Chairman Watt was joined by U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), John Lewis (D-GA), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Al Green (D-TX) and D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton in calling for an end to the continuing genocide and the plight of millions of people who have been slaughtered and displaced by violence in Sudan.

"The situation in Darfur has deteriorated significantly," noted Rep. Lee. "People are dying and are in misery. Countless women and girls are raped daily, there is no food, conditions or unsanitary and there is an inadequate supply of water in the region."

To date, an estimated 450,000 Darfurians have died since the beginning of the genocide in 2003, more than 2.5 million have been displaced from their homes and nearly 3.5 million people are currently in need of emergency humanitarian assistance as a result of the crisis orchestrated by the Government of Sudan and its allied Janjaweed militias.

Rep. John Lewis said: "We must not forget that while we consider what to do, the situation on the ground is worsening for the millions of people affected by the crisis. The CBC plans to build on the level of civic action and attention around the genocide in Darfur and will work to keep the world community engaged."

"After Rwanda, we said ‘never again’ but the genocide and rapes have not diminished and never again has come and gone," noted D.C. Delegate Norton. "We have no less an obligation here than we had in South Africa to do much more to heighten awareness. If anything, the continuation of unabated genocide and unthinkable abuse of women and children creates an even greater urgency."

Recently, a peace agreement was reached in Abuja, Nigeria between the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM). The CBC thinks that the agreement falls short of expectations to provide protection to civilians on the ground, more political representation for Darfur in the central government and adequate mechanisms for ensuring disarmament of the Janjaweed.

During the press conference, Chairman Watt and the CBC listed the following demands to stop the genocide in Darfur:

• Cessation of Violence – The government of Sudan and its Janjaweed militias must immediately stop the violence against Darfurians;
• UN Peacekeepers – A Chapter 7 UN peacekeeping mission to assist the African Union Mission;
• Accountability – Accountability for government officials and Janjaweed responsible for genocide;
• Emergency Food –President Bush must push the Government of Sudan to release its 300,000 – 500,000 metric tons of grain reserves to feed the starving people of Darfur;
• Civilian Protection – Protection of civilians who remain vulnerable;
• Refugee Return – The Administration must work to ensure the Government of Sudan does all it can for the internally displaced and the refugees of Darfur to restore security so they can return to their homes soon, and;
• Full Implementation of Peace Agreements – Full implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and South.

A growing number of members of Congress are pushing for a measure passed in the House recently to be signed into law. House Resolution 3127 seeks to hold Sudanese government officials and Janjaweed commanders accountable for their involvement in the genocide. U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, CBC member and head of the CBC African Task Force, is the chief co-sponsor of this legislation.

The CBC was the first to highlight the crisis in Darfur and on June 24, 2004 introduced H. Con Res 467, declaring genocide in the region.