Sam Brownback: “I rise with several of my colleagues today to bring to the attention of this body a severe situation in the western part…”

“I rise with several of my colleagues today to bring to the attention of this body a severe situation in the western part of Sudan. The Darfur region is facing an acute humanitarian catastrophe, which has been cited by some individuals as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today. For over a year now, government-backed militias have been carrying out savage attacks on innocent civilians and have engaged in the use of rape as a weapon, abducted children, destroyed food and irrigation systems and burned villages. We are gravely concerned about the violence that persists, despite the April 8 cease-fire agreement. Recent estimates report that 3 million people are beyond the reach of aid agencies trying to provide assistance in Sudan, and mortality rates in the Darfur region are catastrophic. The Darfur disaster has forced staggering numbers of people to flee their homes. More than 800,000 people have been displaced, with more than 100,000 of them crossing the border into neighboring Chad. Less than half of these refugees are living in UNHCR camps. Refugees International reported yesterday that 540 refugees in Chad are near death due to lack of food. To make matters worse, the rainy season is expected soon, at which time roads will be impassable and the delivery of aid extremely difficult. Human Rights investigators have finally been allowed into the region and we anticipate their findings later this week.”