Durbin Pushes for Action on Russian Arms Sales to Sudan

Press Release

United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to the President late yesterday, urging him to confront Russian President, Vladimir Putin, about Russian arms sales to the government of Sudan when Putin visits Bush in Maine on July 1st. Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council is transferring arms to the Sudanese government in violation of the UN arms embargo currently in place. Joining Durbin in sending this bipartisan letter to the White House were Senators Brownback, Feingold and Smith.

"President Putin is promising to promote peace while profiting from violence" said Durbin. "In recent years, and in direct violation of the UN embargo, Russia exported over $34 million in equipment and arms sales to the Sudanese government used to launch attacks on Darfur. Next week, the President has not only an opportunity, but a responsibility, to call on Putin to immediately reverse his nations' actions and end arms sales to Sudan."

Amnesty International recently issued a report on continued arms transfers to Sudan and singles out China and Russia as the two leading suppliers. According to the report, Russia has exported over $21 million in aircraft and equipment and over $13 million in helicopters and parts, to the Sudanese government which in turn uses those supplies to launch attacks in Darfur.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur has resulted in mass killings, rape, torture, and the torching of homes and entire villages. More than 200,000 people have been killed, 2.5 million displaced, and a mounting refugee crisis is spilling into neighboring countries. Despite growing global attention and pressure to stem the violence, the Government of Sudan has been resistant to ending the crisis.

This is the fourth letter Durbin has sent to the President this year regarding the genocide in Darfur. Durbin, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, has stressed the need to do more to address the genocide in Darfur. Durbin speaks regularly on the floor in an effort to bring to light some of the atrocities coming from Sudan and has introduced three bills in this congress that will put added pressure on the Sudanese government to end the genocide.

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