[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16506-16507]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                          SUDAN SPECIAL ENVOY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the President of the United 
States, President George W. Bush, for the appointment today of a 
special envoy, former Senator Danforth from Missouri to work on the 
issue of bringing peace in Sudan.
  I also want to thank Secretary of State Colin Powell for his efforts 
and his work. I think the Bush administration, President Bush and 
Secretary Powell, have really taken a very bold and a very, very 
important step.
  I also want to congratulate or thank or commend Senator Danforth for 
accepting this very difficult job. As many people know, there has been 
a war going on in Sudan for almost more than 18 years.
  I have visited Sudan four times in the last 10 years. In Sudan more 
than 2.2 million people, most Christians, a number of Animists and a 
number of Muslims, have been killed as a result of this war.
  There has been unbelievable famine in Sudan. In Sudan, every major 
terrorist group, Hamas, Abu Nidal and others, has had operations in and 
around Khartoum, and there is also, as many people know, Osama bin 
Laden had been in Sudan for a period of time.
  There is slavery in Sudan. What happens is the militia go into the 
villages, kill the men, rape the women and take the children away for 
slavery.
  So I think the move by President Bush today, working through the good 
efforts of Secretary Powell, appointing Senator Danforth will really 
make a tremendous difference. It is the greatest opportunity we have 
had in years to bring about a just and a lasting peace.
  This puts a tremendous burden on the Khartoum government and both 
sides having to come together whereby the people of the south and the 
people of the north can live in peace.
  This has been a particularly difficult time because with the revenue, 
over $700 million this year of oil revenues, they are using that 
revenue to buy weapons and helicopter gun ships to kill the people in 
the areas where they have discovered and are now drilling for oil.
  This is an opportunity.
  I want to also thank all of the groups, and I will submit for the 
record all of the names, but those individuals who have been working on 
this issue for so long. I am reluctant to get into specifics because 
there are so many; but I will at the end of the statement submit with 
it their names and all the people who have been working for the last, 
some for 10, 11 and 12 years, a number of Members of Congress.
  When I think on the Senate side, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. 
Frist) and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Brownback). On the House side, 
the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) and the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and 
other Congressmen who have been to the region that are working on this. 
Also, the numerous groups of all denominations from throughout America 
that are participating and because of their efforts this day has taken 
place.
  With prayer and with the hard work of Senator Danforth, it will be my 
hope that we can bring peace whereby the people of Sudan could live in 
peace.
  In closing, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank President 
Bush for this action, those on the President's staff who helped put 
this together; also Secretary Powell for his actions and those who work 
at the State Department that are involved in this very, very important 
issue. Perhaps they will all be like Esther: they are being called just 
for a time like this, to bring about peace, whereby the people in the 
south and the north can live together.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank and congratulate President George W. 
Bush and his administration for naming former Senator John Danforth of 
Missouri as the United States Special Envoy to Sudan. Earlier today, in 
a beautiful and powerful ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White 
House, President Bush, supported by Secretary of State Colin Powell, 
expressed to Sudan and the world that the United States is deeply 
committed to helping resolve the conflict in Sudan that has claimed an 
estimated 2.2 million lives during the past 18 years of civil war. This 
is a conflict that has also driven another 4 million from their homes, 
threatens 2 million additional innocent victims with starvation, has 
witnessed deliberate aerial bombings of schools and churches by the 
government of Sudan, and has even tolerated the disgrace of slavery in 
the 21st century.
  It was noted today, that the degree of difficulty in bringing an end 
to the suffering in Sudan is very high, but if there is even a chance 
of success, then the United States must accept this role of peacemaker 
in this struggle. I applaud Senator John Danforth for stepping forward 
and accepting this most challenging position of trust. I believe he has 
the experience, character and reputation around the world to succeed in 
this job.
  Everyone who has been involved in bringing an end to the suffering in 
Sudan acknowledges that this job will not be easy. This effort will 
require the United States government to speak as one voice. It will 
require the desire for peace by the combatants in this war, the 
government of Sudan and the SPLA. It will require the support of the 
European Union and neighboring countries of Sudan, such as Egypt Kenya 
and others. And it will require the support of non-government 
organizations, religious leaders and citizens of the world. I firmly 
believe that if successful in bringing a just peace to Sudan, Senator 
Danforth should win the Noble Peace Prize.
  Today's ceremony announcing Senator Danforth as Special Envoy to 
Sudan was a long time in coming. It came after many long hours and hard 
work by many individuals and groups around our country. The bright blue 
skies and bi-partisan crowd in the Rose Garden reflected the perfect 
back drop for this ceremony today and signal bright hope for tomorrow 
for the people of Sudan.
  As I mentioned earlier, many individuals and organizations are 
responsible for helping shape the administrations policy with regard to 
Sudan. I applaud the bi-partisan efforts of members of Congress in 
supporting the appointment of a high-level Special Envoy to Sudan. 
Representatives Dick Armey, Tom Tancredo, Don Payne, Tom Lantos, Ed 
Royce, Spencer Bachus, J.C. Watts, Cynthia McKinney, Chris Smith, Tony 
Hall, former Congressmen Walter Fauntroy and

[[Page 16507]]

Harry Johnston as well as Senators Sam Brownback and Bill Frist all 
have played critical roles in seeing that this day finally arrived and 
they deserve special mentioning.
  Many in the administration also deserve mentioning for their efforts 
in making this day happen. Assistant Secretary of State Richard 
Armitage, National Security Adviser, Condolezza Rice, Karl Rove at the 
White House, Andrew Natsios, the director of USAID, Roger Winter, 
USAID, Elliot Abrams, former chairman of the U.S. Commission on 
International Religious Freedom and current Assistant to the President 
at the National Security Council, Walter Kansteiner, Assistant 
Secretary for African Affairs, and Ted Dagne of the Congressional 
Research Service have all played pivotal roles in shaping U.S. policy.
  Religious leaders and organizations around our country have also 
provided unbending support in these efforts. Franklin Graham, Cardinals 
Bernard Law and Theodor McCarrick, the late Cardinal John O'Conner, 
Father Michael Perry of the United States Catholic Conference, Faith 
McDonald of the Institute of Religion and Democracy, as well as, the 
Presbyterian Church, Jewish leaders and Christian colleges across our 
country have all contributed as well.
  Finally, many outside of government have steadfastly beat the drum 
calling for action in Sudan. I would be remised if I didn't mention a 
few of them as well. Nina Shea and Rabbi David Saperstein, both 
commissioners on the U.S. Commission on International Religious 
Freedom, Roger Robinson and Adam Penner of the Casey Institute, Michael 
Horowitz, Professor Eric Reeves of Smith College, Chuck Colson and 
Mariam Bell of Prison Fellowship, radio personality Joe Madison of WOL-
Am in Washington, D.C., Steven Morrison of the Center for Strategic and 
International Studies, Jerry Fowler of the U.S. Holocaust Museum, and 
Charles Jacobs of the American Anti-slavery group are just a few of the 
patriots for justice who have continued the efforts that led to a 
special envoy being named for Sudan.
  Today is a great day of hope for those who speak out for the 
voiceless and innocent of Sudan who have suffered for too many years. 
But, today is just the beginning of the efforts that are hoped to bring 
a just peace to the insanity that has taken place in Sudan for the past 
two decades.
  Today, President Bush described the war taking place in Sudan as 
brutal and shameful. He said it deserves the attention and compassion 
of the world if it is to end. Senator Danforth noted that the U.S. can 
encourage the peace, but can not make it happen on our own. He will 
need much help in successfully bringing the atrocities to an end.
  It is my hope that through much prayer and hard work, both sides in 
this conflict will resolve to bring an end to the suffering of so many 
innocent people and end this war for ever. I thank and applaud 
President Bush, Secretary Powell, Senator John Danforth and everyone 
involved in making this day happen. I encourage the American people to 
stay vigilant in seeing to it that peace comes to Sudan. I pray for the 
people of Sudan that today will mark the beginning of peace in your 
country.

                          ____________________