[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 167 (Wednesday, October 31, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            CRISIS IN DARFUR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 31, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of resolutions H. 
Res. 573, H. Res. 726, and H. Res. 740, which are all related to the 
situation in Darfur. The continuing genocide in Darfur is an attack on 
humanity and I would like to take this moment to urge my colleagues in 
Congress and in the International Community to support ending this 
genocide.
  I am in support of H. Res. 573. This resolution calls for recognizing 
and commending the efforts of the United States public and advocacy 
groups to raise awareness about and help end the worsening humanitarian 
crisis and genocide in Darfur, Sudan. If it were not for the U.S. 
public and advocacy groups that have brought awareness of the violence 
and displacement that has occurred in Darfur, this horrific conflict 
might have gone unnoticed. Experts estimate some 400,000 people have 
died and over 2.5 million people within the Darfur region have been 
made homeless since this conflict began in 2003. Too many people of 
Darfur are in extreme poverty and they rely heavily on international 
aid for survival. Refugee camps have experienced atrocities, rape, and 
physical violence, which is making these supposedly safe havens unsafe. 
Even humanitarian groups are suffering from deteriorating conditions 
and attacks, which has caused several NGOs to leave.
  I agree with H. Res. 726, which calls 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. During war women are too often the victims of rape and sexual 
violence, which is often used systematically as a weapon of 
intimidation, humiliation, terror and ethnic cleansing. Being a victim 
of rape or sexual violence is one of the worst human rights violations 
there is. Women in these areas can hopefully be protected if the 
President of the United States develops within the United States 
Department of State and the United States Agency for International 
Development a Women and Girls of Darfur Initiative to improve 
assistance to victims and potential victims of rape and sexual violence 
in the areas called for by the resolution.
  I fully support H. Res. 740. This resolution condemns in the 
strongest terms the attacks on African Union peacekeepers that occurred 
in Haskanita, Darfur, Sudan on September 29, 2007. This ambush by 
Darfur rebels killed ten peacekeepers; seven Nigerian peacekeepers and 
three other soldiers from Mali, Senegal and Botswana. Several other 
soldiers were wounded and fifty soldiers are still missing. This attack 
is considered the worst on AMIS peacekeepers since the deployment in 
July 2004. It is time to hold the perpetrators of these hateful acts 
accountable for their inhumane actions.

  Madam Speaker, I support these bills because the people of Darfur 
need help. Too many lives have been taken; too many women have been 
sexually violated. These bills help send a clear message to the 
Sudanese government and the Darfur rebel groups that we will not 
continue to allow these crimes to happen on our watch. It is time to 
end this genocide.

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