June 29, 2004
Washington, DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) expressed concern today that Secretary of State Colin Powell, on a trip to Sudan with United Nations (UN) Security General Kofi Annan, refused to declare the ethnically-motivated murder of tens of thousands of people “genocide.” With the designation of the Sudan crisis as “genocide,” any country party to the Genocide Convention can ask relevant UN bodies to take appropriate action to prevent or stop the killing, including bringing the issue before the International Court of Justice. The International Court has the authority to order immediate protective measures.
Annan has previously called the situation the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, but when Powell was asked by reporters about whether the situation constituted “genocide,” Powell responded, “Let’s not put a label on things. We know what the situation is like, we know what we have to do and we’re going to do it.”
“I am pleased that Secretary Powell has gone to Sudan to view this horrible crisis, but I am disappointed that, once again, we are seeing a lot of talk from this Administration, but no real action,” said Lee. “The Administration’s rhetoric and concern over the situation in Sudan is simply not enough. They need to push the Khartoum Government to take responsibility for their role in this genocide. We demand action.”
“Without emergency assistance, the killing of thousands of lives will continue. That assistance will begin as soon as the Bush Administration says what the world already knows: genocide is occurring in the Sudan.”
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ongresswoman Barbara Lee Disappointed by Secretary of State Powell’s Failure to Call Sudan Crisis “Genocide”
Lee Says Powell Should Condemn Khartoum Government
Washington, DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) expressed concern today that Secretary of State Colin Powell, on a trip to Sudan with United Nations (UN) Security General Kofi Annan, refused to declare the ethnically-motivated murder of tens of thousands of people “genocide.” With the designation of the Sudan crisis as “genocide,” any country party to the Genocide Convention can ask relevant UN bodies to take appropriate action to prevent or stop the killing, including bringing the issue before the International Court of Justice. The International Court has the authority to order immediate protective measures.
Annan has previously called the situation the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, but when Powell was asked by reporters about whether the situation constituted “genocide,” Powell responded, “Let’s not put a label on things. We know what the situation is like, we know what we have to do and we’re going to do it.”
“I am pleased that Secretary Powell has gone to Sudan to view this horrible crisis, but I am disappointed that, once again, we are seeing a lot of talk from this Administration, but no real action,” said Lee. “The Administration’s rhetoric and concern over the situation in Sudan is simply not enough. They need to push the Khartoum Government to take responsibility for their role in this genocide. We demand action.”
“Without emergency assistance, the killing of thousands of lives will continue. That assistance will begin as soon as the Bush Administration says what the world already knows: genocide is occurring in the Sudan.”
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