[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 78 (Friday, June 16, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               H.R. 5522

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 16, 2006

  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, Darfur is in a state of chaos and the 
humanitarian situation is more dire than it was a year ago. Security is 
desperately needed and unfortunately the 7,400 African Union personnel 
have not been able to provide stability in the region. Their lack of 
numbers, limited mandate and supplies have hindered their ability to 
stop the atrocities.
  However, they are currently the only force on the ground. We hope 
that the African Union Mission in Sudan, AMIS, will be transitioned 
into a United Nations mission as soon as possible, but there are no 
guarantees as to when that will occur. I understand that a joint AU-UN 
Assessment Mission is currently on the ground in Sudan and that we are 
expecting a deployment of troops by October 1. Despite the beginnings 
of this work, it is unclear that this will lead to a deployment by the 
expected date. In fact, the Government of Sudan is still opposed to a 
U.N. force in Darfur.
  I understand that the Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign 
Operations did not include funding for AMIS in this bill as the U.N. 
mission is expected to begin before this bill is completed. However, I 
am concerned that the U.N. mission will take much longer and that AMIS 
will not have enough funds to provide security and complete their new 
daunting tasks under the Darfur Peace Accord.
  The needs of AMIS are great and I hope that a U.N. mission will be 
deployed to Darfur in the immediate future.
  However, if the U.N. mission is not in place when we go to conference 
on this bill and AMIS is in need of funding, I hope that the committee 
will support reprogramming funds in this bill to support AMIS.

                          ____________________