[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 165 (Monday, October 29, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H12118-H12120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING ATTACKS ON AFRICAN UNION PEACEKEEPERS IN HASKANITA, DARFUR,
SUDAN, ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2007
Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 740) condemning in the strongest terms the attacks
on African Union peacekeepers that occurred in Haskanita, Darfur,
Sudan, on September 29, 2007, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 740
Whereas, on September 29, 2007, an estimated 1,000 heavily-
armed rebels in Darfur overran a small base in Haskanita,
Darfur, Sudan, occupied by the African Union Mission in Sudan
(AMIS), brutally killing 10 peacekeepers--seven Nigerian
soldiers and three other unarmed military observers and
civilian police officers from Mali, Senegal, and Botswana--
and wounding seven other peacekeepers, with 50 peacekeepers
still missing;
Whereas, in an assault described by the African Union
commander as ``deliberate and sustained'', the rebel group
broke into the AMIS base in 30 vehicles with heavy artillery
and mortars and battled for hours until AMIS forces ran out
of ammunition;
Whereas the attacks were the worst attacks on AMIS
peacekeepers since the deployment of the peacekeepers to
Sudan in July 2004;
Whereas the United Nations Security Council condemned the
``murderous attack'' on AMIS peacekeepers and demanded that
``no effort be spared'' to identify and bring to justice the
perpetrators of the attacks;
Whereas, in the aftermath of the attacks, the Government of
Sudan secured the area reportedly to facilitate the
evacuation of AMIS peacekeepers, but later was accused of
burning Haskanita to the ground, driving more than 15,000
civilians into the wilderness or neighboring towns;
Whereas the attacks have been openly condemned by the
United States Government, the African Union, the
international community, and civilized people everywhere; and
Whereas the Government of Sudan has not publicly spoken out
against or condemned the attacks: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns in the strongest terms the attacks on African
Union peacekeepers that occurred in Haskanita, Darfur, Sudan,
on September 29, 2007;
(2) expresses its condolences to the people and Governments
of Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, and Botswana, the families and
friends of those individuals who were killed or missing in
the attacks, and expresses its sympathies to those
individuals who have been injured;
(3) expresses the solidarity of the people and Government
of the United States with the African Union and the African
Union peacekeepers as they recover from these cowardly and
inhuman attacks;
(4) expresses its readiness to support efforts to bring to
justice those individuals responsible for the attacks and
efforts to detect, pursue, disrupt, and dismantle the
networks that plan and carry out such attacks;
(5) expresses its support for the people of Darfur, Sudan,
in their continued struggle against extremism and violence
and support for their efforts to secure a permanent peace,
justice, and return to their restored villages and homes; and
(6) encourage all parties involved in the conflict to
commit to negotiate a final and binding peace agreement at
the peace talks scheduled for October 27, 2007, in Tripoli,
Libya.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Let me thank Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee for introducing this
resolution, which condemns the recent vicious and deadly assault on
African Union forces.
On September 29, 2007, an estimated 1,000 members of a heavily armed
group of Darfur rebels overran a small African Union base in Haskanita
in Darfur. Ten peacekeepers were brutally killed, seven wounded, and 50
others are missing. Seven of those killed were Nigerian soldiers. The
other three were unarmed military observers and civilian police
officers from Mali, Senegal, and Botswana. With consideration of this
resolution today, the U.S. Congress sends its condolences to their
respective governments and to their families who have made the ultimate
sacrifice in a war far from their native soil.
While the nations of the world deplore the war in Darfur and have
provided significant humanitarian assistance to refugees and displaced
persons, we still have not demonstrated the will to end this crisis.
The United Nations is intensely lobbying countries to provide
helicopters for a U.N. African Union peacekeeping force, one of many
obstacles to starting the mission. According to recent reports, no
country has made a credible offer to provide the 24 transport and
attack helicopters needed for the 26,000-strong force.
{time} 1530
This lack of helicopters, in part, accounts for the deadly attack on
AU troops.
After Rwanda, the world said, never again, never again would we stand
by and let another genocide take place; yet we continue to fail in
Darfur. For over 4 years now, we have failed.
Today, our Congress calls upon our allies and friends to help put an
end to this nightmare. We call on the Sudanese Government, its militia
and rebel forces to take up seriously peace negotiations in that part
of the world.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be a cosponsor of House Resolution 740,
which condemns the horrible and cowardly attacks that occurred last
month in Haskanita. According to reports, as we've heard, up to 1,000
heavily armed rebels believed to be associated with the Sudan
Liberation Army ambushed the small base that had been occupied
[[Page H12119]]
by the African Union peacekeeping mission on September 29 of this year.
Ten AU peacekeepers were killed, including seven Nigerian soldiers and
three unarmed military observers and civilian police officers from
Mali, Senegal, and Botswana. Seven others were wounded, and 50
peacekeepers went missing. This was the worst attack against the AU,
African Union, mission since it first deployed in July of 2004.
Khartoum deployed its forces to secure the area on October 6. Three
days later, the entire village was found burned to the ground. Though
Khartoum has not publicly claimed responsibility, there is little doubt
about who burned the village. The initial attack against the African
Union peacekeepers and the subsequent burning of the small base must be
condemned in the strongest possible terms.
It is outrageous that rebels would attack those who had been sent to
secure the peace in Darfur, particularly as the international community
prepares to deploy a much larger hybrid United Nations/African Union
peacekeeping mission to the region. It is equally outrageous, Mr.
Speaker, that the Sudanese armed forces would seek retribution for the
initial attack by burning the village to the ground and leaving an
estimated 150,000 people homeless as a result.
It must be made clear to all parties to the conflict, the regime in
Khartoum, its armed proxies, and the various rebel forces alike, that
the ongoing attacks against peacekeeping forces, humanitarian
operations, and civilian populations in Darfur are completely
unacceptable.
Those who are truly interested in peace in Darfur must stop these
senseless attacks, fully commit themselves to a binding cease-fire
agreement, and rigorously pursue a political settlement. Failure to do
so will send a clear signal to the international community about who is
and who is not interested in peace.
And let there be no doubt that the United States has done much to
alleviate the suffering in this war-torn region. The United States has
provided more than $2 billion in humanitarian assistance and assistance
to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur. The U.S. has also
led the debate at the U.N. Security Council to get a larger, more
capable United Nations/African Union hybrid peacekeeping mission
approved and deployed.
We have built and maintained the camps for the African Union forces,
and we will continue to expand those camps until the U.N. takes over.
We have also provided air lift for troops, and will fund 25 percent of
all peacekeeping costs.
We have a dedicated special envoy who has led international efforts
to bring peace to Darfur. We have funded and supported critical peace
talks. We have imposed comprehensive sanctions against Khartoum.
Meanwhile, China and Russia continue to allow their business interests
in Sudan to override their concern for human rights. Both have failed
to take meaningful action at the United Nations and have blocked
consideration of sanctions against Khartoum.
So all obstructionists to peace in Darfur, regardless of their
association, must ultimately be held to account. It is particularly
appropriate that we are considering this resolution as Darfur peace
talks are getting under way in Tripoli, Libya because, despite the best
of intentions, the international community cannot impose peace on
Darfur. The burden is on the Sudanese themselves to find a lasting
political settlement. The time for Khartoum and the rebel factions to
roll up their sleeves and get to work toward that end is long overdue.
And, frankly, the people of Darfur deserve better.
I thank the sponsor, Ms. Jackson-Lee, for introducing this important
and timely measure. I urge the support of all of my colleagues.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield as much time as she
may consume to the gentlelady from Ohio (Mrs. Jones).
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I would like to thank my colleague, the
gentleman, John Tanner, for yielding me time. I just came from a
memorial service for one of our former colleagues from Ways and Means,
Charlie Vanik.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of legislation calling on
the President of the United States and the international community to
take immediate steps to respond to and prevent acts of rape and sexual
violence against women and girls in Darfur, Sudan, eastern Chad, and
the Central African Republic.
For many years now we have seen the devastating atrocities taking
place in the Darfur region of Sudan. With the support of the Sudanese
Government, the janjaweed militia has ravaged the people of Darfur,
raping, torturing, murdering, and forcing thousands of Darfuris to flee
to refugee camps in neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic.
Today, we highlight some of those most vulnerable of these victims in
Darfur, women and girls.
We saw the same devastation in Rwanda over a decade ago, where it is
estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 women and girls were raped
during the genocide in Rwanda. The American people have made their
voices heard on this issue, vowing never again to remain silent when
humanity is threatened. To date, there have been numerous reports of
rape. On July 19, 2004, Amnesty International reported that it
collected the names of 250 women who have been raped in Darfur and
information on 250 additional rapes.
On January 25, the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur, in
a report to the U.N. Secretary General, reported numerous cases of mass
rape throughout Darfur. This is just the tip of the iceberg. We must do
all that we can to ensure that no more women and girls are violated.
So today we give voice to the voiceless. Today we speak up for those
who are often overlooked and ask that in this country we do all within
our power to stop the rape and sexual violence against the women of the
Darfur region.
I would like to add my support to the other pieces of Darfur
legislation discussed today and applaud all the groups who have truly
been on the front line of this issue, particularly the students, who
have been so passionate in their support. It is my hope that we will be
able to work with the people in the 11th Congressional District and
across this country to continue to let our voices be heard on the
issue. I encourage my constituents to contact me with your ideas and
resources.
I know that I'm speaking on another piece of legislation, but they
all affect Darfur, and it gives me an opportunity to be heard.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I had the opportunity
to travel as part of a bipartisan Congressional Delegation to the war-
torn nation of Sudan and see first-hand one of the worst humanitarian
crises in recent times.
The entire world is currently watching in horror the atrocities being
committed in Darfur. Many people have been called to action to try to
stop this genocide. This includes hordes of humanitarian workers and
peacekeeping forces. The most prominent peacekeeping mission in Sudan
has been the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), which is carried
out by African Union (AU) forces.
Since July of 2004, AU forces have been on the ground in Sudan
working as peacekeepers. Sadly, their peacekeeping mission has made
these AU personnel targets for attack by rebel forces. The worst of
these attacks occurred in Haskanita, Darfur, Sudan, on September 29,
2007. This attack on the AU base left 10 brutally murdered and 50
soldiers missing. In the aftermath of the attacks Haskanita has been
burned to the ground, displacing 15,000 citizens. This horrendous
situation is made only worse by the government of Sudan's silence in
not speaking out and condemning these attacks.
There is no doubt that this was an atrocious attack, and today we in
Congress join together to condemn all these attacks. These attacks show
just how horrid the situation in Darfur is, when those trying to bring
peace and stability are themselves victims of violence. We in Congress
express our deepest sympathy to the families of individuals killed or
missing in these cowardly attacks.
It is my deepest hope that the Darfur peace negotiations currently
underway in Libya bring about a meaningful and lasting peace agreement
for Darfur. The United States and the international community must work
together to stabilize the situation in Darfur and prevent further
genocide. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to continuing to work with my
colleagues to bring an end to this international crisis.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join
me supporting H.
[[Page H12120]]
Res. 740, which I introduced, together with my good friend and
distinguished colleague, Mr. Chabot. This bipartisan legislation
condemns, in the strongest terms, the attacks on African Union
peacekeepers that occurred in Haskanita, Darfur, Sudan, on September
29, 2007
I would like to thank the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Full
Committee, Mr. Lantos and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, and of the subcommittee on
Africa and Global Health, Mr. Payne and Mr. Smith, for their support
and co-sponsorship of this important bill. Let me also thank my 55
colleagues who co-sponsored this legislation.
Since 2003, we have witnessed a systematic campaign of displacement,
starvation, rape, mass murder, and terror in the western Sudanese
region of Darfur. In the worst humanitarian crisis of our time, an
estimated 400,000 people have been killed in Darfur by the Government
of Sudan and its Janjaweed allies. An additional 2,000,000 people have
been displaced from their homes and livelihoods. Both the House of
Representatives and the Senate declared that the atrocities in Darfur
constitute genocide in July 2004, and the Bush administration reached
the same conclusion in September 2004.
However, three years later, the situation in Darfur continues to
deteriorate. The United Nations reported a substantial decline in the
humanitarian situation during the first three months of 2007, during
which time 21 humanitarian vehicles were hijacked, 15 additional
vehicles were looted, and gunmen raided 6 humanitarian compounds. The
security situation makes it extremely difficult for aid organizations
to reach vulnerable populations, and, in the 12 months preceding April
2007, the number of humanitarian relief workers in Darfur decreased by
16 percent, largely due to security concerns, restrictions on access,
and funding limitations. The flow of humanitarian aid has been severely
threatened by the escalating violence in the region.
Since 2004, a small contingent of African Union peacekeepers have
been deployed to Darfur, responsible for maintaining security in a
region roughly the size of France. The 7,000 peacekeepers under the
banner of the African Union Mission in Sudan, or AMIS, have displayed
exemplary courage and resilience, but they are woefully outmanned and
outgunned, as well as chronically short of funding. Recognizing the
near-collapse of the AU Mission, the United Nations, in July
2007, approved a UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping mission, to be known as
UNAMID, which is meant to take over from AMIS shortly.
The AMIS peacekeeping mission recently encountered yet another
significant setback. On September 29, 2007, an estimated 1,000 members
of a heavily armed Darfur rebel group, in 30 vehicles armed with heavy
artillery and mortars, overran a small base in Haskanita, Darfur,
Sudan, which was occupied by AMIS peacekeepers. The ambush resulted in
several hours of intense fighting that killed ten peacekeepers--seven
Nigerian peacekeepers and three other soldiers from Mali, Senegal, and
Botswana--and wounded many others.
According to U.N. estimates, in the aftermath of this brutal attack,
which was described by the African Union commander as ``deliberate and
sustained,'' 15,000 civilians fled the area to neighboring towns or the
wilderness, fearing for their safety. This attack is considered to be
the worst on AMIS peacekeepers since their deployment in July 2004. The
United Nations Security Council condemned this ``murderous attack'' on
AMIS peacekeepers, and demanded that ``no effort be spared'' to
identify and bring to justice the perpetrators of this assault.
Only recently, during the August recess, I had the opportunity to
lead a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to Darfur. This was the first
CODEL to the region since the announcement of the joint UN/AU
peacekeeping force. Along with my colleagues Mr. Chabot, who joins me
as the lead Republican cosponsor of this legislation, and Mr. Smith, I
had the opportunity to meet with government officials, civil society
leaders, international aid workers, and affected civilians, as well as
with the African Union peacekeepers responsible for protecting Darfur.
I saw first hand the immense suffering of the people of Darfur, as well
as the enormous strain on the courageous but outnumbered AU
peacekeepers.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly condemn recent attacks on African Union
peacekeepers. This legislation also expresses the condolences of this
House to the people and Governments of Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, and
Botswana, the families and friends of those individuals who were killed
or missing in the attacks, and expresses its sympathies to those
individuals who have been injured. It expresses the solidarity of the
people and Government of the United States with the African Union and
the African Union peacekeepers as they recover from these attacks, and
the readiness of Congress to support efforts to bring to justice those
individuals responsible for the attacks and efforts to detect, pursue,
disrupt, and dismantle the networks that plan and carry out such
attacks.
This legislation also looks forward, to the process of bringing about
a peace settlement for Darfur. Crucial though effective peacekeeping
forces are, they are no substitute for a serious and sustained peace
process. Consequently, this bill also expresses its support for the
people of Darfur, Sudan, in their continued struggle against extremism
and violence and support for their efforts to secure a permanent peace,
justice, and return to their restored villages and homes, and it
encourages all parties involved in the conflict to commit to negotiate
a fmal and binding peace agreement at the peace talks, which began on
October 27, 2007, in Tripoli, Libya.
Early reports from these negotiations have not been promising. With
key rebel groups boycotting the peace talks, media reports indicate
that mediators will now have to travel to Darfur to meet with rebel
leaders before actual peace agreements can be reached. Despite these
setbacks, U.N. Special Envoy Jan Eliasson has maintained optimism,
saying yesterday ``I refuse to state that the peace process is
interrupted.''
Mr. Speaker, as United States foreign policy remains centered on the
highly partisan debate over Iraq, we cannot allow Darfur to slip
through the cracks. I thank the over 40 of my colleagues who have
joined me in cosponsoring this important resolution, which reiterates
that attacks on African Union peacekeepers in Darfur are unacceptable.
Despite the setbacks experienced at this weekend's peace talks in
Libya, I believe it is important that we condemn the attacks of recent
weeks, and look forward to the construction of a lasting peace for
Darfur.
I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
legislation.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res.
740 which condemns the armed attack against African Union troops that
took place on the remote south-eastern settlement of Haskanita, Darfur
precisely one month ago. This horrific attack by rebel groups left
seven Nigerian peacekeepers and three other peacekeepers from Mali,
Senegal and Botswana dead. Seven others were wounded and 50
peacekeepers went missing. This is the worst attack against the AU
mission since it was first deployed in July 2004.
And the suffering of those in the village did not end with this
violent assault. The Armed Forces of Sudan (SAF) moved into the village
on October 6, reportedly to ``secure'' the area and facilitate the
evacuation of the AU peacekeepers. Three days later the village was
burned to the ground and 15,000 people were displaced. Although there
has been no official statement as to who is responsible for the
destruction of the village, U.N. officials have quietly pointed the
finger at the SAF.
Although diplomatic activity on Sudan has intensified in recent
weeks, and talks on the Darfur conflict began in Libya on October 27th,
there is little reason for optimism that a peaceful solution to the
Darfur tragedy is anywhere in sight. Several of the rebel groups are
refusing to participate in the Libya talks. The U.N. Special Envoy for
Darfur, Jan Eliasson, and his African Union counterpart, Salim A.
Salim, who are leading this negotiation effort, have a Herculean task
ahead of them. They will need all the help that we can provide them,
and it is critical that this Congress continue to highlight the tragedy
of what is occurring in Darfur and seek every means to bring about a
just and enduring peace.
I therefore thank my colleague Ms. Jackson-Lee for introducing this
resolution, which also expresses the readiness of the House of
Representatives to support efforts to bring those individuals
responsible for the attacks to justice and to dismantle the networks
that carry out such attacks. I strongly urge my colleagues in the House
to support this resolution.
Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, so I am
pleased to yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 740, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________