IV 

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 


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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; 


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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; 


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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 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that the United States Government should— 

3 (1) work with Sudanese parties and regional 

4 and international partners to build consensus on the 

5 steps needed to implement the Comprehensive Peace 

6 Agreement (CPA), including the upcoming 

7 referenda, and promote stability throughout Sudan; 

8 (2) engage Sudanese and international partners 

9 to correct serious and systemic problems in the elecVerDate Mar 15 2010 04:52 Jul 31, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR1588.IH HR1588

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1 tion process to ensure that they do not reoccur dur2 ing the referenda campaign and voting processes, in3 cluding irregularities in voter registration, logistical 

4 and procedural challenges, poor voter education, 

5 human rights infringements, intimidation, and vio6 lence; 

7 (3) work with Sudanese and international part8 ners to ensure that the National Congress Party 

9 (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement 

10 (SPLM) implement procedures whereby the 

11 referenda occur as scheduled, including appointing 

12 competent and credible members to the referenda 

13 commissions and providing technical assistance to 

14 and funding for the commissions; 

15 (4) work with the United Nations Mission in 

16 Sudan to ensure security during and after the 

17 referenda campaign and voting processes, which will 

18 require a robust monitoring and protection presence 

19 in areas prone to conflict; 

20 (5) take concrete steps through the contribution 

21 of resources, technical expertise, and direct engage22 ment with the parties to the peace agreement to en23 sure— 

24 (A) international monitoring and observa25 tion of registration and polling to guarantee a 


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1 secure environment for individual registration 

2 and voting, and to prevent voter intimidation or 

3 fraud occurring during these critical phases of 

4 the referenda; 

5 (B) that the Government of National 

6 Unity (GNU), as required by the CPA, provides 

7 adequate funding at predetermined levels and 

8 timelines for the registration and polling peri9 ods, given the need to ensure that those who 

10 register are able to access polling stations on 

11 voting day; and 

12 (C) that members of the international com13 munity commit adequate resources and tech14 nical expertise to carry out the referenda and 

15 voter education programs in southern Sudan, 

16 Abyei, and other areas where people will vote in 

17 the referenda to promote understanding of the 

18 nature, importance of participation, and con19 sequences of the referenda process; 

20 (6) work with international and Sudanese part21 ners to ensure— 

22 (A) the right of return of Sudanese refu23 gees and displaced persons, including Darfuris 

24 and southerners, by providing assistance and 

25 safe passage to all such persons; and 


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1 (B) that the citizenship rights of south2 erners in the north and northerners in the 

3 south are respected and are in accordance with 

4 international standards should the south vote 

5 for independence; 

6 (7) work with international partners to ensure 

7 a stable north-south border and a permanent peace 

8 in Sudan, utilizing policy options if parties fail to 

9 honor the CPA, especially as it relates to border de10 marcation pre-referenda; 

11 (8) utilize diplomats and experts to support the 

12 African Union and United Nations-led negotiations 

13 over the post-referendum issues, including working 

14 with international partners to engage the NCP and 

15 SPLM to make necessary arrangements for a post16 2011 peaceful transition, with specific focus on oil 

17 and revenue sharing, citizenship, return of refugees 

18 and displaced persons, security arrangements along 

19 the border, and protection of the rights of minori20 ties, particularly the religious and ethnic minorities 

21 historically marginalized; 

22 (9) take concrete steps through the contribution 

23 of resources, technical expertise, and direct engage24 ment with the NCP and SPLM to support the pop25 ular consultation processes in Southern Kordofan 


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1 State and Blue Nile State, including through provi2 sion of technical assistance and support for public 

3 education; 

4 (10) utilize diplomats and experts to revitalize 

5 the Darfur Peace Process and press the NCP, 

6 northern political parties, armed rebel movements, 

7 and civil society representatives to address human 

8 rights abuses (including gender-based violence) and 

9 the ongoing atrocities and displacement in Darfur; 

10 (11) undertake renewed efforts to implement 

11 the Administration’s stated Sudan policy of October 

12 2009, including publicly articulating the benchmarks 

13 and related incentives and pressures used by the Ad14 ministration to gauge progress or backsliding on key 

15 provisions of the CPA, including the holding of a 

16 free and fair referendum in southern Sudan; 

17 (12) hold the NCP accountable for its actions 

18 given the NCP’s human rights violations and efforts 

19 to impede CPA implementation since the announce20 ment of the United States Sudan policy, and the 

21 need for the United States to both balance incentives 

22 with pressures, by— 

23 (A) identifying NCP government agencies 

24 and officials responsible for particularly severe 

25 human rights and religious freedom violations 


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1 as required under section 402b(2) of the Inter2 national Religious Freedom Act of 1998 

3 (IRFA), and prohibit those individuals identi4 fied under section 402b(2) of IRFA from entry 

5 into the United States; 

6 (B) encouraging multilateral asset freezes 

7 on NCP government agencies and travel bans 

8 on officials responsible for particularly severe 

9 human rights and religious freedom violations; 

10 (C) continuing to encourage greater multi11 lateral enforcement of the arms embargo set 

12 out in the 2004 United Nations Security Coun13 cil Resolution 1556 and strengthened in the 

14 2005 United Nations Security Council Resolu15 tion 1591; 

16 (D) continuing to encourage multilateral 

17 support of the International Criminal Court 

18 case against President Bashir and other Suda19 nese officials accused of genocide, war crimes, 

20 or crimes against humanity, recognizing that 

21 justice is essential for there to be lasting peace; 

22 and 

23 (E) vigorously advocating for any humani24 tarian organizations that come under pressure 

25 from Khartoum or are at any point expelled 


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1 from the country, thereby compromising their 

2 ability to provide vital services; 

3 (13) provide technical assistance and expertise 

4 to the Government of Southern Sudan to develop its 

5 economic, rule of law, and social service and edu6 cational infrastructures, improve democratic ac7 countability and human rights, and strengthen rec8 onciliation efforts; and 

9 (14) unequivocally stand, during this period of 

10 preparation and possible transition, with those peo11 ple of southern Sudan who share aspirations for a 

12 peaceful, prosperous and democratic future. 

Æ 


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