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REP. ISRAEL JOINS 400 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, DARFUR REFUGEE, COMMUNITY AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO MARK DARFUR DAY ON LONG ISLANDREP. ISRAEL CALLS FOR PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO STOP GENOCIDE IN DARFUR
"Before coming to Congress, I was deeply involved in ensuring people understood the lessons of the Holocaust," Israel said. "One of the questions I asked myself constantly was, 'What would I have done if I were in Congress when the genocide of Jews occurred.' Now I feel I have a special obligation to speak out about the genocide that is occurring in Darfur. That's why I'm pleased to be joined by over 400 high school students, elected officials, and business, religious and community leaders to call on Congress to pass legislation to stop genocide in Darfur. If you're going to say 'never again' you have to mean it." The three-year old genocide in Darfur continues unabated with women and children being raped, maimed, and killed and millions of civilians trapped in displaced camps and as refugees in neighboring countries. The violence is also spreading across the border into neighboring Chad, largely due to Sudan government-backed armed groups. According to reports, 2,000,000 people in Darfur have been displaced from their homes since 2003. At the event, Rep. Israel urged Congress to pass the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006 [H.R.3127], which he co-sponsored. The bipartisan bill, which is up for a vote on Friday, imposes sanctions against individuals responsible for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It also protects civilians and humanitarian operations and supports peace efforts in Darfur. Rep. Israel also called on Congress to pass legislation [H. Res. 723] that asks President Bush to take immediate steps to help improve the security situation in Darfur by proposing to NATO an interim civilian protection force using ground and air assets to protect civilians until a UN peacekeeping force is fully deployed in Darfur. It also calls on the Sudanese government to withdraw all aircraft from Darfur and to cease all support for the Janjaweed militias and rebel forces crossing the border from Chad. Public officials joining Rep. Israel included: Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman; Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone; Suffolk County Legislator William Lindsay; Suffolk County Legislator Jon Cooper; Suffolk County Legislator Lou D'Amaro; Suffolk County Legislator Vivian Viloria-Fisher; Suffolk County Legislator Ricardo Montano; Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern; Suffolk County Legislator John Kennedy; Suffolk County Legislator Wayne Horsely; Suffolk County Legislator Kate Browning Suffolk County Legislator Elie Mystal; Suffolk County Legislator Jack Eddington; Nassau County Legislator Craig Johnson; Huntington Councilwoman Glenda Jackson; Huntington Councilwoman Susan Berland; Huntington Councilman Mark Cuthbertson; Huntington Councilman Stuart Besen; Islip Councilman Chris Bodkin; and Huntington Comptroller Kathleen Cannon. Read the program to this event |
04/03/06
Brentwood, NY - On Monday, Congressman Steve Israel (D-Hauppauge)
joined over 400 high school and college students, Darfur refugee
Yahya Osman (Darfur Rehabilitation Project), religious, community
and business leaders to mark the first ever Darfur Day on Long Island,
a day of education, awareness, and activism in response to the ongoing
genocide in Sudan. The day's events included a photo exhibit, a
panel discussion, a ceremonial reading of names, and a short documentary
that highlights the atrocities as well as the recent cross-border
conflict in Chad.