[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 90 (Friday, June 25, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S7506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 DARFUR

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I mentioned last night the importance of 
this African Growth and Opportunity Act which we passed last night. In 
my comments, I also mentioned a restatement of my earlier comments in 
the day, a restatement of what has been said again and again on the 
floor. That is that we as a country and we as a world community need to 
focus attention on the Darfur region of Africa, of the Sudan in Africa.
  Africa is a huge continent and a lot of people do not realize how big 
Sudan is. It is huge. When we say Darfur region, the Darfur region is 
the western part of the Sudan. If you look at the continent, it is 
almost in the middle of the continent of Africa. The Darfur region is 
huge. It is about the size of Texas.
  Over the last year and a half, because it started as a civil war, 
militias fighting, government supporting the militias there, we have 2 
million people in this region of Darfur, the size of Texas, who have 
been affected, 1.2 million people displaced, driven away from their 
homes, driven away from the land they might farm or, if they are 
herders, that they might herd animals on, families destroyed. A lot of 
people are fleeing west to, Chad, 30 or 40 kilometers away, to refugee 
camps. There are about a million displaced inside the Darfur region but 
away from their homes, away, many times, from their families and any 
chance of livelihood.
  The rainy season has begun there. It began a few weeks ago and will 
continue. As the rainy season continues, conditions get worse and 
worse. Roads at that point cannot be traversed so we cannot get enough 
food going in. There is very little in the way of health supplies going 
in. We need to bring attention to that part of the world. The world 
needs to shine a spotlight on it.
  I was delighted Secretary Powell announced yesterday he will be going 
to that part of the world. I understand Secretary General Kofi Annan 
also will be going to that part of the world, to bring increased 
attention on behalf of the Congress, with 200,000 people dead from what 
is happening there. They are dying.

  Statistically, they are dying from disease: respiratory disease, 
water-borne disease, diarrheal disease, malaria, and a little bit of 
measles. Now, with the fighting, it may well be that the No. 1 cause of 
death there is the actual fighting.
  Right now we are not able to get in sufficient aid. Aid and support 
is being restricted by the government in Khartoum. There is plenty of 
aid. The world community is ready to go in there, but right now there 
is a restriction by the government.
  I am going to keep mentioning this issue on the floor at every 
opportunity because we have a chance to reverse this travesty. We are 
going to do that. Every opportunity we have as public officials, in 
interacting with the international community, we need to continue to 
put pressure on the government of Khartoum to recognize the travesty, 
the devastation that is going on in that country.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The Democratic leader is recognized.

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