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TheWeekInCongress.com
Week Ending December 10, 2004
S2781 expressing the sense of Congress regarding the conflict in Darfur, Sudan, to provide assistance for the crisis in Darfur and for comprehensive peace in Sudan and for other purposes.
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BRIEF
The bill amends the existing Sudan Peace Act to authorize appropriations to help with the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Darfur and Sudan’s neighbor, Chad.
Funds would be authorized upon conclusion of a peace agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (A southern Sudan force opposed to the allegedly government backed Janjaweed forces wreaking havoc in Darfur).and if the President certifies that Sudan has taken steps to stop attacking civilians, disarm militias, cooperate fully with observer missions and allow humanitarian access to all areas of Sudan. The People’s Liberation movement must also comply with the peace agreement.
If the parties do not adhere to the agreement the money is withdrawn and senior Sudan government officials assets will be blocked and existing restrictions will continue.
Requires suspension of assistance to either party for failure to adhere to the President’s certification.
Sponsor: Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-IN)
Vote: Passed Senate amended by Unanimous Consent (Sept. 23, 2004); Passed House amended by voice vote (Nov. 19, 2004); Senate agreed to House amendment (Dec. 7, 2004); Signed by President Bush as Public Law 108-497 (Dec. 23, 2004).
Cost to the taxpayers: For humanitarian assistance, $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, in addition to any other funds otherwise available for such purpose. For President Bush to use upon the conclusion of a North-South peace agreement, $100 million for FY 2005 in addition to any other funds already available for the same purposes. ## All Rights Reserved. No reproduction or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.
MORE INFORMATION
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) a legitimate countrywide peace in Sudan will only be possible if the principles of the Machakos Protocol of 2002 and the Nairobi Declaration on the Final Phase of Peace in the Sudan signed June 5, 2004, negotiated with the SPLM, apply to all of Sudan and to all of the people of Sudan, including the Darfur region;
(2) the parties to the N'Djamena Agreement (the Government of Sudan, the SLA, and the JEM) must meet their obligations under that Agreement to allow safe and immediate access of all humanitarian assistance throughout the Darfur region and must expedite the conclusion of a political agreement to end the conflict in Darfur;
(3) the United States should continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the areas of Sudan to which the United States has access and, at the same time, develop a plan similar to that described in section 10 of the Sudan Peace Act to provide assistance to the areas of Sudan to which United States access has been obstructed or denied;
(4) the international community, including African, Arab, and Muslim nations, should immediately provide resources necessary to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals at risk as a result of the Darfur crisis;
(5) the United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes should travel to Chad and the Darfur region immediately to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity to develop a more accurate portrayal of the situation on the ground and to better inform the report required in section 11(b) of the Sudan Peace Act;
(6) the United States and the international community should--
(A) provide all necessary means to assist in the immediate deployment of a contingent of 4,200 African Union forces as recommended by the United Nations and to sustain such forces; and
(B) work to increase the authorized level and expand the mandate of such forces commensurate with the gravity and scope of the problem in a region the size of France;
(7) the President should use all means to facilitate a comprehensive solution to the conflict in Sudan, including by directing the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to pursue a resolution of the United Nations Security Council that--
(A) condemns the actions of the Government of Sudan in engaging in an orchestrated campaign of ethnic cleansing in Darfur;
(B) calls on the Government of Sudan to cease support of ethnic cleansing and the killing of innocent civilians, disarm the Janjaweed militias, prevent such militias from harassing and killing civilians, and ensure immediate access for all humanitarian assistance to all areas of Darfur;
(C) calls on all parties to the conflict in the Darfur region to permit unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance directly to Darfur, in particular to allow such assistance to cross directly from countries that border Sudan;
(D) calls on the Government of Sudan to provide all assistance possible, including release of its strategic food reserves, to respond to the Darfur crisis;
(E) calls on the international community, particularly those countries with strong economic ties to Sudan, to expedite the provision of humanitarian assistance to Darfur;
(F) authorizes the African Union Mission in Sudan (AUMIS) now deploying to the Darfur region of Sudan, and calls for the expansion of such force, and extension of the force's mandate to include protection of civilians;
(G) establishes an international commission of inquiry to examine the actions and accountability of those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Darfur region; and
(H) confirms the right of all displaced Sudanese to return to their villages under safe and secure conditions;
(8) an international commission of inquiry should be established to conduct an investigation of atrocities in the Darfur region and to preserve evidence of atrocities for use in the prosecution of those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity;
(9) sanctions should be imposed on the assets and activities of those Sudanese Government officials and other individuals that are involved in carrying out the policy of ethnic cleansing in the Darfur region;
(10) the Government of the United States should not normalize relations with Sudan, including through the lifting of any sanctions, until the Government of Sudan agrees to, and takes demonstrable steps to implement, peace agreements for all areas of Sudan, including Darfur; and
(11) Presidential Proclamation 6958 issued November 22, 1996, which suspends entry into the United States of members of the Government of Sudan, officials of that Government, and members of the Sudanese Armed Forces, should continue to remain in effect and be strictly enforced. ## All Rights Reserved. No reproduction or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.