Representatives Urge Senator Daschle and Senator Lott to Appoint Senate Conferees on Sudan Peace Act
 

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, pertinent legislation, the Sudan Peace Act, regarding the conflict in Sudan has been shelved. Currently, a group of U.S. representatives has taken the initiative to request that this legislation now be moved forward. U.S representatives have written a letter to Senator Daschle and Senator Lott urging them to appoint Senate conferees on the Sudan Peace Act and are aiming to gain widespread support from other key representatives. (click here to view the letter: Letter to Senator Daschle and Senator Lott)

In effort to make Sudan a top human rights priority for U.S. policy makers, a bill called the Sudan Peace Act (H.R.2052) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. In short, the House version of the Sudan Peace Act finds that the Government of Sudan is committing genocide, urges the Bush Administration to grant $10 million dollars in previously appropriated funds to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to help develop a democratic civil society in autonomous regions outside of the Sudanese government`s control; requires the Bush Administration to plan for the distribution of food aid outside of the U.N.`s Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) to ensure that the government will not have the ability to further manipulate U.S. humanitarian aid away from those most in need and to take measures to seek an end to the war; to investigate and gather evidence of war crimes; condemns aerial bombardment of civilian targets and all human rights violations committed by combatants while recognizing that the Sudanese government and its militia groups are primarily responsible; recognizes that slavery and religious persecution are government­backed; and requires that companies seeking to do business in Sudan disclose and report on the nature of the company`s activities and relationship to persecution and other human rights violations in Sudan. Furthermore, the House version of the Sudan Peace Act contains key disclosure requirements and capital market sanctions provisions to prevent foreign oil companies doing business in Sudan from raising money from U.S. investors.

Unfortunately, the Senate version of the Sudan Peace Act (S.180), as passed by the Senate on July 19, 2001, is remarkably weaker than the House­approved version since, it omits any finding that the Government of Sudan is committing genocide, the condemnation of prior aerial bombardment of civilians by the Government of Sudan, the direction to the President to make available to the NDA $10 million in previously appropriated funds, disclosure requirements and capital markets sanctions language, the reporting requirement on the ability of the Government of Sudan to fund the war with oil revenue, and does not direct the State Department to investigate possible war crimes in Sudan.

To discuss your concerns about moving the Sudan Peace Act forward or to urge your representatives to sign this letter of support and join this initiative, visit www.house.gov or www.senate.gov for contact information for your district representatives.

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