Commends the Africa Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) in monitoring the N'Djamena Ceasefire Agreement in Darfur and its role in diminishing some acts of violence.
Condemns the continued genocide against civilians in Darfur by the government of Sudan and government-sponsored militias, as well as attacks against civilians by rebels in Darfur.
Calls on all parties to the Agreement to abide by its terms and engage in good-faith negotiations to end the Darfur conflict.
Calls on the government of Sudan to: (1) comply with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1706, support AMIS' transition to a U.N. peacekeeping mission, and facilitate U.N. peacekeeper deployment; (2) withdraw all offensive military aircraft and personnel from the region; (3) cease support for the Janjaweed militia and rebels from Chad; and (4) disarm the Janjaweed militias.
Calls on: (1) the international community to provide sufficient funding to support AMIS' transition; (2) the African Union (AU) to work closely with the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to strengthen its capacity to deter violence and instability until a U.N. peacekeeping force is fully deployed in Darfur; and (3) NATO to extend its AU advisor mission.
Urges the President to take steps to: (1) improve the security situation in Darfur, including by proposing that NATO implement an interim civilian protection force; and (2) obtain the support of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Russian Federation, and U.S. allies in the Arab League to secure Sudan's compliance with Security Council Resolution 1706 and support full funding for the U.N. peacekeeping force in Sudan.
Urges NATO to support such proposed civilian protection force.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 723 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 723
Calling on the President to take immediate steps to help improve the
security situation in Darfur, Sudan, with a specific emphasis on
civilian protection.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 14, 2006
Mr. Lantos (for himself, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Tancredo, Mr. Payne, Mr.
Rangel, Mr. Berman, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. McGovern,
Mr. McCotter, Ms. Lee, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. McNulty, Mr.
Gordon, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr.
Kildee, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Crowley, Ms. Norton, Mr. Rush, Ms. Watson, Mr.
Cardoza, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts, Mr. Owens, Mr. Engel, Mr. Clay, Mr.
Ackerman, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Visclosky, Mr. Wexler, and Mr. Conyers)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on International Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Calling on the President to take immediate steps to help improve the
security situation in Darfur, Sudan, with a specific emphasis on
civilian protection.
Whereas the United States Congress and Administration are on record as declaring
that the atrocities being committed in Darfur, Sudan are genocide;
Whereas the April 8, 2004, N'Djamena Ceasefire Agreement, calling for an end to
hostilities in Darfur has been flagrantly violated by the Government of
Sudan and its proxies, the Janjaweed militias, which have continued to
engage in acts of genocide against innocent civilians;
Whereas the African Union (AU) deployed the African Union Mission in Sudan
(AMIS) to Darfur to monitor the violence and, in spite of attacks on
AMIS observers that has resulted in kidnappings and deaths, AMIS has
protected civilians from further violence and, according to Human Rights
Watch, while the mandate of AMIS does not allow for proactive protection
of civilians, AMIS has been successful in creating pockets of security
for displaced persons simply through its presence;
Whereas rebel movements known as the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) and the
Justice and Empowerment Movement (JEM) have violated the N'Djamena
Ceasefire Agreement and such violations have contributed to growing
instability;
Whereas the Government of Sudan and its armed militia groups continue to commit
crimes against humanity and engage in genocidal acts in Darfur, in spite
of the presence of AMIS forces, and, as of February 22, 2006, Janjaweed
militias were still attacking innocent villagers in retaliation for
encounters with rebel forces;
Whereas subsequent to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between
the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Sudan
People's Liberation Army (SPLM/SPLA) on January 9, 2005, the Government
of Sudan refused a proposal from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement
(SPLM) to send joint troops to protect civilians and disarm the
government-supported militia;
Whereas United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has indicated that, ``People
in many parts of Darfur continue to be killed, raped, and driven from
their homes by the thousands.'';
Whereas it has been reported that an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people have
died in the conflict-affected area of Darfur and eastern Chad, and due
to the number of areas that cannot be accounted for, the total number of
deaths may be higher;
Whereas nearly 2,000,000 people have been internally displaced, 3,000,000 people
are dependant on international assistance to survive, and more than
200,000 people are refugees in neighboring Chad due to the conflict in
Darfur;
Whereas Human Rights Watch reported on February 16, 2006, that Janjaweed
militias and Chadian rebel groups with support from the Sudanese
Government were launching deadly cross-border raids on villages in
eastern Chad, further escalating the humanitarian crisis for the people
of Darfur;
Whereas Salim Ahmed Salim, the AU Special Envoy for the Darfur Talks and Chief
Mediator at the ongoing talks in Abuja, Nigeria, indicated that all
parties to existing ceasefire agreements were increasingly resorting to
military attacks in contravention of such agreements and impeding the
distribution of humanitarian aid to millions of people in need and that,
in each month since October 2005, the violence in Darfur has worsened;
Whereas the ongoing assault on civilians by Sudanese Government forces and
Janjaweed militias requires forces larger than the current AMIS forces
and with a stronger mandate than such AMIS forces in order to adequately
protect civilians in Darfur;
Whereas the United States has demonstrated leadership on the Sudan issue for
years by mediating Sudan's North-South Peace Agreement, by declaring
genocide in Darfur, by providing nearly $1 billion in humanitarian
assistance over time, and by having United States Permanent
Representative to the United Nations John Bolton, in his first action as
President of the United Nations Security Council, request in February
2006 that Secretary-General Annan initiate contingency planning for a
transition from AMIS to a United Nations peacekeeping operation;
Whereas, although the United Nations Security Council has concurred with this
recommendation and taken steps toward establishing a United Nations
peacekeeping mission for Darfur, reports have concluded that it could
take up to a year for such a mission to deploy fully;
Whereas, as the deteriorating security situation in Darfur indicates, the people
of Darfur cannot wait that long for security to be reestablished;
Whereas the international community currently has no plan to address the
immediate security needs of the people of Darfur; and
Whereas all members of the international community must participate in efforts
to stop genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Darfur:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commends the Africa Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) for
its actions in monitoring the N'Djamena Ceasefire Agreement in
Darfur and its role in diminishing some acts of violence;
(2) strongly condemns--
(A) the continued genocide against civilians in
Darfur by the Government of Sudan and government-
sponsored militias; and
(B) the continued violations of the N'Djamena
Ceasefire Agreement by both parties to the agreement;
(3) calls upon both parties to the N'Djamena Ceasefire
Agreement--
(A) to abide by the terms of the N'Djamena
Ceasefire Agreement; and
(B) to engage in good-faith negotiations to end the
conflict in Darfur;
(4) calls upon the Government of Sudan immediately--
(A) to withdraw all military aircraft from the
region;
(B) to cease all support for Janjaweed militias and
rebels from Chad; and
(C) to disarm all Janjaweed militias;
(5) calls on the African Union to work closely with the
United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) to strengthen its capacity to deter violence and
instability until a United Nations peacekeeping force is fully
deployed in Darfur;
(6) calls on NATO to extend its current mission of advisors
to the African Union, as requested by the leadership of the
African Union;
(7) calls upon the United Nations Security Council to
approve as soon as possible, pursuant to Chapter VII of the
Charter of the United Nations, a peacekeeping force for Darfur
that is well trained and equipped and has adequate troop
strength;
(8) urges the President to take steps immediately to help
improve the security situation in Darfur, including by--
(A) proposing that NATO--
(i) implement an interim civilian
protection force using ground and air assets
under centralized planning, direction, and
control, to protect civilians until a United
Nations peacekeeping force is fully deployed in
Darfur; and
(B) requesting supplemental funding to support AMIS
and a NATO mission in Darfur;
(9) calls upon NATO allies to support such a NATO mission;
and
(10) calls upon NATO headquarters staff to begin prudent
planning in advance of such a NATO mission.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1466)
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules, (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
Mr. Smith (NJ) moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7309-7313)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate H. Res. 723.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7423-7424)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 7 (Roll no. 481).(text: CR 9/25/2006 CR H7309)
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On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 7 (Roll no. 481). (text: CR 9/25/2006 CR H7309)
Roll Call #481 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.