Washington, DC – For a press conference today calling on the Bush Administration to address seriously the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:

“We are here today to push the international community and the Bush Administration to act now to address this horrible crisis, which is nothing short of genocide.  The Administration’s rhetoric and concern over the situation in Sudan is simply not enough. We are here today to demand action.”

“It is impossible to describe the urgency of our need to act. Hundreds of thousands are dying and that blood will be on the hands of not only this Administration but the entire international community if we fail to act on the lessons we learned 10 years ago in Rwanda. The Bush administration must first recognize what the overwhelming evidence shows and reality is: a genocide is taking place in Darfur. Then the Administration and indeed the entire international community must commit the resources that genocide demands.”

“USAID estimates that at least 3.5 million people will die if no one in the international community stops this massacre and delivers emergency humanitarian assistance immediately.  Nevertheless, in spite of this evidence, the Bush Administration continues to praise the Khartoum government as a participant in the ‘Sudan peace process.’ How can their actions be called peaceful? The actions of the Khartoum government are completely devoid of the true spirit of peace.”

“Without our express concern and emergency assistance, the killing will continue. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of that tragedy. Hundreds of thousands of lives hang in the balance.”

 

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