* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Holton
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
An Open Letter to the Maryland Congressional Delegation - STOP THE GENOCIDE IN DARFUR
FOR the purpose of respectfully requesting the Honorable Members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation to demand that the President of the United States take the steps necessary to end the genocide in Darfur and call for a United Nations Security Council resolution to create a peacekeeping force to ensure an end to the violence that has cost thousands of Black Africans their lives, has driven millions from their homes, and has left countless men, women, and children without food and without hope.
Body
Recitals
As many as 400,000 Black Africans have been killed, and over 2 million have been driven from their homes since open warfare erupted in Darfur, in early 2003, when 2 loosely allied rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), attacked military installations. In response, "Janjaweed" militias received government support to clear civilians from areas considered disloyal to the Sudanese government.
Nearly 3 years into the crisis, the western Sudanese region of Darfur is acknowledged to be a humanitarian and human rights tragedy of epic proportions. The humanitarian, security, and political situations continue to deteriorate; atrocities continue as people are still dying in large numbers of malnutrition and disease, and a new famine is feared - according to reports by the World Food Program, the United Nations, and the Coalition for Justice, 3.5 million people are hungry or starving. The international community is failing to protect civilians or to influence the Sudanese government to do so.
On Sunday, April 30th, tens of thousands of people gathered in Washington, D.C. to demand that the President take the steps necessary to end the genocide and guarantee a lasting peace. To coincide with that effort, the humanitarian coalition embarked in a letter writing campaign to encourage members of Congress to urge the President to take positive and immediate action by:
* Taking decisive action to establish an international peacekeeping force with the power to stop the killings. This peacekeeping force must have the authority to protect civilians and the resources necessary to do so, regardless of whether or not the Sudanese government cooperates.
* Using the nation's seat on the United Nations Security Council to push for immediate passage of an authorizing resolution for a robust peacekeeping force under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, and to apply all necessary diplomatic pressure to UNSC member nations who would stand in the way of such a resolution.
* Exerting maximum diplomatic pressure on the Sudanese government to end its campaign of genocide against civilians in Darfur.
The suggested letter goes on to inform the President and Members of Congress that as millions await the help of the United States, failure to take the strongest possible action to prevent further loss of life would be criminal and inhuman. "We as a nation must act to send a powerful message to the international community, the government of Sudan, and, most importantly, to the people of Darfur: we will do everything in our power to end the genocide immediately and to establish long-lasting peace and justice in the region."
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Honorable Members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation are respectfully urged to demand that the President of the United States take the steps necessary to end the genocide in Darfur and call for a United Nations Security Council resolution to create a peacekeeping force to ensure an end to the violence that has cost thousands of Black Africans their lives, has driven millions from their homes, and has left countless men, women, and children without food and without hope.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the President, the Honorable Members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation, the Mayor, the Honorable Members of the Baltimore City Senate and House Delegations to the Maryland General Assembly, the Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of State Relations, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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