09 June 1999
TEXT: SENATOR BROWNBACK URGES END TO SUDANESE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
(Returns from visit with two congressmen to southern Sudan) (750) WASHINGTON -- Senator Sam Brownback, a key figure on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a strong critic of the Sudanese government, issued the following press release June 8, following his return from a visit to southern Sudan: (begin text) At a Capitol Hill news conference today, U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) called on the Sudanese government to end its human rights abuses including civilian bombing and slavery. Brownback returned to the U.S. yesterday along with U.S. Congressmen Donald M. Payne (D-NJ) and Thomas Tancredo (R-CO) following their Congressional delegation trip to southern Sudan. Also joining the news conference today was Roman Catholic Bishop Macram Gassis of Sudan. "After visiting the Sudan last week and personally witnessing the effects of the human rights abuses brutally practiced by the Sudanese government against its own people, I call on the Sudanese government to stop terrorizing its people with civilian bombing, slavery, government-manufactured famine, and forced religious conversions," Brownback said. "Some of the greatest suffering in the world today occurs in the Sudan. This civilian population only seeks freedom to live in peace, to practice their faith without interference, to not live in terror of slavery, bombing and famine. "We must press for greater food distribution outside of the present U.N. structure and thus avert another famine this year due to deliberate governmental food-withholding practices. We also must support those serving these ravaged people. "I hope that our government, supporting those who seek freedom, will begin to assist in democracy-building measures. This would include education, civil society and infrastructure development. "Most importantly, I hope that this brutal war can be ended through the Inter- Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) peace process, given that an agreement has already been reached on two principles: the separation of religion from state (so that all will have freedom to practice their faith without interference), and the implementation of a referendum to determine governance. These are freedom-building measures well-deserved by a population which has sacrificed everything. Sen. Brownback and Congressmen Payne, and Tancredo returned yesterday from the Sudan. This was a fact finding mission to investigate the human rights atrocities engaged in by the Sudanese government, known as the National Islamic Front (NIF) government, against its own people in the South, mostly comprised of African Christians and traditional believers. They visited two towns in the South -- Yei and Labone, both hosting the remnants of the broken lives left by this civil war of over 15 years. The group also visited a refugee camp in the town of Kakuma, Kenya, whose majority of inhabitants are civilian refugees fleeing the ravages of this civil war. "This trip confirmed what I already had heard about -- this is among the most victimized civilian population in the world," Brownback said. "The statistics attest -- 1.9 million dead in the last decade, 4.3 million pushed out of their ancient homelands and forced to live on the edge of starvation -- making this the largest refugee population in the world. At least 100,000 (some say even 200,000) died last year because of the deliberate withholding of food aid by the NIF government from its own people. Incredibly, the abuse also includes the routine enslavement of women and children by government-backed militia, as well as forced religious conversions. "In the town of Yei we saw a civilian population brutalized by civilian bombing. The last bombing raid was on May 24th, which resulted in the deaths of two people. They are regular targets of bombing raids by their own government and live in continuous terror of the planes regularly dropping their explosives on this town. "We also visited the hospital run by Norwegian People's Aid which has been bombed three times in the last few years. "These people have demonstrated incredible bravery in the face of impossible odds and brutality. They deserve our advocacy to fight these terrible human rights abuses," Brownback said. Brownback introduced S. Res. 109 in May 1999, addressing these human rights atrocities. He was joined by Senators Frist, Mack, Hutchinson, Lieberman, and Lautenberg. Congressmen Payne and Wolf have also introduced a similar resolution in the House. Brownback is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and sits on the African Affairs Subcommittee. He is also a commissioner on the Helsinki Commission (the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe). (end text)
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