April 24, 2007
MR. SMITH of New Jersey: Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in very strong support of H. Con. Res. 7, and congratulate Congresswoman Jackson-Lee for authoring this important measure. It sends a very clear and nonambiguous message to the Arab League to recognize the killing fields of Darfur as ``genocide'' and to support the deployment of the hybrid U.N. peacekeeping force pursuant to U.N. Resolution 1706.
It is timely that we consider this resolution today as leaders and activists around the world unite to raise awareness and urge action to stop the genocide during this week's Global Days for Darfur.
Madam Speaker, no other people on Earth have suffered more than the people of Sudan. Tragically, they have been victimized by not one, but two genocides. In the south, over the course of 2 decades, some 2 million people were murdered by the Khartoum regime, and only a robust peacemaking effort, backed by the military efforts on the ground by Dr. Garang, resulted in a comprehensive peace agreement that was very ably brokered by Senator Danforth as the Special Envoy appointed by President Bush. Indeed, President Bush, I think, made the crucial difference in bringing peace to southern Sudan.
But just as that peace was breaking out, in February of 2003, hostilities began in Darfur, and now we have, regrettably, another genocide, in excess of 400,000 people dead and 2 million people displaced.
Several months ago, Madam Speaker, I traveled to Darfur and met some of the heroic survivors of genocide at two camps, at Mukjar and at Kalma camp. When our old Soviet era helicopter landed at the remote Mukjar camp, thousands of women and children danced, clapped and sang beautiful traditional African songs. The people of Darfur, as we all know, have a remarkable generosity and spirit. And it was awe inspiring and heart breaking at the same time.
At first glance most of the people had a superficial glow of physical wellness, thanks in large part to the brave NGOs bearing food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. However, even those necessities are now at risk due to the insecurity in Darfur caused by a lack of protection of humanitarian aid workers.
As the H. Con. Res. 7 points out, Khartoum is now targeting relief agencies and NGOs, and at least 12 humanitarian workers have been killed in Darfur.
It profoundly troubles me, and troubled me especially on the trip, to look at the appalling fear and trepidation. It is ever-present. Trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder is everywhere. I spoke with many women who told me personal stories of rape, senseless beatings and massacres by the Janjaweed and the Sudanese militias. Among the refugees and IDPs, emotional woundedness and brokenness is everywhere. Like you and me, Madam Speaker, all that the wonderful people of Darfur really want is to love God and their families and their friends and to earn a living and to live in peace, and yet they have had atrocities imposed upon them that no human should have to bear.
On that same trip, Madam Speaker, I also had a lengthy meeting with President Bashir at his presidential suite in Khartoum. All Bashir wanted to talk about was ending United States trade sanctions, not the horrific loss of life in Darfur. For me the exchange was eerily reminiscent of a conversation I had had in Serbia with the late Slobodan Milosevic after he invaded Croatia, then Bosnia, and unleashed the Balkan genocide. He too, like Bashir, was unmoved by the plight of suffering people.
On October 5 of 2006, I wrote a letter, cosigned by 175 Members of Congress, to the Secretary General of The League of Arab States, asking him to use his authority to employ all diplomatic means available to encourage Bashir to halt Sudan's military offensive in North Darfur, to withdraw Sudanese troops from the area, and to reverse the Arab League's opposition to the U.N. deployment of peacekeepers. I believe, and this resolution makes absolutely clear, that the UN-AU hybrid force is today the best option to enforce a cease-fire, protect civilians, ensure access to humanitarian assistance, and begin the path to reconstruction and reconciliation in Darfur. We pointed out in the October letter that the collective voice of the Arab League could clearly help save thousands of lives and bring peace and security to Darfur. Right now they are part of the problem. It is time the Arab League became part of the solution.
Finally, this legislation strongly urges the League of Arab States to declare that the systematic torture, rape, and displacement of Darfurians is a genocide, and strongly urges the Arab League to agree and pass a resolution to accept and support the U.N. peacekeepers, again, as the best option to enforce that cease-fire and to give the people of Darfur what they so desperately need: peace and reconciliation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
