Darfur

19 June 2007 -- As the humanitarian crisis in Darfur continues, calls in the United States and Europe for an international boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics because of China’s support of Sudan are intensifying.

Human rights activists say the Sudanese government is using a militia, the janjaweed, to “exterminate” the black people of Darfur. They claim that 400, 000 people have lost their lives and more than two million have fled to refugee camps as a result of the violence.    » read more »

17 June 2007 -- A U.N. Security Council delegation visiting Sudan says the Khartoum government has agreed to the deployment of a United Nations and African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur.

South African ambassador Dumisani Kumalo made the announcement Sunday following hours of talks with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum.

He says Mr. Bashir has agreed to allow the speedy deployment of around 20,000 U.N. and African Union peacekeepers.    » read more »

June 13, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on yesterday’s developments in Darfur:

“Yesterday the African Union announced that the Sudanese government had accepted the deployment of a substantial UN peacekeeping force in Darfur.”

“While welcome news, it is news we have heard before -- only to see Khartoum backtrack as soon as the world's attention has shifted. Already Sudanese officials have suggested that the new reinforcements come from African countries -- an unacceptable precondition on the UN deployment.”    » read more »

Richardson urges US to work diligently to keep pressure on Sudan

SANTA FE, NM -- Governor Bill Richardson welcomed today's announcement of an agreement for the deployment of a full United Nations/African Union hybrid peacekeeping force to Darfur, Sudan. In their announcement, the UN, AU and Sudanese government indicated that all outstanding issues had been resolved, and Sudan confirmed it would accept the full UN/AU hybrid force deployment.    » read more »

15 June 2007 -- At least seven people, including two children, have been killed in separate explosions in Mogadishu, the latest attacks in fighting between Islamic militants and government troops in Somalia.

The two children were killed in a blast Friday in the south of the Somali capital, near a United Nations compound.

At least five other people were killed in separate explosions today throughout the city.

Hours earlier, security officials displayed a large cache of weapons seized in house-to-house searches throughout Mogadishu.    » read more »

13 June 2007 -- The U.S. House of Representatives already is on record urging China to put pressure on Sudan to end bloodshed in the Darfur region. Leaders on a key foreign affairs subcommittee said they hope to use the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as leverage. Witnesses told a panel that China could use its economic clout to convince Khartoum to bring an end to Sudan's four-year conflict. Leta Hong Fincher has more.

Democratic Party Congressman John Tierney says that China -- as the host country of the 2008 Olympics -- could be the "lynchpin" in ending the atrocities in Darfur.    » read more »

Letter Cites Need For Nevada To Help End Genocide

June 7, 2007 -- Carson City – Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons today sent a letter to Nevada’s Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) administrators requesting that PERS divest itself of funds held in companies that provide economic support to the government of Sudan in its genocide campaign against the people of Darfur.    » read more »

06 June 2007 -- The House of Representatives has approved resolutions on Iran and the situation in Darfur. One calls on the government in Tehran to release dual Iranian-American citizens it is holding, the other urges China to do more to pressure the government of Sudan to end violence in Darfur. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill.

The resolutions have been making their way through Congress in recent weeks, and finally made it to the House floor Tuesday for a vote.    » read more »

29 May, 2007 -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:    » read more »

May 29, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released the following statement today in response to newly announced sanctions against Sudan:    » read more »

May 29, 2007 -- Washington, DC - Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today after President Bush announced new U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan, intended to pressure the Sudanese government to end the genocide in Darfur:    » read more »

May 29, 2007 -- Chicago, IL--Senator Obama today released the following statement in response to President Bush's announcement of sanctions on the Sudanese government.

"President Bush's announcement today that he will finally impose tightened sanctions on the Sudanese government is welcome. But, it falls well short of what is necessary to compel Khartoum to stop the four year-old genocide."    » read more »

Calls for further action to protect human life

May 29, 2007 -- ALEXANDRIA, Va –United States Senator Sam Brownback praised President Bush today for imposing new economic sanctions on Sudanese businesses and individuals aiding the on-going genocide in Darfur.

"It is our moral responsibility as a nation to make every effort we can to stop the innocent bloodshed in the Darfur region," Brownback said. "The moral conscience of America cannot peacefully rest until the innocent are protected and those who have killed over 200,000 human beings are brought to justice."    » read more »

Bush urges Khartoum to end genocide in Darfur

29 May 2007 -- Washington –- The United States will tighten economic sanctions against Sudan for failing to end the violence in Darfur, President Bush announced May 29.

“For too long, the people of Darfur have suffered at the hands of a government that is complicit in the bombing, murder and rape of innocent civilians,” Bush said.    » read more »

May 29, 2007 -- THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. For too long, the people of Darfur have suffered at the hands of a government that is complicit in the bombing, murder, and rape of innocent civilians. My administration has called these actions by their rightful name: genocide. The world has a responsibility to help put an end to it.    » read more »