Provide Leadership In Making Darfur Policy

To Senator Voinovich:

We, the undersigned, urge you to provide leadership from our state in the US Senate regarding US involvement in resolving the crisis in Sudan. It is not enough to provide humanitarian aid. We are very concerned that our country, as promoter and protector of democracy throughout the world, show leadership in the world when tragedies are unfolding that threaten not only democracy and stability in vital and strategic locations across the globe but also those which challenge our humanity as a people regarding what we are willing to defend in human terms.

That genocide and its accompanying atrocities are occurring there is undisputable. The United States should lead, not defer, in an effort to bring this situation under control and prevent further violence and depravity. It is in all of our most vital interests to defend the victims in this situation and help to bring stability to Sudan if we wish to remain moral leaders in the world.

It would be easy to point fingers and wait for others to step up to the plate, but that would be abdicating an urgent responsibility. Such delays continue to cost lives every day. The tragedy is and has been underway. The Darfur Accountability Act (S. 495) has meanwhile gained no traction. We urge you to support any and all measures to bring our country’s considerable influence to bear upon this tragic situation. Rwanda should have taught us something.

Thank you for your attention on this critical moral issue.