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Calling on the Government of China to Stop Genocide and Violence in Darfur, Sudan

Floor Speech

Date: June 5, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Foreign Affairs


CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA TO STOP GENOCIDE AND VIOLENCE IN DARFUR, SUDAN -- (House of Representatives - June 05, 2007)

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Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H. Res. 422, which calls on China to use its leverage with the government of Sudan to end the genocide in Darfur.

The ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan already is believed to have caused the deaths of almost half a million people. More than 200,000 people have been killed by Sudanese Government forces and armed militias since 2003, and another 200,000 people have died as a result of the deliberate destruction of homes, crops and water supplies and the resulting conditions of famine and disease. Over one-third of the population of Darfur has been displaced, and the United Nations estimated that almost 250,000 people have been displaced in the past 6 months alone, due primarily to government-sponsored militia attacks.

China, unlike most nations in the international community, has cultivated a close relationship with the Government of Sudan. China maintains close military ties with Sudan and purchased almost $2 billion worth of Sudanese oil last year. China also has cancelled $100 million in Sudanese debt and provided an additional $20 million to finance the construction of a presidential palace in the capital city. As a result, China is in a unique position to put pressure on the Government of Sudan to stop the violence in Darfur. So far, it has failed or refused to do so.

This resolution urges China to acknowledge and condemn the atrocities in Darfur, cease all weapons sales to Sudan, and suspend economic cooperation with Sudan. The resolution also urges China to use its leverage to influence the Government of Sudan to: comply with United Nations Security Council Resolutions providing for disarmament of militias in Darfur and deployment of a full-scale peacekeeping force; participate in peace negotiations to secure a legitimate peace agreement between all parties; and improve working conditions for humanitarian organizations operating in Sudan and ensure they have access to the 2.5 million people displaced by this genocide.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I urge China to join with the international community and take a stand against genocide in Darfur.

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