107th Congress > House > Vote 949
Clerk session vote number: 443
Description: Sudan Peace Act
Bill summary: Sudan Peace Act - (Sec. 4) Condemns violations of human rights on all sides of the conflict in Sudan (including the Government of Sudan), the ongoing slave trade there, the Government's use and organization of "murahalliin" (or "mujahadeen"), Popular Defense Forces (PDF), and regular Sudanese Army units into raiding and slaving parties in Bahr al Ghazal, the Nuba Mountains, Upper Nile, and Blue Nile regions, and its aerial bombardment of civilian targets. Recognizes that the use of raiding and
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slaving parties is a tool for creating food shortages as a systematic means to destroy the societies, culture, and economies of the Dinka, Nuer, and Nuba peoples in a policy of low-intensity ethnic cleansing.
(Sec. 5) Authorizes the President to provide increased assistance to areas of Sudan that are not controlled by the Government of Sudan to prepare the population for peace and democratic governance. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2003 through 2005.
(Sec. 6) Declares that Congress recognizes that: (1) a single, viable internationally and regionally sanctioned peace process holds the greatest opportunity to promote a negotiated, peaceful settlement to the war in Sudan; and (2) resolution to the conflict there is best made through a peace process based on the Declaration of Principles reached in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 20, 1994, and on the Machakos Protocol in July 2002. Commends the efforts of Special Presidential Envoy, Senator Danforth, and his team in working to assist the parties to the conflict in Sudan in finding a just, permanent peace to the conflict in Sudan.
Requires the President to take specified actions against Sudan if the President determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Sudan has not engaged in good faith negotiations with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) to achieve a peace agreement, or is not in compliance with the terms of any negotiated peace agreement with the SPLM. Requires specified reports to Congress.
(Sec. 7) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United Nations (UN) should help facilitate peace and recovery in Sudan; and (2) the President should seek to end the Government of Sudan's veto power over relief flight plans by Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) and take appropriate measures to end slavery and aerial bombardment of civilians by the Government of Sudan.
(Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary of State to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on the conflict in Sudan.
(Sec. 9) Declares the sense of Congress that the President should continue to increase the use of non-OLS agencies in relief supply distribution in southern Sudan. Requires the President to submit a progress report to the appropriate congressional committees.
(Sec. 10) Directs the President to develop a contingency plan to provide, outside UN auspices, the greatest amount of U.S. Government and privately donated relief to all affected areas in Sudan, including the Nuba Mountains, Upper Nile, and the Blue Nile regions, in the event the Government of Sudan imposes a ban on OLS air transport relief flights. Authorizes the President to reprogram up to 100 percent of funds for OLS operations for purposes of such contingency plan.
(Sec. 11) Directs the Secretary to collect information and report to the appropriate congressional committees about possible war crimes by all parties to the conflict in Sudan, including slavery, rape, and aerial bombardment of civilian targets.
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Bill titles: To facilitate famine relief efforts and a comprehensive solution to the war in Sudan.
Links for more info on the vote: congress.gov
