[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4] [House] [Pages 5414-5417] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LATE DR. JOHN GARANG DE MABIOR Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 98) honoring the life and achievements of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior and reaffirming the continued commitment of the House of Representatives to a just and lasting peace in the Republic of the Sudan, as amended. The Clerk read as follows: H. Res. 98 Whereas Dr. John Garang de Mabior, founder and leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), was born on June 23, 1945, in Bor, Sudan; Whereas Dr. Garang joined the Anya-Nya Movement in 1970, a liberation movement in Southern Sudan, and after the 1972 Addis Ababa Peace Agreement, he became a member of the Sudanese Armed Forces; Whereas as Deputy Director of the Military Research Branch of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Dr. Garang demonstrated his leadership abilities in the early stages of his military career; Whereas Dr. Garang studied economics at Grinnell College and received his master of arts and doctorate degrees from Iowa State University; Whereas Dr. Garang skillfully managed to consolidate his base after the devastating split in the SPLM/A in 1991; Whereas as the undisputed leader of the SPLM/A, Dr. Garang demonstrated remarkable political and military leadership for over two decades; Whereas Dr. Garang was a soldier, a scholar, a statesman, and a father, who had a clear vision and unwavering love for his people and country; Whereas Dr. Garang fought for 22 years to achieve a just peace for his people, but only served 21 days as First Vice President of Sudan; Whereas Dr. Garang fought not only for the people in Southern Sudan, but also for the forgotten and long marginalized people of the Nuba Mountains, Southern Blue Nile, Darfur, and other regions of the country; Whereas Dr. Garang worked tirelessly to help build international support for a new Sudan that would be multi- ethnic, multi-religious, democratic, and united; Whereas the new Sudan envisioned by Dr. Garang, if fully realized, would be a country in which all Sudanese would live in peace without discrimination and hatred, with equality, pride, and dignity; Whereas Dr. Garang creatively and painstakingly managed the often conflicting aspirations of his people for an independent Southern Sudan and his vision for a new Sudan; Whereas the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which was signed by the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A on January 9, 2005, provides Southern Sudan the right to self determination through a referendum after six years and also offers the northern establishment in Sudan the opportunity to make unity attractive during the interim period; Whereas on July 8, 2005, millions of people throughout Sudan came to show their support in Khartoum when Dr. Garang was sworn in as First Vice President of Sudan; and Whereas on July 30, 2005, Dr. John Garang died in a helicopter crash returning to Southern Sudan from Uganda: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) honors the life and achievements of Dr. John Garang de Mabior; (2) reaffirms its commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Republic of the Sudan; (3) calls for full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement without any delay; (4) strongly urges the people of Southern Sudan and its leaders to continue to support Dr. Garang's vision for a new Sudan; (5) strongly urges the full commitment of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, and the League of Arab States to support Dr. Garang's vision for a new Sudan by endorsing democratic elections throughout Sudan in 2009, as provided by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement; (6) strongly supports the creation of a Dr. John Garang de Mabior Institute for Agriculture, Peace, and Economic Development in Southern Sudan; and (7) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Secretary of State with a request that the Secretary transmit it to Dr. Garang's widow, Rebecca Garang, and to the Government of Southern Sudan, through the Office of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the District of Columbia. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey. General Leave Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey? There was no objection. Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of House Resolution 98. Let me begin by thanking Chairman Lantos for his leadership in the Foreign Affairs Committee, which allowed our resolution to come through the committee, and our ranking member. And I would like to also give special acknowledgment to Congressman Frank Wolf, who for many, many years, even preceding my entrance to Congress, was working on issues dealing with the problem in Sudan. And he worked very closely with the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior to help bring about peace in southern Sudan. Madam Speaker, H. Res. 98 honors the life and achievements of Dr. John Garang de Mabior and reaffirms the continued commitment of the House of Representatives to a just and lasting peace in Sudan. The resolution honors the life and achievements of Dr. Garang; reaffirms its commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Republic of Sudan; calls for the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement without delay; strongly urges the people of southern Sudan and its leaders to continue to support Dr. Garang's vision for a new Sudan; and strongly supports the creation of a Dr. John Garang de Mabior Institute for Agriculture, Peace, and Economic Development in southern Sudan. Dr. Garang had a vision for a new Sudan, a Sudan which is multicultural, multi-ethnic, and peaceful. He fought for 21 years as the leader of the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement/Army to achieve a just peace for his people but only served 21 days as the first Vice President of Sudan before being killed in a tragic and mysterious helicopter crash on July 30, 2005, in his region of south Sudan where he was to be sworn in as President. Dr. John, as he was affectionately called, was a powerful human being and a symbol of a people's freedom from oppression. Dr. John was born into a poor family of the Dinka ethnic group in the Upper Nile region of Sudan. He was orphaned by the age of 10 but supported by his family members. When the first civil war started in 1962, he was too young to fight and was sent away to school in Tanzania and later came to the U.S. to get his degree and studied at the University of California Berkeley but decided to go back. [[Page 5415]] {time} 1230 The fact is that Dr. Garang was a person that we honor and respected so much, and he will live on in that country. But there was this tragic and mysterious crash on July 30, 2005, which took his life. At the time I was traveling the region in hopes of seeing Dr. Garang in Southern Sudan to discuss the status of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. It was a terribly saddening situation when I received the news of his crash. Besides leaving behind a wife and five children, he also was mourned by the people of all of Sudan, from east, west, the center, to the north as well as the south. They all saw him as their hope for future peace and justice in Sudan. Thankfully, the number two member of the SPLM, Dr. Salva Kiir, was installed as the new first vice president of the government of Sudan and President of the government of South Sudan, and we are working to help professionalize the government of Southern Sudan and the SPLA. This is a critical time for real and lasting peace in Sudan. We must support the government of Southern Sudan in development efforts and arrange for elections in 2 years. We also must ensure that the people of Southern Sudan get the right to self-determination through a referendum in 2011, as provided for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. I have followed the crisis in Sudan for most of the last 21 years as the Islamic government in Khartoum waged war against the Sudanese People's Liberation Army/Movement and the people of the south. More than 4 million people were displaced from Southern Sudan, and over 2 million people were killed over the course of this 21 year war. During that time, the National Islamist Front Government, led by Omar el Bashir, committed innumerable brutalities of unimaginable scope against the people of the South and the marginalized areas of Southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains. It was the longest running war in Africa until January 9, 2005, when the parties signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. I was in Nairobi for the signing of the CPA and was cautiously hopeful that the long awaited peace in Sudan would work. However, once the north-south conflict reached a point where an agreement was imminent, the government began its attack on the innocent civilians in Darfur. With the help of the Janjaweed, the National Congress Party, formerly the National Islamic Front, had destroyed villages and communities, and maimed, raped, killed and terrorized the people of Darfur. In the annual Country Report on Human Rights released today, the State Department called Darfur ``the most sobering reality in 2006.'' Over 400,000 are dead; more than 2.5 million displaced. The people of Sudan have suffered tremendously under the hands of this government which, by the way, came to power in a bloody coup in 1989. This same government harbored Osama bin Laden for 5 years between 1991 and 1996. He plotted several terrorist attacks from there. However, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement so many people have worked for has not been implemented fully, and the genocide in Darfur is not abating. We must be firm with Khartoum. Khartoum must comply with the CPA. Khartoum must stop the killings in Darfur. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this resolution. I also want to take the opportunity on the floor of the House of Representatives to congratulate Ghana on 50 years of independence from Britain. Today, people from all over Ghana and all over the world and many heads of state are celebrating the first Sub-Saharan country to gain its independence 50 years ago. So the correlation between the new Southern Sudan and what happened 50 years ago in Ghana is very important. Let us remember that Ghana's first leader, Kwame Nkrumah, had a broad vision of African unity. President Nkrumah did not make a distinction between north and south. He called it one continent. His belief is in one Africa, one of the underpinnings for African unity. So Africa certainly has a long way to go, but the continent as a whole is more stable today than it was many years ago, and with better governance and use of resources, as well as fairer trade policies by the U.S. and other Western countries, African countries can grow and develop into one of the most important areas in the world. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Payne for his words. I am also pleased to support House Resolution 98, highlighting the life and achievements of the late John Garang and reaffirming the commitment of the House to a just and lasting peace in Sudan. While much attention is currently focused on the crisis in Darfur and that region of western Sudan, it is critical that we do not allow ourselves to become complacent in the south. After all, it was in the south that over 20 years of war between the government in Khartoum and the Sudan People's Liberation Army left over 2 million people dead and 4 million others displaced. It was in the south that the government of Sudan honed its craft in genocide, manipulating ethnic tensions, arming proxy militias, conducting aerial bombardments of civilians and engaging in forced displacement, mass murder, looting, torture and rape. It was also in the south that a generation of boys was lost, having been forcibly conscripted to serve as child soldiers for the Armed Forces of Sudan, associated militias and the Sudan People's Liberation Army. Any analyst will tell you that war is a terrible business, and the war in Southern Sudan was no exception. There were no saints. That said, it is clear that without the leadership of Dr. Garang, it is likely that the oppressors would have succeeded and that the opportunity for peace presented by the conclusion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan in 2005 would have been lost. Dr. Garang envisioned a united democratic Sudan, a country in which all citizens enjoyed the freedom to live, to worship and to prosper without the fear of discrimination or persecution. If realized, this dream would proffer untold benefits, not only for the people of the south, but also for those fighting inequality in eastern Sudan and Darfur. He fought fiercely toward this end and succeeded in overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges so that the south could negotiate with one voice. After years of negotiations and countless failed attempts, it appeared that Dr. Garang's efforts would finally pay off in January of 2005 as the historic peace agreement which would end Africa's longest running civil war was signed in Nairobi, Kenya. His tragic death on July 30, 2005 proved to be the first major test of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan. Unfortunately, it would not be the last. It is critical that the United States Government not lose sight of the challenges that remain in implementation. Too many innocents have died. It is time for all Sudanese to pursue the path toward peace and it is incumbent upon us to help them on their way. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 98. I rise to honor the life and achievements of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior. I rise to reaffirm the continued commitment of the House of Representatives to a just and lasting peace in the Republic of the Sudan. Let me express my thanks to Mr. Payne and Mr. Wolf, the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, respectively. I also wish to express my appreciation to the many other co-sponsors of this resolution who have worked long and hard to help bring about a just and lasting peace in Southern Sudan. Madam Speaker, the life of Dr. John Garang de Mabior, ``Dr. John,'' as he was affectionately called, is testimony to mankind's innate capacity to do good and a powerful symbol of a peoples' struggle for freedom. In honoring [[Page 5416]] Dr. John today, we also keep alive the dreams of his people. One day peace and justice will flow like milk and honey for all people throughout Southern Sudan. Dr. John was born into a poor family of the Dinka ethnic group, in the Upper Nile Region of Sudan. He was orphaned by the age of 10 but was supported by his family members. It truly took a village to raise a child and what a child he was! When the civil war broke out in 1962, Dr. John was too young to fight and was sent away to high school in Tanzania. In 1969, he earned a scholarship attend Grinnell College in Iowa. After graduation he could have attended graduate school at the University of California at Berkeley but turned it down, choosing instead, to return to Tanzania to study agricultural economics where he could be closer to his people. In 1972, Dr. John joined the Sudanese military and became a career soldier. He eventually took a leave and earned his doctorate in agricultural economics from the University of Iowa. But a life of academic repose was not for Dr. John for he was a man of action and passion. And the actions and passions of his time called him to a life of struggle on behalf of the oppressed people of his country. In 1983, Dr. John left the military and joined the newly created Sudanese Peoples' Liberation Army, a movement opposed to the imposition of Sharia law. Thus began his long career as the political and military leader of the people of Southern Sudan. Throughout this struggle, Dr. John developed a strong political and personal relationship with many Members of the House of Representatives. The struggle for justice in Sudan was not a partisan issue for Members of Congress. Strong bonds of collegiality and friendship were formed through our efforts to shape U.S. foreign policy toward Sudan. In that sense, Dr. John's life and struggle, and the struggle of the Southern Sudanese people served to unite Democrats and Republicans in a common cause for freedom. When I first met with Dr. John in my congressional office, I recall he did not waste words. In his soft-spoken way, he laid out very clearly his vision for Southern Sudan. And, in his highly dignified way, this powerfully charismatic man of deep conviction and strong moral character asked for my support and the support of the United States Congress on behalf of his people. It was clear to me then, as it is now, that Dr. John lived a purposeful life of singular devotion to the liberation and well-being of his people. Dr. John's tragic death in the mountains of Uganda shocked the world. It seems enormously unjust for this man, who brought his people through a long and devastating civil war, who became Vice President of Sudan, and who later became head of Southern Sudan, to die in 2005 in a helicopter crash. Madam Speaker, out of this historic tragedy, the people of Southern Sudan have been called to carry on. As Dr. John said after being inaugurated: ``I congratulate the Sudanese people. This is not my peace or the peace of al-Bashir; it is the peace of the Sudanese people.'' Madam Speaker, the recognition this House today gives Dr. John Garang de Mabior should also remind us of the importance of redoubling our resolve to end the genocide in Darfur. There is wide-spread and broad- based consensus in America and between Democrats and Republicans that the ongoing genocide in Darfur is intolerable and must be ended. Thus, this is an area in which there is ample opportunity for the Congress and the Bush administration to find common ground to alleviate the overwhelming suffering in Darfur. Not since the Rwandan genocide of 1994 has the world seen such a systematic campaign of displacement, starvation, rape, mass murder, and terror as we are witnessing in Darfur for the last 3 years. At least 400,000 people have been killed; more than 2 million innocent civilians have been forced to flee their homes and now live in displaced-persons camps in Sudan or in refugee camps in neighboring Chad; and more than 3.5 million men, women, and children are completely reliant on international aid for survival. Unless the world stirs from its slumber and takes concerted and decisive action to relieve this suffering, the ongoing genocide in Darfur will stand as one of the blackest marks on humankind for centuries to come. The people of Darfur cannot wait. The time has come for decisive leadership from the United States. It has been more than 2 years since I and my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus Darfur Task Force met with Secretary Colin Powell to press successfully for the administration to declare that the campaign of ethnic cleansing and atrocities carried out against civilians primarily by the Government of Sudan and its allied Janjaweed militias is genocide. It has been more than a year since I flew to Chad and walked across the border to Sudan and met with African Union troops who pleaded for more peacekeeping authority and the resources to protect the refugees from violence, rather than merely monitor it. After returning from that Congressional delegation, I worked with other Members of Congress to secure increased funding to aid the thousands of Sudanese displaced to refugee camps in Chad and to provide additional funding to assist Chad in responding to the humanitarian crisis. It has been almost 2 years since the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1556 demanding that the government of Sudan disarm the Janjaweed. This demand was later followed by Resolution 1706, which authorizes a 20,000 strong U.N. peacekeeping force. It has been 6 months since the Darfur Peace Agreement was brokered in May 2006 between the Government of Sudan and one faction of Darfur rebels. But still the violence continues; indeed, the violence is escalating. This violence is making it even more dangerous, if not impossible, for most of the millions of displaced persons to return to their homes and for humanitarian relief agencies to bring food and medical aid. According to Jan Egeland, the U.N.'s top humanitarian official, the situation in Darfur is ``going from real bad to catastrophic.'' We have come full circle. Violence is increasing, peace treaties are falling apart, and again as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus Darfur Taskforce and a ranking member on the House Judiciary immigration subcommittee, I have been meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice seeking an increase in the number of refugee visas for Darfur students to come to the United States to study. I will continue my ongoing, unceasing efforts to end the suffering in Darfur and bring peace to Sudan. These efforts include intensifying my discussions with Secretary Rice, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, representatives of the Arab League, and humanitarian groups such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and various African public policy groups to discuss ways and means of bringing peace to that troubled land. It is also not too early to begin the hard thinking and hard work needed to transform the Darfur region from killing field to economically, politically, and socially viable and peaceful community. This work will, of course, require the active and purposeful engagement of the United States and other key stakeholders, such as China, and the Arab League. In this connection, I have been engaged in an on-going dialogue with government representatives of Egypt, a dialogue that has already yielded significant dividends. For example, Egypt has implemented several fast track projects in southern Sudan in different sectors involving health, agriculture, electricity, irrigation, infrastructure, and education in order to make unity an even more attractive option to the people of south Sudan. It must be noted that no just and lasting peace in Sudan can be achieved without the responsible intervention of China. For too long China, which is Sudan's biggest oil customer, has also served as Khartoum's enabler and protector by preventing the U.N. Security Council from imposing more serious sanctions on Sudan in response to the genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. As former Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick stated in a major policy speech on China a year ago: ``China should take more than oil from Sudan--it should take some responsibility for resolving Sudan's human crisis.'' Based on my meetings with Zhou Wenzhong, China's ambassador to the United States, I am hopeful that China can be persuaded to provide the type of constructive leadership in Sudan befitting a great power. There is much work to be done and not much time, Madam Speaker. And I have no doubt that our response will be worthy of our responsibility as a world leader. But today, it is right and good and just to pause, reflect, and honor the remarkable life of a remarkable human being--Dr. John Garang de Mabior, which we will do by adopting H. Res. 98. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting the resolution. Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 98, honoring the life and achievements of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior and reaffirming the continued commitment of the House of Representatives to a just and lasting peace in the Republic of the Sudan. I thank my distinguished colleague Chairman Payne for his leadership in honoring a present-day freedom fighter. Dr. Garang's lasting legacy is the Comprehensive Peace Agreement ending the thirty year civil war. But, it was against all odds that he was able to become such a leader. [[Page 5417]] It was a long journey for Dr. Garang who came from a poor family in a small Dinka village in southern Sudan. In an interview once, he told a reporter that his village was in such neglect that no one was able even to read. Thanks to a relative he was able to attend school in a nearby village and set the course for his educational advancement to eventually earn his doctorate from Iowa State University. Yet, the plight of the people in his home country ravaged by civil strife and numerous injustices compelled him to return home. He was greeted by the Sudanese government's policies that marginalized and suppressed African communities in the South. The North had better schools, employment opportunities and infrastructure developments. Even today, you can go to Juba, in southern Sudan, to see its effects where there is no electricity, running water or paved roads. In the face of such challenges Dr. Garang fought to achieve a ``new Sudan'' where all were united and equal and worked to turn his rebel movement into a popular government, open to dialogue, cooperation and constantly suiting the needs of the nation. Accordingly, I pay tribute to Dr. Garang's tireless efforts for the struggle of peace in Sudan. Dr. Garang was a charismatic figure who awakened the consciousness of a society. And he set the bar very high. In order to ensure a lasting peace, we must urge President Al-Bashir and all stakeholders to maintain the integrity of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, to respect human rights and to create a stabilized nation where everyone enjoys their full rights of citizenship. This is the best way to honor the spirit of Dr. Garang's life's work. Madam Speaker, there is still work to do. Dr. Garang's premature death left a great void. May his death not be in vain. That is why I pledge my continued support for peace and development in Sudan. As we honor one of Sudan's greatest leaders as well as one of Africa's, I further extend my commitment to end the genocide in Darfur. I know Dr. Garang would agree that peace must be everywhere. Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 98 honoring the life and achievements of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior and reaffirming the continued commitment of the House of Representatives to ensuring peace in the Sudan. Born in 1945 to a poor family in Wagkulei village in Sudan, Dr. Garang was orphaned by the age of ten. Described as charismatic and a natural leader, he joined the first Sudanese civil war in 1962 but, because of his youth, was encouraged to pursue his education. After obtaining a B.A. in economics in 1969 from Grinnell College, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Iowa State University and studying East African agricultural economics as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow at the University of Dar es Salaam he returned home to join the Sudanese rebels. A professional military man, Dr. Garang quickly rose through the ranks of the Sudanese military, which he joined following the Addis Ababa agreement of 1972. Peter Moszynski, a writer and aid worker who covered the Sudanese war, describes Dr. Garang as ``an expert in survival: someone who knew how to bend with the wind yet maintain his political objectives, someone who knew how to seem all things to all men.'' This description not only captures the enigmatic nature of a man who remained at the center of guerrilla warfare for more than 20 years, but also explains how Dr. Garang became the undisputed leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). Committed to obtaining a just peace for his people he worked tirelessly and diligently to build support for a new Sudan, one that would be multi- ethnic, multi-religious, democratic and above all, united. Dr. Garang was instrumental in the passage of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed by the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A in 2005, which gave southern Sudan the right to self determination and pushed for unity between the North and South. This Peace Agreement is representative of Dr. Garang's vision for a united Sudan, a Sudan committed to equity, democracy and peace. As we continue to work toward ending the genocide throughout the region it is imperative that we remember the work and life of Dr. Garang. A man of true conviction and unfaltering courage; a man who believed, as I do, that unity, peace and democracy are achievable in the Sudan. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 98, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. ____________________