(Updated September 25, 2006)

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 CivilianProtection 

Floor Situation

The House is scheduled to consider H.Res. 723, under suspension of the rules, on Monday, September 25, 2006.  It is debatable for 40 minutes, may not be amended, and requires a two-thirds majority vote for passage.

Summary

H.Res. 723 resolves 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 the continued genocide against civilians in Darfur by the Government of Sudan and government-sponsored militias and 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 to abide by the terms of the N'Djamena Ceasefire Agreement and to engage in good-faith negotiations to end the conflict in Darfur, (4) calls upon the Government of Sudan immediately to withdraw all military aircraft from the region, to cease all support for Janjaweed militias and rebels from Chad and 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 proposing that NATO, 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 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.

Background

the United States Congress and Administration are on record as declaring that the atrocities being committed in Darfur, Sudan are genocide.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.'

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

As the deteriorating security situation in Darfur indicates, the people of Darfur cannot wait that long for security to be reestablished.

The international community currently has no plan to address the immediate security needs of the people of Darfur.

All members of the international community must participate in efforts to stop genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Legislative History

H.Res. 723 was introduced by Rep. Lantos (CA) on March 14, 2006. The bill was ordered to be reported from the International Relations Committee, by unanimous consent, on September 13, 2006.

For additional information or questions, please contact the International Relations Committee at 5-5021.