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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 432 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 432

   Urging the international community to provide the United Nations-
  African Union Mission in Sudan with essential tactical and utility 
                              helicopters.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 2008

 Mr. Biden (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. 
 Durbin) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Urging the international community to provide the United Nations-
  African Union Mission in Sudan with essential tactical and utility 
                              helicopters.

Whereas, on August 30, 2006, the United Nations Security Council approved United 
        Nations Security Council Resolution 1706, providing that the existing 
        United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) ``shall take over from [the 
        African Mission in Sudan (AMIS)] responsibility for supporting the 
        implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement upon the expiration of 
        AMIS' mandate but in any event no later than 31 December 2006'';
Whereas, on July 31, 2007, the United Nations Security Council approved United 
        Nations Security Council Resolution 1769 reaffirming Resolution 1706 and 
        stating that the Security Council ``[d]ecides ... to authorise and 
        mandate the establishment ... of an AU/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur 
        (UNAMID) ... [and] [d]ecides that UNAMID, which shall incorporate AMIS 
        personnel and the UN Heavy and Light Support Packages to AMIS, shall 
        consist of up to 19,555 military personnel, including 360 military 
        observers and liaison officers, and an appropriate civilian component 
        including up to 3,772 police personnel and 19 formed police units 
        comprising up to 140 personnel each'';
Whereas, on December 31, 2007, the United Nations-African Union hybrid mission 
        formally assumed control of peacekeeping operations in Darfur, but did 
        so with only approximately 9,000 troops and police on the ground, far 
        short of both the authorized and necessary levels;
Whereas the Government of Sudan continues to obstruct implementation of Security 
        Council Resolutions 1706 and 1769 in several respects, including by 
        refusing to conclude a Status of Forces Agreement or to cooperate on 
        issues such as the force composition, the authorization of night 
        flights, customs clearance, land access, and visas for staff;
Whereas, on January 7, 2008, uniformed elements of the army of Sudan attacked a 
        clearly marked UNAMID supply convoy, severely wounding a Sudanese 
        civilian driver;
Whereas rebels, militias, government forces, bandits, and others continue to 
        prey upon the people of Darfur and upon humanitarian workers, increasing 
        the urgency of both deploying the full complement of peacekeepers and 
        police and of reaching a lasting political settlement;
Whereas the preliminary results of a United Nations assessment entitled the 
        ``Food Security and Nutrition Assessment of the Conflict-Affected 
        Population of Darfur (August/September 2007)'' reveal that global acute 
        malnutrition in Darfur increased in 2007, exceeding emergency levels in 
        some regions;
Whereas the United Nations-African Union Mission in Sudan has been hampered not 
        only by obstruction by the Government of Sudan and other obstacles to 
        peace in the region, but by the failure of the international community 
        to commit the resources, equipment, and personnel needed to carry out 
        the peacekeeping mission, most notably the failure to provide critically 
        needed aviation and transportation assets;
Whereas the United Nations-African Union Mission in Sudan needs, among other 
        critical mobility capabilities that have not been met, 18 utility 
        helicopters and 6 tactical helicopters and crews;
Whereas, in a report to the Security Council dated December 24, 2007, the 
        Secretary-General termed these helicopters indispensable and stated that 
        ``UNAMID must be capable of rapid mobility over large distances, 
        especially over terrain where roads are the exception. Without the 
        missing helicopters, this mobility--a fundamental requirement for the 
        implementation of the UNAMID mandate--will not be possible.'';
Whereas a large number of countries possess the military assets that could help 
        to fulfill this requirement;
Whereas the United States continues to lead the world in its contributions to 
        efforts to end the genocide in Darfur, including by providing more than 
        $4,500,000,000 since 2004 in response to the Darfur crisis;
Whereas continued failure on the part of the international community to take all 
        steps necessary to generate, deploy, and maintain an effective United 
        Nations-African Union hybrid peacekeeping force will result in the 
        continued loss of life and further degradation of humanitarian 
        infrastructure in Darfur; and
Whereas it would be inexcusable for the international community to allow an 
        authorized peacekeeping mission intended to help bring an end to 
        genocide and its effects to founder or be compromised because of a 
        failure to commit critical elements, such as the 24 helicopters needed 
        to meet the critical mobility capabilities of the United Nations-African 
        Union Mission in Sudan: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) urges the members of the international community, 
        including the United States, that possess the capability to 
        provide the tactical and utility helicopters needed for the 
        United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur to 
        do so as soon as possible; and
            (2) urges the President to intervene personally by 
        contacting other heads of state and asking them to contribute 
        the aircraft and crews for the Darfur mission.
                                 <all>
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