Pelosi Statement on Meeting with Save Darfur Coalition

Pelosi Statement on Meeting with Save Darfur Coalition

Washington, D.C. - House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats met with members of the Save Darfur Coalition - a coalition of more than 100 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations - to discuss the ongoing genocide in Darfur. Pelosi just returned from leading a senior, bipartisan Congressional delegation to Darfur, where she and the other Members shared their experiences and observations in the meeting. Below are Pelosi's remarks:

"Good afternoon. Thank you all for coming. I know I speak for everyone here - Congressman Jim Clyburn, Congressman Donald Payne, Congressman George Miller, Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick, Congressman Michael Capuano, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, when I say that you are an inspiration to us on the trip that we just took to Darfur.

"I am pleased to join David Rubenstein of the Save Darfur Coalition and my friend for many years, Reverend Bob Edgar from the National Council of Churches, to give you a report on what we heard from our trip and to also hear from you.

"When we were in the Sudan we told everyone we met that in America there were people who were very concerned about the genocide in Darfur and that they were acting upon it.

"We told them at every stop that across America in the religious community and academic community, on college campuses, and even in high schools that Americans are taking up collections for Sudan.

"We need to work in a bipartisan way to move as quickly as possible to stop the violence in Darfur, to try and bring people to the table to negotiate, to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid, and to honor what we as a nation vowed after Rwanda: that this should never happen again. But here it is again.

"Too many people have died. Conservatively, the figure is over a quarter of a million. I was told a figure yesterday that 20,000 people had been killed in the camps. So the camps are not a safe harbor as well. It's a violent atmosphere.

"Before we went to Sudan, we were briefed in Rome by the U.N. and NATO. NATO told us that the Janjaweed was a state sponsored violent organization and that they were an extension of the Sudanese military. And we were also briefed about the humanitarian assistance and how much more needed to be done.

"We all went to Darfur with a sense of deep concern and we all left with a sense of outrage and urgency. We unanimously support President Bush's suggestion to commit more international troops to Darfur, and bring hope and security to the region."

http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=1441