[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 68 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E870-E871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN SUDAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2004

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
speak about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan today.
  Sudan is the ninth largest country in the world and Africa's largest. 
The wars of Sudan have killed more people than in Kosovo, Bosnia, 
Rwanda and Somalia combined, most of them civilians. For the best part 
of 50 years, peace has eluded the people of Southern Sudan.
  Southern Sudan has not only been neglected by Northern Sudan, it has 
also been neglected by the world.
  It is estimated that more than 3 million people have been uprooted 
from their homes and the numbers of dead are unknown.
  Destruction of homes, huts, crops and agricultural areas, wells, 
shops and entire villages are systematically taking place. Women report 
that they would be kidnapped and raped if they went any further than 
one and one-half kilometers away from their camp to collect wood or to 
tend to their vegetables.
  These actions have resulted in a dire human rights and humanitarian 
crisis.
  Neighboring governments have generously received Sudanese refugees. 
It is estimated that over 110,000 Sudanese refugees are in Chad; 
223,000 are in Uganda; 88,000 are in Ethiopia; 69,000 in Democratic 
Republic of the Congo and 60,000 are in Kenya.
  Women arrive in refugee camps already greatly traumatized by hardship 
and loss. They may have walked for months through hostile territory, 
living on wild fruits and drinking water from puddles. Often the weaker 
members of their family, particularly, their children, have died along 
the way.
  In a Kenyan refugee camp, a Southern Sudanese woman says, ``We flee 
the Sudan and our problems follow us. The security is fine but it's an 
alien environment--hot and windy, no grass or rain or water. We get 
homesick for familiar surroundings. Most people who came here have died 
even though there's a hospital. The place where they bury people is 
full. Now they have started another one.''
  Mr. Speaker, the United States must do everything in its power to 
encourage the government of the Sudan to end this abuse.
  Although this current conflict was initiated by rebel forces, the 
government of the Sudan has a legal responsibility to protect all its 
citizens and uphold the law.
  We must act immediately to prevent the recurrence of the human rights 
that have already taken place and act swiftly to restore

[[Page E871]]

the Southern Sudanese's survival, security and human dignity. In doing 
so, we not only honor them, we bring honor to America.

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