Dick Durbin Bills to Increase Economic Pressure on Sudan Go to President

December 18, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two bills, introduced by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), to provide federal support for state and local divestment efforts in Sudan passed the House as part of the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007. The bills called for economic restrictions against the Sudanese regime supporting genocide in Darfur. The legislation now goes to the President for signature.

“The United States government has acknowledged that genocide is taking place in Darfur but as important as that declaration is, it is not enough,” said Durbin. “We now need to use financial tools where words have failed.”

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Senator Durbin is the only Member of Congress to personally lobby all of the African members of the Security Council to pass a resolution authorizing peacekeepers. Durbin has urged UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to do more about the situation in Darfur, and pledged Senate support to any action taken by the UN. He had similar conversations with the ambassadors from China, Ghana, The Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Russia, all current or permanent members of the UN Security Council.

“Until today, our rhetoric has been powerful but our actions have not,” Durbin said. “The bills we passed will put pressure on the Sudanese regime where it hurts them most, their pocketbook. We will continue to our efforts until peacekeepers are on the ground and the fighting has stopped.”

Durbin serves as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights. In addition to legislation, he has made the Darfur genocide in Sudan the centerpiece of his efforts this year. He has given 17 speeches on the Senate floor this year raising the profile of Darfur.

“Illinois has led the charge in passing divestment laws,” said Durbin. “Thanks to the efforts of State Senator Jackie Collins, and her colleagues, Illinois was the first of seven states to pass divestment laws. I also applaud the leadership of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University which have already taken steps to divest and make a commitment to peace in the region.”

Despite action by the UN Security Council authorizing a peacekeeping force of over 26,000 military and police personnel to stem the violence in Darfur, the Sudanese government continues to block its full deployment. The force was scheduled to be in place by January 1. Further thumbing its nose at the international community, the Sudanese government even appointed a war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court for his complicity in the Darfur genocide to help oversee deployment of the peacekeeping force.

Many institutions, individuals and state and local governments have joined in calling for peace and security in Darfur. Seven states, six municipalities and over forty universities have chosen to divest -- removing companies that operate in Sudan to the benefit of the Khartoum government from their pension plans and other investments.

Senator Durbin became the Chairman of the first-ever congressional committee or subcommittee dealing specifically with human rights law this January. The Senate Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law has jurisdiction over all human rights laws and polices, including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and human trafficking. The Subcommittee’s first hearing was on genocide. It has also held hearings on human trafficking, child soldiers, U.S. enforcement of human rights law and a provision in immigration law know as the “material support bar.”

Source: Senator Dick Durbin