Chris Smith: “as a cosponsor of H.R. 180, The Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act, I am pleased to see this bill brought before…”

“as a cosponsor of H.R. 180, The Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act, I am pleased to see this bill brought before the full House and I urge all our colleagues to vote for its final passage. The Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act is an important part of our ongoing efforts here in Congress to influence, pressure and alter the conduct of the Sudanese regime, the government complicit in the genocide being perpetrated and abetted in Darfur. The deaths of 450,000 innocent women, men and children and the displacement of 2 million others demand nothing less. H.R. 180 comes amidst recent reports of additional population displacements of about 12,000 households in West Darfur. Those who are fleeing express fears of attacks by Sudanese government forces in addition to general insecurity in that area. Despite the Sudanese government's announcement that it will accept a proposed hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping operation in Darfur, it will take far more action on the part of the Bashir regime to convince me--and I am certain my other colleagues here in the House as well-- that it is finally succumbing to the world's outcry for peace. Withdrawing American investments, both public and private, from Sudan will help to ensure that we get that government's attention. On August 1, 2005, my home State of New Jersey became the first State to divest from Sudan.”