Declaring Genocide in Darfur, Sudan

DECLARING GENOCIDE IN DARFUR, SUDAN -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 22, 2004)

Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, only a few-months ago the world honored the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide and promised never to tolerate genocide again. 10 years later we are witnessing another genocide, but this time in the Sudan. Since the conflict erupted in February 2003, thirty thousand have died and close to a quarter of a million will die, if we do not act.

Sudanese government troops and their allied militia, the Janjaweed, have raped, tortured, maimed, and burned entire villages to cleanse the area of African Muslims. An estimated 1.2 million have been forced from their homes and into camps, where they remain vulnerable to attacks and lack basic services.

We must stop what is happening. It is Genocide, and under the requirements of the 1948 UN Convention, the world is obligated to act to stop it.

We must insist that the Sudanese government cease support for and disarm the Janjaweed militias and if it cannot, the UN Security Council must be persuaded to authorize force to do so.

The U.S. and world must target sanctions such as travel bans and the freezing of assets of Khartoum government officials responsible to stop the atrocities. We must find out why humanitarian aid is not getting through and ensure that it does.

Lastly, we must establish a Darfur Resettlement, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Fund so that those driven off their land may return and begin to rebuild their communities.

We must act now, if we are to prevent another Rwanda.