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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1588 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1588

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the importance 
of the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to help 
     ensure peace and stability in Sudan during and after mandated 
                               referenda.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 2010

   Mr. Capuano (for himself, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Payne, Mr. Smith of New 
  Jersey, and Mr. Wolf) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the importance 
of the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to help 
     ensure peace and stability in Sudan during and after mandated 
                               referenda.

Whereas Sudan stands at a crossroads, in the final phase of what could be a 
        historic transition from civil war to peace, and Sudan's full 
        implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in this next 
        year will determine the future of this centrally important country in 
        Africa and the stability of the region;
Whereas January 2010 marked the fifth anniversary of the signing of the CPA 
        which ended more than 20 years of civil war between northern and 
        southern Sudan, fueled by northern persecution of populations in the 
        south, that resulted in the deaths of more than 2,000,000 people and the 
        displacement of over 4,000,000 people in southern Sudan;
Whereas the CPA committed the northern-dominated National Congress Party (NCP) 
        and the southern-dominated Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army 
        (SPLM/A), to assume joint governing responsibility during a six-year 
        Interim Period ending in July 2011;
Whereas Sudan's April 2010 elections did not meet international standards due to 
        widespread and continuing violations of political rights, irregularities 
        in voter registration, significant logistical and procedural 
        shortcomings, intimidation and violence in some localities, and the 
        continuing conflict in Darfur which prevented full campaigning and voter 
        participation;
Whereas the conflict in Darfur remains unresolved, with over 300,000 people 
        killed and over 2,000,000 people still displaced in a highly unstable 
        security situation perpetrated largely by the government in Khartoum;
Whereas since 1999, the United States Department of State has designated Sudan 
        as a ``country of particular concern'' for its systematic, ongoing, and 
        egregious violations of religious freedom or belief and related human 
        rights, as recommended by the United States Commission on International 
        Religious Freedom;
Whereas at the end of the Interim Period in January 2011, the CPA requires 
        referenda on self-determination for southern Sudan and on whether Abyei 
        will remain in the north or join the south;
Whereas following the Interim Period, popular consultations in Southern Kordofan 
        State and Blue Nile State are to be held to determine the governance 
        arrangements in those two states;
Whereas it is essential that the referenda and accompanying popular 
        consultations are held on time, that they are free, fair, and credible, 
        and that if the outcome of the southern Sudan referendum is 
        independence, two stable and viable democratic states result;
Whereas the Government of Southern Sudan faces post-conflict reconstruction 
        challenges including establishing democratic, responsive, and 
        transparent governance, addressing human resources and capacity-building 
        needs, strengthening and reforming the judiciary and security forces to 
        address communal and inter-ethnic violence, professionalizing the police 
        and security forces, developing basic infrastructure, natural resources 
        and the economy; providing basic services including water, education, 
        health care and social services, and establishing cooperative and 
        transparent wealth-sharing mechanisms;
Whereas in August 2009, the NCP and SPLM signed a bilateral agreement to address 
        and implement many of the CPA's outstanding provisions, but since that 
        time the NCP has consistently delayed and reneged on its CPA 
        commitments, thereby increasing tension and distrust between northern 
        and southern Sudan and endangering the CPA by infringing on the freedom 
        of speech, assembly, and association of candidates, political party 
        activists, and journalists during and after the election process, 
        including censoring the media and arresting political party leaders;
Whereas the NCP continues to restrict and disrupt United Nations peacekeeping, 
        humanitarian operations, and human rights organizations in Darfur;
Whereas the United States played a central role in negotiations that led to the 
        CPA, is a guarantor of that peace agreement, and continues to play a 
        leading role bilaterally and multilaterally to bring about a just and 
        lasting peace in Sudan;
Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated in October 2009 that 
        ``the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and South will be 
        a flashpoint for renewed conflict if not fully implemented through 
        viable national elections, a referendum on self-determination for the 
        South, resolution of the border disputes, and the willingness of the 
        respective parties to live up to their agreements''; and
Whereas sustained pressure and engagement from the international community in 
        support of the CPA, including the upcoming referenda, is essential to 
        bring about sustainable peace in Sudan: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the United States Government should--
            (1) work with Sudanese parties and regional and 
        international partners to build consensus on the steps needed 
        to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), including 
        the upcoming referenda, and promote stability throughout Sudan;
            (2) engage Sudanese and international partners to correct 
        serious and systemic problems in the election process to ensure 
        that they do not reoccur during the referenda campaign and 
        voting processes, including irregularities in voter 
        registration, logistical and procedural challenges, poor voter 
        education, human rights infringements, intimidation, and 
        violence;
            (3) work with Sudanese and international partners to ensure 
        that the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People's 
        Liberation Movement (SPLM) implement procedures whereby the 
        referenda occur as scheduled, including appointing competent 
        and credible members to the referenda commissions and providing 
        technical assistance to and funding for the commissions;
            (4) work with the United Nations Mission in Sudan to ensure 
        security during and after the referenda campaign and voting 
        processes, which will require a robust monitoring and 
        protection presence in areas prone to conflict;
            (5) take concrete steps through the contribution of 
        resources, technical expertise, and direct engagement with the 
        parties to the peace agreement to ensure--
                    (A) international monitoring and observation of 
                registration and polling to guarantee a secure 
                environment for individual registration and voting, and 
                to prevent voter intimidation or fraud occurring during 
                these critical phases of the referenda;
                    (B) that the Government of National Unity (GNU), as 
                required by the CPA, provides adequate funding at 
                predetermined levels and timelines for the registration 
                and polling periods, given the need to ensure that 
                those who register are able to access polling stations 
                on voting day; and
                    (C) that members of the international community 
                commit adequate resources and technical expertise to 
                carry out the referenda and voter education programs in 
                southern Sudan, Abyei, and other areas where people 
                will vote in the referenda to promote understanding of 
                the nature, importance of participation, and 
                consequences of the referenda process;
            (6) work with international and Sudanese partners to 
        ensure--
                    (A) the right of return of Sudanese refugees and 
                displaced persons, including Darfuris and southerners, 
                by providing assistance and safe passage to all such 
                persons; and
                    (B) that the citizenship rights of southerners in 
                the north and northerners in the south are respected 
                and are in accordance with international standards 
                should the south vote for independence;
            (7) work with international partners to ensure a stable 
        north-south border and a permanent peace in Sudan, utilizing 
        policy options if parties fail to honor the CPA, especially as 
        it relates to border demarcation pre-referenda;
            (8) utilize diplomats and experts to support the African 
        Union and United Nations-led negotiations over the post-
        referendum issues, including working with international 
        partners to engage the NCP and SPLM to make necessary 
        arrangements for a post-2011 peaceful transition, with specific 
        focus on oil and revenue sharing, citizenship, return of 
        refugees and displaced persons, security arrangements along the 
        border, and protection of the rights of minorities, 
        particularly the religious and ethnic minorities historically 
        marginalized;
            (9) take concrete steps through the contribution of 
        resources, technical expertise, and direct engagement with the 
        NCP and SPLM to support the popular consultation processes in 
        Southern Kordofan State and Blue Nile State, including through 
        provision of technical assistance and support for public 
        education;
            (10) utilize diplomats and experts to revitalize the Darfur 
        Peace Process and press the NCP, northern political parties, 
        armed rebel movements, and civil society representatives to 
        address human rights abuses (including gender-based violence) 
        and the ongoing atrocities and displacement in Darfur;
            (11) undertake renewed efforts to implement the 
        Administration's stated Sudan policy of October 2009, including 
        publicly articulating the benchmarks and related incentives and 
        pressures used by the Administration to gauge progress or 
        backsliding on key provisions of the CPA, including the holding 
        of a free and fair referendum in southern Sudan;
            (12) hold the NCP accountable for its actions given the 
        NCP's human rights violations and efforts to impede CPA 
        implementation since the announcement of the United States 
        Sudan policy, and the need for the United States to both 
        balance incentives with pressures, by--
                    (A) identifying NCP government agencies and 
                officials responsible for particularly severe human 
                rights and religious freedom violations as required 
                under section 402b(2) of the International Religious 
                Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), and prohibit those 
                individuals identified under section 402b(2) of IRFA 
                from entry into the United States;
                    (B) encouraging multilateral asset freezes on NCP 
                government agencies and travel bans on officials 
                responsible for particularly severe human rights and 
                religious freedom violations;
                    (C) continuing to encourage greater multilateral 
                enforcement of the arms embargo set out in the 2004 
                United Nations Security Council Resolution 1556 and 
                strengthened in the 2005 United Nations Security 
                Council Resolution 1591;
                    (D) continuing to encourage multilateral support of 
                the International Criminal Court case against President 
                Bashir and other Sudanese officials accused of 
                genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity, 
                recognizing that justice is essential for there to be 
                lasting peace; and
                    (E) vigorously advocating for any humanitarian 
                organizations that come under pressure from Khartoum or 
                are at any point expelled from the country, thereby 
                compromising their ability to provide vital services;
            (13) provide technical assistance and expertise to the 
        Government of Southern Sudan to develop its economic, rule of 
        law, and social service and educational infrastructures, 
        improve democratic accountability and human rights, and 
        strengthen reconciliation efforts; and
            (14) unequivocally stand, during this period of preparation 
        and possible transition, with those people of southern Sudan 
        who share aspirations for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic 
        future.
                                 <all>
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