[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 67 (Thursday, May 25, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5210-S5211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    ASSISTING PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HUNGER AND POVERTY AROUND THE WORLD

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, 850 million people around the world go 
hungry every day. Famine and hunger destroy the lives of those who 
already suffer from extreme poverty, violence, and loss. Each instance 
is heartbreaking, but all too often we turn a blind eye to those in 
need. As a person of faith, and a board member of Bread for the World, 
I believe we can do more to help the most vulnerable throughout the 
world, and I want to draw the Senate's attention to a handful of 
countries devastated by poverty and hunger.
  For over 40 years, Colombia has been engaged in an armed conflict 
between insurgent guerrilla groups and the Colombian military. This 
violence, exacerbated by decades of political instability and illegal 
drug trafficking, has subjected thousands of innocent civilians to 
human rights abuses. Since taking office in 2002, President Alvaro 
Uribe Velez has made strides in boosting the Colombian economy and 
stabilizing the political process. However, crime and widespread 
violence continue to undermine these efforts.
  Colombia has the third largest internally displaced population in the 
world. Between 2 to 3 million people, out of a total population of 43 
million, have been forced from their homes. On average, 350,000 people 
become internally displaced each year. Many flee to escape kidnappings, 
assassination attempts, and local violence linked to drug trafficking 
and the civil conflict.
  Colombia's displaced population is in a dire state of need. Eighty 
percent of internally displaced people live in extreme poverty and lack 
access to sufficient food. In fact, Colombian insurgents have 
increasingly employed roadblocks and isolation tactics to stop food 
shipments from reaching vulnerable locations. All too often, internally 
displaced persons are forced to eat fewer meals, each of which consists 
of low nutritional value. The average daily caloric intake of an 
internally displaced person is 1,752 calories--well below the 
recommended minimum of 2,100 calories.
  Another country ravaged by poverty and hunger is Haiti. Haiti is the 
poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80 percent of the 
population living in poverty. In 2004, political unrest, coupled with 
social and economic instability and natural disasters, crippled a 
nation already in a state of extreme food insecurity.
  The poor are particularly susceptible to chronic malnourishment. 
Almost half of Haiti's 8.3 million citizens are undernourished. Even 
more troubling, due to chronic malnourishment nearly half the children 
under the age of five suffer from moderate to severe stunted growth. 
Haiti, along with Afghanistan and Somalia, experience the worst daily 
caloric deficit per person in the world. The average Haitian consumes 
only 460 kilocalories each day.
  The United Nations World Food Program provides food assistance to 
600,000 Haitian people. While humanitarian relief programs like the 
World Food Program are a step in the right direction in eradicating 
hunger in Haiti, a number of factors are impeding efforts. Looting, 
poor road conditions, and a lack of security continue to hinder the 
delivery of food aid in the country.
  Africa has long battled systemic poverty, violence, and hunger. The 
Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, has been engulfed in political 
turmoil for over 8 years, resulting in the death of nearly 4 million 
people. While the DRC is moving toward reunification and increased 
political stability, parts of the country remain highly volatile. 
Widespread violence, particularly in the eastern part of the country, 
has resulted in the internal displacement of more than 3.4 million 
people.
  Civil conflict has also wreaked havoc on the country's agriculture 
industry. In some areas, there is a lack of secure farmland, and severe 
labor shortages and constant looting by combatants contribute to the 
crisis. Oftentimes, raiders slaughter livestock, causing scarcity of 
meat. In addition, efforts to increase the food supply have been 
thwarted by a widespread lack of basic education, job opportunities, 
and weak local implementing partners.
  We cannot continue to ignore the current situation in the DRC while 
nearly 1,000 people die each day from war-related hunger and disease. 
Seventy-one percent of the Congolese population is undernourished and 
the mortality rate has climbed to more than 50 percent due to 
starvation.
  In addition to the crisis in the DRC, Ethiopia is on the verge of a 
humanitarian catastrophe. Ethiopia has the poorest human development 
indicators in the world. More than three-quarters

[[Page S5211]]

of Ethiopians live on less than $1 per day, and almost half the 
population is undernourished. Drought has plagued Ethiopia for decades, 
leaving the country stripped of the natural resources required to feed 
its citizens. During the past 20 years, five major droughts have 
destroyed crops and livestock, and have left many people with few 
personal belongings.
  Ethiopia is of strategic importance to the United States, and its 
stability is crucial to the Horn of Africa and our efforts in the 
global war on terrorism. Ethiopia shares borders with nations plagued 
by civil war and government instability, which impede famine relief 
efforts. In response to the famine in Ethiopia, USAID is transitioning 
its emergency response famine program to be more proactive. Revamping 
this program will help stimulate economic growth in the country. The 
hope is to permanently reduce famine-related poverty and hunger by 
increasing the government's capacity to respond effectively to these 
crises. In addition, famine relief efforts will be assisted by 
nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, and local 
communities and households.
  Finally, years of internal armed conflict and political instability 
have caused severe food shortages in Sudan. Southern Sudan, ravaged by 
civil war, may face the return of millions of internally displaced 
people following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 
January 2005. A quarter of the Sudanese population is undernourished, 
and an estimated 3 million people will be in need of food assistance as 
they return to their homes.
  In western Sudan, the violence in the Darfur region has culminated in 
the first genocide of this century. In February 2003, fighting erupted 
between rebel groups and government backed militias. The United Nations 
estimates that more than 70,000 people have been killed in this 
conflict, while other organizations believe the actual number is three 
to four times higher. As a result of ongoing ethnic violence, 
approximately 2 million people have been internally displaced, and 
220,000 refugees have fled to neighboring Chad.
  Famine remains a distinct possibility, with need far outweighing the 
ability of government and nongovernment agencies to deliver food aid. 
Prior to the crisis in Darfur, an estimated 18 percent of Sudanese 
suffered from natural malnutrition. Today, 3.5 million people in Darfur 
are hungry, with numbers expected to skyrocket until the conflict is 
resolved. Relief efforts have slowed considerably due to widespread 
violence. Furthermore, refugees and internally displaced people are not 
expected to return to their homes for the next planting season. As the 
rainy season approaches, flooding will likely hamper our ability to 
adequately distribute food aid. Finally, the World Food Program 
recently announced that it must reduce daily rations in Darfur and 
eastern Sudan to as little as 1,050 kilocalories, or 50 percent of the 
daily minimum requirement, due to funding shortfalls.
  I briefly described the food shortage crises facing five impoverished 
and vulnerable countries. This is a snapshot of the reality millions 
face each day--including those who live in the United States. Each 
statistic represents a person struggling to survive, not knowing where 
their next meal will come from--if it will come at all. In many 
situations, people remain poor and powerless with virtually no hope of 
breaking the cycle of despair. We can no longer use ignorance as an 
excuse for our inaction.
  Without question, assisting fellow human beings in need is a moral 
issue. However, in many of these war-torn and troubled nations it is 
also an issue of national security. Countries that are politically 
unstable and ravaged by hunger and disease are often breeding grounds 
for terror and violence. After all, it wasn't long ago that Osama bin 
Laden based his operations in Sudan in order to export terrorism and 
attack innocent civilians.
  As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, poverty abroad 
cannot be ignored. Political instability and infectious disease know no 
border and can affect us at home. Sadly, too often instances of extreme 
hunger and famine do not invoke action among the world's most powerful 
nations until it is too late--leaving millions dead or forever 
suffering from the consequences of chronic malnutrition. Our inaction 
is not because we don't care, but I do believe the United States should 
be more proactive, and not reactive, in ending hunger and poverty.
  The Federal budget is a reflection of our Nation's values and 
priorities. The Bush administration has made clear its priorities by 
extending tax cuts to the fabulously wealthy, while deeply cutting 
funds for hunger prevention and poverty programs. Less than half of 1 
percent of our budget goes to fighting poverty, hunger, and disease. 
The United States is the most powerful and wealthy nation in the world. 
We should be a leader in ending hunger and poverty, and we can begin by 
standing up for those at home and abroad who are in dire need of 
assistance.

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