Donald M. Payne: “let me commend our leaders in the Committee on International Relations, Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos, for…”

“let me commend our leaders in the Committee on International Relations, Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos, for their tireless work in bringing this historic resolution declaring genocide in Darfur, Sudan to the floor. Many people have held back on using the word ``genocide'' out of fear that it is really a declaration that they try to step around, but I really am so proud that this House of Representatives is standing up and calling it like it is. As my colleague from Colorado said, it is genocide. Let me just say that this would have been impossible without the Tancredos and the Wolfs and the Royces on the other side and fighters on our side such as the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) and all of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus and our dean, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers). This is something that we did not do 10 years ago when genocide was happening in Rwanda. We looked the other way. But we are not going to look the other way in 2004. We must also impress upon the world community, the AU, the EU, the Islamic Front, all of the groups, that they must come together and that they must declare and work towards having civility return to Sudan. But I want to remind the Congress that although we need to act now in Darfur, that once the crisis is under control, we cannot rest on our laurels and fool ourselves that this type of thing will not happen again.”