Gustave, Hmm maybe the debacle in Kosovo has not dimmed the possibility of helping the Africans in the Sudan...
News Article by REUTERS on June 06, 1999 at 14:56:39:
U.S. Congressmen urge help for Sudanese rebels·
By Kieran Murray·
LABONE, Sudan, June 6 (Reuters) - Three U.S. Congressmen·
visiting war zones in southern Sudan said on Sunday they would·
push for financial assistance to rebels fighting the Islamic·
government in Khartoum.·
The three -- two Republicans and a Democrat -- said the·
United States needed to help the rebel Sudan People's Liberation·
Army (SPLA) and demanded an end to government bombing raids·
against civilians in the south.·
"Khartoum has to be made to stop bombing civilian·
targets," Republican senator and delegation leader Sam·
Brownback said at the end of a two-day visit to SPLA-controlled·
territory.·
He was accompanied by two House of Representatives members -·
Donald Payne, a New Jersey Democrat and an influential figure on·
Africa policy, and Republican Tom Tancredo from Colorado·
The three met senior SPLA commanders in the strategic·
southern town of Yei and at the Lebone camp near the border with·
Uganda, which houses over 30,000 SPLA supporters forced from·
their homes during the 16-year-old civil war that has killed an·
estimated 1.5 million people.·
The Congressmen said Sudan's government was guilty of·
state-sponsored terrorism abroad and human rights atrocities·
against its black population in the south, which is mainly·
Christian or animist.·
"I can see no reason to be timid with the Sudanese·
government. It is a terrorist regime and this is the worst·
humanitarian situation in the world," Brownback said.·
The U.S. government believes Sudan has close links to Moslem·
militant Osama bin Laden and last year bombed a pharmaceutical·
factory outside Khartoum after accusing the government of·
manufacturing the ingredients for nerve gas.·
All three Congressmen said the United States has more·
important strategic interests in Sudan than in Kosovo and that·
the humanitarian crisis warranted active support for the SPLA·
and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance.·
They said money should be assigned to help the SPLA set up·
civilian administrations, promote democracy and improve human·
rights in the vast areas of the south under its control as well·
as provide education and health services.·
Both Payne and Tancredo said they would favour direct·
military support to the SPLA but conceded that was unlikely.·
"It is not going to fly in Washington, unfortunately," Payne·
said.·
Brownback said the United States should first go on the·
diplomatic offensive to force Sudan into improving its human·
rights record but, if unsuccessful, it should then consider·
military support to the SPLA.·
SPLA military and political leaders said their most pressing·
need was a supply of anti-aircraft missiles to bring down·
government bombers.·
The Congressmen visited a Yei hospital which is run by the·
Norwegian People's Aid relief organisation and has been·
repeatedly bombed since it was set up after the SPLA seized·
control of the town in early 1997.·
They were to fly back to the United States on Sunday night·
and hoped to meet President Bill Clinton in coming days. |
