Biden/Lugar Introduce Resolution Calling on International Community to Support Peacekeepers in Darfur

January 28, 2008 -- Washington, DC – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) and Ranking Member Richard G. Lugar (R-IN) are introducing a bipartisan resolution today urging the members of the international community, including the United States, to provide the resources the African Union and United Nations need to carry out their joint peacekeeping mission in Darfur.

The resolution emphasizes the critical equipment gap that exists because no nation has stepped forward to provide urgently needed helicopters. It also calls on President Bush to personally intervene by contacting other heads of state to ask them to commit these aerial vehicles.

On December 31st, the United Nations and the African Union jointly assumed control of the peacekeeping mission in Darfur. While the United Nations Security Council has authorized over 26,000 peacekeepers, just over 9,000 are on the ground in Darfur. Sudanese obstruction, including an attack on a U.N. convoy, has delayed deployment, but the failure of nations possessing the necessary tactical and utility helicopters to commit vehicles and crews also endangers the mission. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called these helicopters indispensable in order to transport and protect peacekeepers and allow them to carry out their mission.

“We cannot allow genocide and suffering to continue because the combined nations of the world cannot find 24 helicopters to help stop it. That is inexcusable,” said Sen. Biden. “That is why today Senator Lugar and I are introducing a resolution expressing the Sense of the Senate that the world must not allow this peacekeeping mission to founder because we cannot find 24 suitable aircraft within our vast arsenals. It’s true that helicopters alone will not save Darfur. The European Union and United Nations Security Council should, I believe, join the United States in imposing strong economic sanctions on the Sudanese government. We should also continue to pressure the rebel groups to cease all attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers and engage in a peace process to bring a real solution for the people of Darfur. We should do all these things and more, but, first and foremost, we should ensure that the United Nations and African Union mission have the tools that they need to stop the genocide in Darfur.”

“We reiterate the call we made last year for our government, as well as others, to act swiftly and robustly. The failure of the international community to take all steps necessary to generate, deploy and maintain peacekeeping forces will result in the continued loss of life and further degradation of humanitarian infrastructure in Darfur. History has shown that peacekeeping success depends on size, resources, mandate, mobility, and command structure of the force. And the mission must be accompanied by a peace-building process among the parties in the conflict,” Sen. Lugar said.

“Preventing genocide is a global responsibility. Too often the world has failed to keep this commitment, and it has failed Darfur for too long. We cannot allow the government of Khartoum to block deployment of the 26,000 peacekeepers, but it would be even more criminal if the international community refuses to provide the peacekeepers with the equipment and vehicles that they need. I urge my colleagues to support our resolution and stop the genocide in Darfur,” said Sen. Biden.

The resolution is also cosponsored by Sens. Richard Durbin (D-IL), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Carl Levin (D-MI) and Russell Feingold (D-WI).

Source: Senator Joe Biden

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