[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11277]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



       PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2052, SUDAN PEACE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 13, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2052) to 
     facilitate famine relief efforts and a comprehensive solution 
     to the war in Sudan:

  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Chairman, the people of Sudan have suffered terrible 
devastation in recent history, and even today as we sit in this 
Chamber.
  One report tells of a woman who asked visitors surveying the 
destruction in her village, ``Why do people in the West care about 
saving the dolphins, but not about saving us?''
  A poignant, sharp statement asked out of great need for help--A good 
question about why people in the West for so long have ignored the 
plight of those sold into slavery, those whose villages, hospitals, 
schools and churches are bombed by the Khartoum regime that says it 
wants peace, but does not act that way.
  Studies have shown that the devastation and destruction of tribes and 
peoples in Sudan is genocidal.
  Statistics show that over 2 million people have died in Sudan--Do we 
not care?
  I care--and that is precisely why I stand in firm support of 
Congressman Tancredo and the Sudan Peace Act. I urge other Members to 
vote for this act to support the people of Southern Sudan, to fight 
against the destruction of entire tribes of people, and to fight 
against slavery that exists today.

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