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National Hispanic
Caucus Of State
Legislators Support
Darfur Resolution To
Take Immediate
Action To Stop The
Campaign Of Racial
Extermination
Against The
Ethnically Distinct
Black African
Population Of Darfur
WHEREAS, This
Assembled Body is
committed to justice
and the protection
of innocent
civilians everywhere;
and
WHEREAS, Past
reports have
indicated that the
armed forces of the
government of Sudan,
along with
government-supported
militias, committed
numerous systematic
attacks against the
civilian populations
of the African Fur,
Masaalit and Zaghawa
ethnic groups in the
Darfur region; and
WHEREAS, The attacks
include massacres,
rape, and
indiscriminate
aerial bombardments
that have killed
thousands, displaced
countless others and
destroyed villages,
food stocks and
other supplies
essential to the
civilian population;
and
WHEREAS, The
government of Sudan
has reportedly
failed to take any
immediate steps to
stop these attacks,
reverse the ethnic
cleansing and
provide the
necessary protection
and assistance to
the millions of
displaced civilians;
and
WHEREAS, According
to a report issued
by the United
Nations Office of
the High
Commissioner for
Human Rights, the
horrific attacks
committed against
civilian populations
in the Darfur region
of Sudan may
constitute war
crimes and/or crimes
against humanity;
and
WHEREAS, Among the
recommendation found
in the report is a
call for the
government of Sudan
to publicly and
unequivocally
condemn all actions
and crimes committed
by the Janjaweed
militias and ensure
that all militias
are immediately
disarmed and
disbanded; and
WHEREAS, The report
also urges full and
unimpeded access for
humanitarian workers
in order to ensure
the delivery of much
needed humanitarian
assistance to the
Darfur region; and
WHEREAS, On July 13,
2004, Congressman
Rangel further
outlines his
position in a July
15, 2004, article
appearing in The New
York Amsterdam News,
by stating that “the
people being
slaughtered in
Darfur are Muslims
of Black African
descent who have
traditionally been
marginalized by the
Sudanese
government”; and
WHEREAS, It is the
intent of this
Assembled Body to
strongly emphasize
that crimes against
humanity must be
stopped immediately;
now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That this
Legislative Body
urge the United
States Congress to
take immediate
action to stop the
campaign of racial
extermination
against the
ethnically distinct
black African
population of
Darfur, and to
strongly denounce
the actions of the
Sudanese government
in connection with
this crime, and be
it further
RESOLVED, That
copies of this
Resolution, suitable
engrossed, be
transmitted to the
President of the
Senate of the United
States, the Speaker
of the House of
Representatives, and
to each member of
the Congress of the
United States from
the State of New
York.
This resolution was
adopted this
November 18, 2006,
at the National
Hispanic Caucus of
State Legislators
Executive Committee
& BBA Annual Meeting
held in San Juan,
Puerto Rico.
Assemblyman Felix W.
Ortiz, NY
NHCSL President |
