While the United States does not want to support a weak and inaccurate resolution, neither do we want to vote against a resolution that highlighted at least some of the gross human rights violations that continue in Sudan. Since the UN human rights commission last considered the situation in Sudan in Apnl, the regime in Khartoum ha s engaged in little more than window-dressing on its human rights record in an attempt to soften international reaction to the situation there . The fact is, state-sponsored terrorism and human rights abuses continue unabated. We think it is essential that there be a direct reference to slavery in the text of the resolution. Slavery continues in the Sudan and is well-documented through a number of sources, including in the UN special rapporteur's report.
Slavery is a common practice that has at least tacit support of the government of Sudan.
We also believe it is necessary that the resolution include a direct reference to the problem of religious persecution. The fact is that the persecution of civilians for their religious beliefs, including Christians, Animists, and Muslims, is a root cause of the war in Sudan. The resolution also fails to address the periodic bans imposed by the government on humanitarian aid flights into the south. The Sudanese government has consistently banned aid flights into emergency areas to boost its war aims, essentially using starvation as a tactic of war. We remain profoundly concerned by the grave human rights situation in Sudan, which we condemn in the strongest terms.