“It was important for me to express my concern, as well as the concern of an overwhelming number of Rhode Islanders, regarding the situation in Sudan,” said Langevin about his comments on the House Floor. “The plight of the people in Darfur resonates with all of us, and we should all be ashamed that the atrocities that have taken place there are happening in our time. Where is the world’s outrage? Why have we not learned from the mistakes in the past- the Holocaust, Armenia, Cambodia and Rwanda? Now is the time to act.”

In the past, Langevin has supported measures that call on the President to improve the security in Darfur and increase funding for peacekeeping forces and humanitarian assistance. Today, he announced his co-sponsorship of H.R. 3127, which would impose sanctions on the governments and individuals responsible for these atrocities.

H.R. 3127 prohibits the issuance of U.S. visas to senior Sudanese government officials and their families until the president certifies that Sudan has made progress in protecting human rights and taken steps to demobilize and disarm the Janjaweed in the Darfur region. The measure also freezes the assets of anyone responsible for acts of genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity in Sudan and calls on NATO to send a civilian protection force to assist the African Union Mission in Sudan, which has been expanded. Finally, the bill authorizes the president to provide humanitarian assistance, and urges him to take all necessary and appropriate steps to deny the Sudanese government access to oil revenues, among other provisions.

The ongoing violence and humanitarian disaster in Sudan has led to as many as 400,000 villagers killed by militias and left more than 2 million Sudanese in refugee camps. This dire situation has also strained the resources of countries bordering Sudan.

Langevin also signed a letter this week to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calling for the appointment of a special envoy for Sudan. A special envoy, with full mandate and access to senior officials, is critical to maintaining pressure on the government of Sudan for full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and better coordination of U.S. policy. While there are great hopes for peace in the South, current indications show that Khartoum is only selectively complying with its obligations and deliberately slow-rolling implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The appointment of a special envoy will send a clear message to Khartoum that the President continues to place a priority on Darfur and create a single point person in the region.

“It is our duty to end this human suffering, and I will remain steadfast in my commitment to stopping this conflict and promoting peace in Sudan,” continued Langevin.

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