IV
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 112
Regarding the human rights situation in Sudan, including the practice of
chattel slavery.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 26, 2001
Mr. PAYNE submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred
to the Committee on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Regarding the human rights situation in Sudan, including
the practice of chattel slavery.
Whereas the Government of Sudan has perpetrated a pro-
longed campaign of human rights abuses against the peo-
ple of Sudan;
Whereas the United States Department of State, Amnesty
International, and Human Rights Watch have all docu-
mented human rights abuses by the Government of
Sudan;
Whereas on March 21, 2001, the United States Commission
on International Religious Freedom stated in a report
that ‘‘the government of Sudan continues to commit
egregious human rights abuses including widespread
bombing of civilian and humanitarian targets, abduction
and enslavement by government-sponsored militias, ma-
•HCON 112 IH
nipulation of humanitarian assistance as a weapon of
war, and severe restrictions on religious freedom’’;
Whereas the Government of Sudan has consistently and re-
peatedly aided militias engaged in slave raids in southern
Sudan and has done little to halt the practice of chattel
slavery;
Whereas government troops continue to provide logistical
support in transporting these armed militias to carry out
slave raids in southern Sudan;
Whereas the American Anti-Slavery Group and Christian Sol-
idarity International have called for the disarming of mi-
litias engaged in slave raids in southern Sudan, as called
for by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refu-
gees Mary Robinson;
Whereas Christian Solidarity International estimates that
tens of thousands of southern Sudanese are being
enslaved and that tens of thousands have been redeemed
from slavery by Christian Solidarity International and
other groups over the past several years;
Whereas scores of freed slaves have recounted to rescuers
that they were systematically gang raped by members of
the Popular Defense Forces of Sudan;
Whereas the NAACP Executive Board passed an anti-slavery
resolution in 1995, condemning the practice of slavery in
Mauritania and Sudan; and
Whereas the slave raids being carried out by progovernment
militias are part of the military strategy of the Govern-
ment of Sudan to defeat the Sudan People’s Liberation
Army and to depopulate southern Sudan: Now, therefore,
be it
•HCON 112 IH
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) strongly condemns the Government of
Sudan and calls on the Government to honor its
international obligations to immediately bring an
end to the inhuman practice of forcing people into
slavery;
(2) demands that the Government of Sudan im-
mediately facilitate the reunification of family mem-
bers torn apart by the slave raids;
(3) calls on human rights organizations and
others to facilitate safe passage for slavery victims
to and from conflict zones in Sudan;
(4) strongly urges the President of the United
States to sponsor a resolution at the United Nations
Security Council to condemn the Government of
Sudan and to demand an immediate end to slavery
in Sudan;
(5) calls on the President to establish a ‘‘Slave
Victims Fund’’ to assist slave victims;
(6) strongly encourages the President to use the
funds which were appropriated for the National
Democratic Alliance of Sudan for fiscal year 2001 to
assist slave victims in Sudan;
•HCON 112 IH
(7) urges the President to mobilize inter-
national support to end slavery in Sudan; and
(8) calls upon the United Nations Commission
on Human Rights, UNICEF, and the European
Union to end the use of euphemisms, such as ‘‘ab-
duction’’, as a substitute for slavery.
Æ