[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5804-S5805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 DARFUR

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I met briefly this week with the actress and 
activist Mia Farrow, who has dedicated so much time lately--and even 
put her own health at risk--to raise awareness of the atrocities in 
Darfur.

[[Page S5805]]

  Like Ms. Farrow, my good friend Pam Omidyar--the founder and chair of 
the Board of Humanity United--has also fasted for more than a month in 
solidarity with the Darfurian refugees.
  Mia Farrow and Pam Omidyar enjoy liberty and wealth. They do not need 
to do this. But through their actions, they both so generously speak 
for those the world ignores.
  The terrible situation in Darfur deteriorates with each passing day. 
But we don't hear much about it. It has long since faded from the front 
pages in the face of everything else going on in our economy and the 
two wars we wage in the Middle East.
  We cannot ignore this crisis. The United States has officially and 
appropriately recognized that what is happening in Darfur is genocide. 
For the more than 2.4 million people who have been displaced against 
their will, we cannot look the other way and cannot stand idly by.
  Most of the people of Darfur depend on international aid to survive 
day-to-day. The United Nations has agreed to send 26,000 peacekeepers 
to Darfur, but they face an uphill fight--they have struggled to get 
the resources they need to ensure the safety of those who live in 
Darfur and to end this crisis.
  Making matters worse, when the International Criminal Court recently 
issued a warrant to arrest the President of Sudan--President Bashir--
for war crimes and crimes against humanity, he responded by expelling 
13 non-governmental organizations that had been distributing food and 
medicine to the people in Darfur.
  Because of its economic investments, China has unique leverage with 
Sudan. It is important that China uses that influence to help the 
people of Darfur.
  I appreciate the work of Major General Jonathan Scott Gration--the 
President's special envoy to Sudan--but we must do more to put Darfur 
at the forefront of our foreign-policy agenda. And we must be clear 
about our objectives.
  The Sudanese government has repeatedly proven untrustworthy at the 
negotiating table. As the administration and our special envoy develop 
a new policy, we must consider how we can get Khartoum to change its 
behavior.
  There have been too many people in too many camps for too many 
years--and the world has been silent for far too long.
  We have no excuse to do anything short of all we can do to ensure aid 
groups are on the ground in Darfur, and that they can do their jobs--to 
ensure a political process is in place, and that it can work--and to 
help save the lives of millions.

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