BROWNBACK-CORZINE AMENDMENTS ON DARFUR PASSED; PEACEKEEPING FUNDS IN JEOPARDY

After weeks of negotiation, the Senate passed its version of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act on April 21st , authorizing billions of dollars in emergency spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, foreign aid programs, and a hodgepodge of other domestic and international commitments left unfunded by Congress in the last fiscal year’s budget.

Two important add-ons to the bill, championed by Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), address the humanitarian disaster in Darfur, Sudan. Genocide in the region has been underway for nearly two years by government-backed Janjaweed militia groups targeting black Africans in the western Darfur region. The conflict has killed nearly 400,000 people, many of whom were noncombatants, and displaced nearly two million others.

While Congress and the Bush administration lead international opposition to the crisis, little has been achieved to end the violence. Senators Corzine and Brownback’s amendments respond to this discrepancy by providing the means to end the genocide

The Darfur Accountability Act calls on the Bush administration to support a new UN Security Council resolution that brings sanctions against the government of Sudan, extends the current arms embargo to cover the government of Sudan, reinforces support for African Union (AU) forces and expands their mandate to protect civilians, enforce a military no-fly zone over Darfur, and send a special Presidential Envoy to Sudan to monitor the situation.

Unlike past pronunciations of U.S. policy, the Darfur Accountability Act proposes specific actions that can be adopted by the Administration and can actually succeed in mitigating the effects of the ongoing violence.

A second amendment proposed by Senator Corzine and cosponsored by Senators Brownback, DeWine (R-OH) and Durbin (D-IL), provides $50 million to expand and strengthen the AU mission in Darfur. The amendment also includes an additional $40.5 million for emergency humanitarian relief for the Darfur region and nearby countries affected by the crisis.

Paradoxically, however, and to the detriment of humanitarian crises victims worldwide, Congress funded the amendment by stripping the international peacekeeping account (CIPA), which funds a number of urgent new peacekeeping missions, including the UN mission that will help implement the peace agreements between the North and South of Sudan.

This year, President Bush requested $780 million in Emergency Supplemental funds for the international peacekeeping account, to make up for US contributions to four new UN peacekeeping missions (Haiti, Cote D’Ivoire, Burundi, and Sudan) left unfunded by Congress in the last fiscal year’s budget. The United States already committed its resources and political support to these missions, and failing to honor these commitments would put the US in further arrears to the UN. Worse still, without funding from the US, the UN cannot reimburse member states that contribute troops to UN peacekeeping missions, including the mission in Sudan.

Since January, when the President submitted his budget to Congress, the House and Senate have thoroughly gutted the international peacekeeping account. Senator Jon Ensign (R-NV), for example, pushed through a last-minute amendment to the Supplemental to pay for more border patrol, at a cost of $147 million to the international peacekeeping account. The Emergency Supplemental has now moved to conference to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions, which fund the international peacekeeping account at $580 million and $442.5 million, respectively.

Latest reports indicate that $50 million earmarked for AU forces in Sudan, and $40.5 million for humanitarian disaster aid will remain in the final version of the Supplemental. In addition, CIPA funding levels are expected to be partially restored to levels lower than President Bush’s initial request of $780 million but higher than levels appropriated in the House and Senate. The Darfur Accountability Act, however, may be at risk due to complaints from administration officials about some of its provisions and lawmakers who object to including a policy-setting amendment in appropriations bill.

What Must Be Done

Congress must take the opportunity of the Emergency Supplemental Conference committee to fully fund both the Darfur amendment and the President’s request of $780 million for international peacekeeping accounts.

International peacekeeping account funds provide critical security and protection for people in crisis situations, both in Sudan and elsewhere. Peacekeeping missions are essential to prevent failing states from falling into chaos and becoming safe havens for international terrorists.

On September 9, 2004 Secretary of State Colin Powell, speaking as an official emissary of the United States government, declared that genocide was occurring in Darfur. Since then, little action has been taken to stop the violence.

President Bush pledged support for AU forces deployed in the Darfur region, but they remain under-funded, undermanned, and handcuffed by a mandate that precludes them from protecting civilians.

President Bush should seriously consider taking the actions enumerated in the Darfur Accountability Act. It is time for our pledge of “never again” to mean exactly that.



Updated May 3, 2005