The CBC "Message to America" is distributed nationwide to the American Urban Radio Network’s (AURN) affiliate stations.

WHO:        U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)

WHEN:      Saturday, May 20, 2006; 12:06 p.m. EST

WHERE:   American Urban Radio Network Affiliate Stations

Congresswoman Johnson is expected to deliver the following remarks:

"Hello.  This is Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas and I am pleased to deliver the Message to America on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus.

"The ongoing atrocities and genocide occurring in the Darfur region of Sudan is one of the greatest human rights violations of this generation.  This past Tuesday, I stood outside the Sudanese embassy to peacefully protest the Darfur genocide along with my fellow CBC Members: CBC Chairman Melvin Watt, Barbara Lee, Al Green, John Lewis, Gwen Moore, and Eleanor Holmes Norton.

"Peaceful protests are necessary and important in order to raise worldwide awareness against injustices.

"Because protesting outside an embassy is an arrestable offence, my CBC colleagues and I were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly.  I felt that this arrest was a small price to pay for the attention that would be brought to the issue of genocide in Darfur.

"The genocide taking place in Darfur, Sudan is real and is an atrocity committed against human life.  Recently, the House and Senate have both passed Concurrent Resolutions recognizing these human rights violations and declaring these atrocities as genocide.

"Despite growing national and international attention, the political crisis in Darfur continues.

"For those of you who may not be familiar with the situation in Sudan, Darfur is an under developed region, located in western Sudan, and consisting mainly of black Muslims.  Out of the approximate 7 million people that live in Darfur, 450-thousand have died and more than 2.5 million people have been displaced.  At least 200-thousand have fled to Chad and another 3 million people are surviving on emergency food assistance.

"The political situation in Darfur is deteriorating rapidly.  Bombings of villages by the military have occurred several times over the last few weeks.  Despite a May 5 ceasefire, a recent attack against civilians by government and Janjaweed militia was launched on May 8.

"On behalf of the displaced and the refugees, the Congressional Black Caucus has demanded the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission to aid the African Union’s mission in Darfur.  The Congressional Black Caucus has called upon the Administration to ensure that the Sudanese government exhausts all efforts to help displaced refugees return to their homes. The Congressional Black Caucus has demanded that government officials and Janjaweed militia are held accountable for their crimes against humanity.

"We have also asked President Bush to urge the Sudanese government to release its grain reserves needed to feed the starving people of Darfur. The crisis in Darfur is an actual genocide against human life. 

"The world must raise a collective objection and pressure the Sudanese government to cease the unconscionable acts of violence they have allowed to take place.  Each day thousands of men, women and children are killed, raped, starved and left homeless without a solitary objection from the world community. The lives of millions of innocent people are at stake. Along with the Congressional Black Caucus, I will continue to urge the United Nations to take strong and meaningful action and stop the atrocities being committed to human lives. Thank you and God Bless."