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Congress Celebrates South Sudan Independence; Deplores Violence in Northern Sudan

July 8th, 2011 by Allyson Neville-Morgan

On Saturday, South Sudan will become the world’s newest country. As we congratulate the people of South Sudan on the birth of their nation, we remain deeply concerned about the ongoing violence taking place in northern Sudan’s Darfur and Southern Kordofan regions. Members of Congress have also spoken out by recognizing this important moment for South Sudan, while urging the protection of civilians in areas now under attack.

Congressional statements and floor speeches are included below. We will continue to update this page.

Congress Speaks Out

On June 6, 2011 Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ)–Ranking Member of the Africa, Global Health and Human Rights Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the Sudan Caucus–released a press statement saying in part:

    "As a Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, I have been committed to helping Sudan achieve peace and justice. I have worked closely with the U.S. Department of State and the international community throughout the years to ensure that South Sudan become an independent nation. The United States has been a critical partner in the peace process that led us to where we are today. Therefore, I am proud to be a part of the Presidential Delegation to participate in South Sudan’s independence ceremony. While today marks a great achievement, let us not forget to reinforce our past investment in diplomacy and development to ensure that the current progress evolves into stability and growth."

On June 7, 2011 Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) made the following statement on the House floor:

On June 8, 2011 both Congressman Michael Capuano (D-MA)–Sudan Caucus Co-Chair–and Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ)–Chair of the Africa, Global Health and Human Rights Subcommittee–gave one-minute speeches on the floor of the House of Representatives.

The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of STAND.

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