Urging the United Nations, European Union, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization to Pursue Policies Directed at Ending the Ongoing Conflict in the Darfur Region of Western Sudan

House Committee on International Affairs (INT) - chair: Cabanilla, vice chair: Tokioka

Wednesday, February 14, 2007, 8:30 a.m. Room 329

Testifier: JoAnn Maruoka, Legislative Committee member, LWV-Hawaii

Click here to view HCR36

The League of Women Voters strongly and proudly supports both HCR 36 and HR 22, which, in the interest of humankind, urges the three critical bodies of the United Nations, the European Union, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to pursue policies to end the ongoing conflict in Darfur; and extends Hawaii's deepest condolences for all who have lost their lives. Thanks to the relentless efforts of the humanitarian actor George Clooney, his journalist father, and others, the world has been made aware of the horrific and inhumane acts -- acts that certainly appear to include ethnic cleansing and genocide -- occurring in the Darfur Region of Western Sudan. We feel it is critical that the momentum from this campaign of awareness not be lost, and that the UN, EU and NATO must now act. The litany of horror is heartbreaking, and the toll of 400,000 lost lives and two million displaced people is staggering. We believe it is vital that these international bodies urgently provide the critical leadership and strong, unified, rational policies so that together, the citizens of the world can bring this human tragedy to an end. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.