[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 12, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NEWTON BOARD SPEAKS OUT AGAINST GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 12, 2006

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, the Board of Aldermen of the 
City of Newton, on June 27th, passed a powerfully worded and forcefully 
argued resolution on the Darfur genocide. I know that in passing this 
resolution the Board spoke for the overwhelming majority of the 
citizens of Newton, and I am pleased that I was able to report to them 
that I am doing everything I can as a Member of Congress to act in 
accordance with the policy that they advocate here.
  Mr. Speaker, because the problem of genocidal practices in Darfur 
remains unresolved, it is important for us to continue to focus our 
efforts on the need for action to save people now in Darfur from being 
victims of genocide, even as we grieve for those who have already been 
victims.
  Mr. Speaker, in that spirit I ask that the resolution from the Newton 
Board of Aldermen be printed here.

                     Resolution on Darfur Genocide

       Whereas, the government of Sudan has engaged in a policy of 
     genocide against its own black African population in Darfur 
     through use of its military and through sponsorship of 
     attacks by armed Arab militias known as the janjaweed; and
       Whereas, the janjaweed and military of the Sudanese 
     government are responsible for bombing villages and 
     hospitals, gang-raping civilians, summarily executing throngs 
     of black Darfurians, using forced starvation as a weapon of 
     war, and impeding access of humanitarian aid to the 50% of 
     Darfurians that are now reliant on assistance; and
       Whereas, the Sudanese government is responsib1e for the 
     death of 400,000 Darfurians and displacement of 2.5 million 
     more; and
       Whereas, in September 2004, U.S. Secretary of State, Colin 
     Powell, declared before the Senate Foreign Relations 
     Committee, that the Sudanese government and the Sudanese 
     government-sponsored janjaweed have committed genocide; and
       Whereas, both the United States House of Representatives 
     and the United States Senate have declared, by unanimous 
     votes, that the Sudanese regime of dictator Omar al-Bashir is 
     committing genocide; and
       Whereas, international companies, by conducting business 
     operations in Sudan, bring direct foreign investment dollars 
     to Khartoum and provide both moral and political cover to the 
     Sudanese regime; and
       Whereas Khartoum has funneled the vast majority of direct 
     foreign investment into military expenditures used to 
     perpetuate the genocide while neglecting needed development 
     projects in the Darfur region; and
       Whereas, the government of Sudan has a history of remedying 
     egregious behavior in response to economic pressure; and
       Whereas, the policy and practice of genocide is abhorrent 
     to the moral and political values of the members of the 
     residents of the City of Newton, the people of the United 
     States, and, indeed, democratic and free societies 
     everywhere;
       Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Newton Board of 
     Aldermen urges the President and Congress of the United 
     States to take immediate action to apply pressure to the 
     government of Sudan to end the genocide in the Darfur region;
       Be It Further Resolved, that the Newton Board of Aldermen 
     urges the Massachusetts Legislature to enact Senate Bill 
     2166, which would divest the Commonwealth's investment funds 
     from companies doing business with the government of Sudan in 
     such a way as to support or passively enable the Darfur 
     genocide;
       Be It Further Resolved that copies of this resolution be 
     distributed to the President, members of the Massachusetts 
     Congressional delegation, other members of Congress in 
     positions of leadership of the House and Senate and their 
     committees with jurisdiction over foreign policy and 
     commerce, the Governor of Massachusetts and members of 
     Newton's delegation to the state legislature, and other 
     leaders of the state legislature as deemed appropriate; and
       Be It Further Resolved that this resolution be posted on 
     the official City of Newton web site.
       Resolution offered by: Aldermen Parker, Burg, Linsky, 
     Fischman, Hess-Mahan, Vance, Harney, Johnson and Danberg.
       Resolution Passed Unanimously.
     (SGD) R. Lisle Baker,
       President.
     (SGD) David B. Cohen,
       Mayor.

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