize that it is still a fragile
situation. But the world did not act, and 1 million people were killed.
But I think as the gentleman has described and as the chairman has
described, one really needs to know what bludgeoning and mutilation and
raping, pillaging villages and scattering innocent children, and
hunger, devastation, is all about, and disease taking hold. Or people
coming into villages and seeing piles and piles of bodies that have to
ultimately be burned because you cannot bury them. That is what Rwanda
was all about.
The gentleman knows that we did not stop a moment when they came to
us on the Kosovo situation, the ethnic cleansing. We rallied everyone.
And many of us went to Albania and Kosovo and saw the refugee camps.
But we acted; NATO acted. But we did not act in Rwanda.
I know that we could have the same occurrence in Sudan. It only takes
a blink of an eye. We could have this situation implode on us. I know
it is happening in the gentleman's community. I know many in the
Christian faith have been talking about Sudan and have been talking
being about this from a Christian-Muslim perspective, and the
Christians are being the ones attacked. We have now gotten to the point
where it is dividing the country by way of North-South, or black Africa
versus the Muslims and Arabs.
I know my good friends in the Arab community, in fact I have spoken
to President Bouteflika, and I know the gentleman indicated he worked
hard on other issues with him, Ethiopia, Eritrea. But he considers
himself part of Africa, and Algeria is part of Africa; and he wants
this cohesiveness with the continent. He does not want Arabs and black
Africans or sub-Saharan Africa and Northern Africa. He wants the new
Africa.
What we must say to the Sudanese leaders in government now, and what
I have heard the gentleman say, how they can distinguish themselves, it
is not the government, it is somebody else.
Well, my friends, as we have come to understand in Iraq, it is not
somebody else; it is the government of the United States that has to be
responsible for the abuse of prisoners in Iraq. It is the government of
the United States that has to be responsible for the status of Iraq
right now. And it is the government in Sudan that has to take
responsibility.
I will join the gentleman, whether it is quietly or whether it is
pronounced, to encourage our brothers and sisters who are leaders in
Africa to be able to embrace the tragedy that is occurring, and that is
the fact, as has been noted, 15,000 or more may be on the border at
Chad now, and there may be more coming. Disease is rampant. There are
not enough doctors to be able to take care of the diseased persons.
Babies are dying for lack of nutrition and water. We have villages that
are burning as we speak. I imagine people are being killed along the
way and cannot be buried.
That creates disease. Farmers are losing their equipment, whether it
is a hoe or an animal that is starving, so they cannot produce food;
and they cannot eat food because the animals they eat are being killed.
I cannot imagine that we could sit by again to have someone tell us
next week or in June or in the fall or next year that more than 1
million were killed in this battle.
To be honest, I am going to be like most Americans. I do not know
what they are fighting about. I find it despicable. But I do know that
they are living in a land area that all of them, both Arabs and black
Africans, have a stake in. They are stakeholders. They all have claimed
the Sudan as their area, and it is now a state.
So it seems to me they would find a way, that the government finds a
way, to create the safety for all of the people, no matter whether they
desire to be called an Arab or whether they desire to be called
Sudanese or a black African.
I would simply ask that this not be forgotten. I spoke today earlier
about our plight in Iraq; and, of course, we know that the important
thing to do is to heal this and fix it, and this Congress has to fix
it.
I believe they should fix it through the gentleman's committee, the
Committee on International Relations, through the Committee on the
Judiciary, through the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. I
believe no investigation is too many investigations, because it is not
fixed.
As we have to fix that problem and investigate those charges and not
diminish nudity and abuse as ``it is not that bad'' and discount the
rapes that are going on in Iraq of military women, discount the sexual
abuse that was showing and glaring in that video and those pictures, we
cannot allow the world, nor can America disown what is happening in
Sudan.
I would like to join the gentleman in his plea to the leaders of this
continent, and I would like to applaud the gentleman for bringing this
to the attention of Secretary of State Powell, just as we brought to
his attention the plight of Haitians. The one thing that the
Congressional Black Caucus has been unified on at all occasions is the
humanitarian aid and relief to people who are dying and starving.
So our Members should be reminded by this Special Order and the
gentleman's leadership, and we join in that leadership to include Haiti
and humanitarian aid that is needed, and to stop the killing that is
going on there and, if you will, the disenfranchising of the Lavalas
Party and whatever the confusion is, where one is in and one is out. We
are looking for democracy, where all are in and all have a chance to
participate and elect a duly elected government.
What we want in the Sudan, first of all, is to stop the killing, to
allow people to stay within the borders of their nation, to be able to
have the villagers go back to their villages, and have the government
of Sudan take responsibility to save their lives.
I thank the gentleman for allowing me to join him. I was so
distraught on what is happening in Sudan and with the backdrop of what
I will never forget, Rwanda, that I believe we are compelled, we are
actually compelled to act. The gentleman is a leader in that.
Would the gentleman mind me taking a moment of personal privilege not
directly on this topic, and to thank him for his leadership on the
Committee on Education and the Workforce as we moved the Brown v. Board
of Education resolution along with yourself, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Conyers), and the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Loretta Sanchez).
Maybe it sounds disconnected, but Brown has been described as many
things. I guess it is symbolic that separate and equal cannot stand. It
is separate and unequal. But I think its key element is that of
activism and being active.
Though it was a domestic issue of acting to provide quality in
education, the message we are giving tonight is that we must act; it is
imperative that we act. I join the gentleman in acting, and I thank him
for his leadership.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, let me take this
opportunity to thank the gentlewoman for her very profound remarks. It
is connected. I think that all that we do is connected. I think that
the gentlewoman's wisdom and her interest, her knowledge, is certainly
a great tribute to us here in the halls of Congress.

[[Page H3004]]

{time} 1900

The thoroughness of the gentlewoman's evaluations are always
appreciated. The gentlewoman is absolutely right. President Bouteflika
said that we are part of Africa, we are not North Africa. But the
Europeans decided to divide Africa. They said Africa was not one
continent. You had North Africa and you had sub-Saharan Africa.
So it is one continent. We have two countries, major countries in the
Western Hemisphere, we have Canada and we have the United States, but
no one has separated the continent artificially. It is all North
America. Africa is North Africa, a separate place, and when I was a kid
it was Asia Minor, but they decided to call that the Middle East now, I
guess. So we have to try to keep up with those who try to define us.
We should not let other people define us, just as today they say
liberals are bad. They are the ones who are what our country should not
be about. I am proud to be a liberal. I think that is what made our
country strong and great. I think a liberal is a person who worries
about their neighbor, wants a strong defense, wants to provide for the
common defense, but also to promote the general welfare. And so until
we allow ourselves to not categorize ourselves, we have to stand tall.
So once again, let me thank the gentlewoman for her remarks.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield
for a moment again, I mentioned, and I know that the gentleman has
heard from them, because I believe they have been engaged in this over
the years, the Christian community. They have done missionary work,
they have been promoting Christianity in Sudan, and that certainly has
rocked some of the order, but they have every right to be there, and
they are Republicans and Democrats.
Mr. PAYNE. That is right.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. This is, I think what the gentleman is
saying, a bipartisan issue. This is an issue that draws on the very
heartstrings of this Congress. I believe the gentleman has a
resolution, if I am not mistaken, that would call on this Congress to
go on record. I enthusiastically support it. But it should be moved to
the front of the line, and to be assured, if my memory serves me. I am
not sure if we have already passed it, but I think not.
Mr. PAYNE. No, we have not.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. So I am making the statement today that we
need to move this to the front of the line, because I am told as we
visit with heads of State on these issues, when that vote comes
through, we can be assured that through electronic media, electronic
dissemination, it is known, and it gives a resounding sound that we are
paying attention to that issue. And I cannot imagine, just as the Brown
v. Board of Education resolution was offered today, in looking to
Monday, the 50th anniversary, because of the immediacy of it, we had
the kindness of the leadership of this House to debate this and have a
unanimous voice to support this legislation. I cannot imagine that we
would have anyone turned away, or turn away from; all we need is to go
to the floor and say Rwanda, because there are many who are now wishing
that we had acted in the manner that would have caused a pause in the
slaughter that was going on.
I deviate for one moment, because both of us were smiling; we both
met Mr. Stokes who, I am going back to the Brown v. Board of Education,
and this is a gentleman who came out of Prince Edward County in
Virginia, and was an actual student who organized to say that separate
and unequal is certainly not tolerable. We find now that he has come
full circle to say that the people who were shut out of school did not
even get their education. He is an activist again. He is rising again
to activate for those students who were cut out of school from 1959 to
1964 for them to be able to go back to school.
I just want to note that I will ask the gentleman to join me on a
resolution that is going to applaud that work and try to assist them in
getting that kind of help in Virginia, to be able to have those throngs
of individuals go back into school and get their degree. I only cite
him because I was so moved by his testimony and his statement, but he
was being active.
Mr. PAYNE. That is right.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. What we need now by this body beyond this
Special Order is an immediate action. I have seen a lot of bills come
to suspension, and I believe the gentleman's resolution warrants the
waiving of regular order. I am not sure if the gentleman has had
hearings yet, I do not want to step on toes, but if not, I would almost
say that both of the gentleman's chairpersons would welcome the moving
of this document if the gentleman suggested that that is the
appropriate way to proceed, and certainly we would follow the
gentleman's leadership. But this is a crisis of great moment, and I
hope they will listen to the gentleman and listen as we have spoken
tonight to try to save the lives of Sudan.
I thank the gentleman for yielding to me; I just wanted to make
mention of the work that the gentleman has done.
Mr. PAYNE. Again, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman's
remarks. It is something that has been overlooked for 5 years, that
people in Prince George's County were unable to go to school from 1959
to 1964 when the public schools were privatized and black children just
had no school to go to for 5 years.
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to focus on the problem, these atrocities
were well documented. Just recently a United Nations Human Rights
Commission concluded just a few days ago, I heard the report at the
Security Council on Friday where this report was given, and I too have
to say that without the United Nations I think that this world would be
in a much worse place. I hear people trivialize the United Nations. I
hear people talk about the fact that they are not needed. I think that
it shows the ignorance of many of the Members of this House that have
no clue as to the tremendous asset that the United Nations has
provided. They pushed inoculations worldwide, they have seen polio
almost eradicated through cooperation. We have seen all kinds of health
issues taken away. We have seen peace in many, many countries by virtue
of the United Nations stepping in, whether it was Sierra Leone and
whether it was Liberia, whether it was with the United Nations and NATO
in Kosovo, whether it was in East Timor, the country that Indonesia was
going to take after the Portuguese released it. It is so many, many
places, and I wish that one day we could have a 101 course to many of
the Members who just trivialize the United Nations, to really find out
what they have done. I think that many of them would be amazed and
shocked at how much a better world this is today because the United
Nations exists. If not, we would have total anarchy around the world,
and at least we have a place where debates can go on and peacekeepers
can go out and humanitarians go out. I just cannot for the life of me
understand about this trashing of the United Nations. But we have a
long way to go in education.
I would like to also say that some of my friends on the other side,
the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) and the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith) have all been supportive on the Sudan issue,
California (Mr. Royce) and Senator Brownback and Senator Frist. So many
have said that this is an issue that we need to take heed of. So it is
a bipartisan issue.
But as I was indicating, a recent report by the United Nations Human
Rights Commission concluded that the mission was able to identify
disturbing patterns of massive human rights violations in Darfur, many
of which constitute war crimes and/or crimes against humanity.
According to information collected from refugees, it appears that there
is a reign of terror in Darfur, the following elements of which should
be highlighted.
A, repeated attacks on civilians by the Government of Sudan military
and its proxy militia forces, with a view of their displacement. The
use of systematic and discriminate aerial bombing and ground attacks on
unarmed civilians. And the only planes that are in Sudan are controlled
by the Government of Sudan, and they have done systematic bombing. The
use of disproportionate force by the government of Sudan and also the
Janjaweed force, that the Janjaweed have operated with total impunity.
They can just move wherever they want without the government doing
anything; actually, even in close coordination with the forces of the
Government of Sudan.

[[Page H3005]]

The Government of Sudan has said we have nothing to do with it, but
their planes dropped the bombs, the weapons come from the Government of
Sudan, and they are in close proximity with the Janjaweed who are the
militia groups that are terrorizing the people.
The attacks appear to have been ethnically based, with the groups
targeted being essentially the following tribes of African origin: The
Zaghawa, the Masaalit and the Furs. Men and young boys appear to have
been particularly targeted in ground attacks.
The pattern of attacks on civilians, including rapes, pillage,
including of livestock, destruction of property, including water
supplies. And in May, 2004, the acting High Commissioner reported that
attacks against civilians involved the destruction of property, often
through burning, as well as the destruction of central supplies such as
flour, millet, and other crops. The report stated that a disturbing
pattern of disregard for basic principles of human rights and
humanitarian law is taking place in Darfur by the armed forces of Sudan
and by its proxy militia known as the Janjaweed.
According to Human Rights Watch, the government and its Janjaweed
allies have killed thousands of Fur, Masaalit, and Zaghawa, often in
cold blood, raped women, destroyed villages. Foodstocks and other
supplies essential to the civilian population have been destroyed. They
have driven more than 1 million civilians, mostly farmers, into camps
and settlements in Darfur where they live on the very edge of survival,
hostile to the Janjaweed abuses. More than 110,000 others have fled to
neighboring Chad, but the vast majority of war victims remain trapped
in Darfur.
Mr. Speaker, we have lost tens of thousands of civilians already and
many more will die in the coming months. We must do everything possible
to save lives and bring justice to those responsible for the atrocities
in Darfur. The United States must lead a massive international
intervention in Darfur before it is too late. We should utilize all
available means to deliver much-needed humanitarian assistance in
Darfur.
Mr. Speaker, we must also hold those responsible accountable. An
international tribunal for Darfur must be created. In the meantime, the
Bush administration must impose targeted sanctions, including travel
ban and freezing of assets against individuals responsible for Darfur's
atrocities. Targeted sanctions will punish those directly responsible
by avoiding collective punishment.
Mr. Speaker, based on the extensive research and consultation with
government officials and regional actors, we have been able to put
together a list of individuals directly responsible for the atrocities
in Darfur, and this was done by very careful investigation right there
on the ground.
These individuals directly responsible for the atrocities include, in
the first category, top Government of Sudan officials who are
supervising and controlling Janjaweed activities and operations,
including the following: Ali Osman Taha, First Vice President; Major
General Salah Abdalla Ghosh, Director General, Government of Sudan
security; Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie, former external Intelligence Chief;
Major General Al Tayeb Mohanmed Hheir, Presidential Security Advisor;
Abdalhamid Musa Kasha, Minister of Commerce; Abdalrahim Mohammed
Hussein, Minister of Interior; Major General Adam Hamid Musa, State
Governor, southern Darfur; Brigadier Mohamed Ahmed Ali, Riot Police
Director, led police attacks on internally displaced persons at Mayo
Camp right out in Khartoum in mid-March; Mohamed Yousef Abdala,
Humanitarian Affairs State Minister; Abdalla Safi el Nur, Cabinet
Minister and General Coordinator of Janjaweed.
In the category right below that is the Command Coordination and
Command Council of the Janjaweed.

{time} 1915

Lieutenant Colonel Sukeirtalah, leader of Janjaweed-Geneina; Ahmed
Mohammed Harun, commander, State Minister of Interior; Osman yusif
Kibir, State governor Darfur; El Tahir Hassan Abbud, NCP; Mohammed
Salih Al Sunusi Baraka, member of the National Assembly; Mohammed Yusif
El Tileit, Western Darfur State minister; Major General Hussein Abdalla
Jibril, member of the National Assembly.
Right in the field command in the third category: Brigadier Musa
Hilal; Brigadier Hamid Dhawai; Brigadier Abdal Wahid, Kabkabiya sector;
Brigadier Mohammed Ibrahim Ginesto; Major Hussein Tangos; Major Omer
Baabas.
I believe that these people should be investigated by a tribunal
because there are thousands of refugees who have nowhere to go now but
to live in makeshift huts. They have no health care. Children are dying
of diarrhea and malnutrition, and U.S. officials are desperately trying
to solidify a cease-fire to get aid to these people, and they are very
inaccessible.
In several weeks, the rainy season will come the early part of June
and flood much of the area, making humanitarian delivery nearly
impossible. Children are dying already and will continue to die of
preventable causes, like diarrhea for lack of water and health care.
One hundred thousand have gone to Chad. The whole country of Chad has
271 doctors for a population of approximately 9 million people. So they
are in no shape to be giving assistance, medical assistance to these
influx of refugees. In the north there is not even a doctor or a nurse,
just one medical technician who is only qualified to hand out basic
drugs.
The International Red Cross said there is severe malnutrition, but
the newly set-up health facility is at least 5 hours' drive from the
nearest facility to get materials and medicines to the people.
These people say that they had a decent life in Darfur until the Arab
Sudanese Government went to war against this region's indigenous
African people. It is mentioned that Sudanese aircraft bombed the
village and then the militias came on horseback to burn down houses and
commit atrocities and human rights abuses.
Rape is being used as a weapon of war, where women and young girls
are brutally targeted.
Every week, many people continue to cross the border to Chad because
they are fleeing the campaign of ethnic cleansing conducted by the
Sudanese Army and its marauding militia called the janjaweed.
Thousands of Sudanese villagers have been killed according to
American and other human rights officials. Hundreds of thousands more
lives hang in the balance.
Darfur is not accessible to outsiders. We have seen some pictures
that show burned-down villages by overhead aircraft that have been
taken; and so, once again, the U.N. is ready to go in. The U.N. must be
sure that they take all means necessary to attempt to get to these very
fragile people.
So as I conclude, I hope that the world is listening. I hope that we
can get our media, our newspapers to focus in on the problem in Darfur.
We often see the press cover problems in Europe. As we said, in Bosnia
and Kosovo we saw NATO and many people come to their defense. However,
in Rwanda 10 years ago, with close to a million people dying from
genocide, we all looked the other way, and now in Darfur.
Is the life of a black person in Sudan or in Rwanda any less than a
European life or an Asian life? Of course, we all know that the
question is no. We are all made in the image and likeness of God. We
are all one people. We are all one in this life that God has given to
us, and we all deserve the right to freedom, justice, equality.
So as I conclude, I would like to thank those Members that came down
to express their thoughts. I will continue to talk about the atrocities
in Sudan until we get the proper response by our country and by
countries around the world. It is a tragedy in front of us, and we
should do everything within our power to see that it ends.

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