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WHEREAS, there continues to be a humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, wherein ethnic and regional discrimination incites killing, rape, destruction of entire villages, displacement of many millions of individuals, and many other atrocities; and
WHEREAS, it behooves all citizens of the world to do ever more to bring peace and protection to the 2.7 million displaced persons and refugees of Darfur, to ensure full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 which settled the 22-year war between North Sudan and South Sudan, and to bring to justice those who, according to the International Criminal Court, have committed heinous crimes against humanity, including the President of Sudan; and
WHEREAS, during the month of September the United States will assume the presidency of the United Nations Security Council and host the G-20, while leaders from around the world convene in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly to discuss international priorities and ways to ensure a sustainable future for every nation; and
WHEREAS, representatives of the G-20 countries are coming to Pittsburgh, and, tragically, the inter-national community has been insufficiently engaged in the solution to the problems in Darfur and South Sudan, some countries in fact providing the government of Sudan over the years with the means with which violent policies have been carried out against civilian populations; and
WHEREAS, as the Save Darfur Coalition asserts, Sudan, like many other countries, will be seeking debt cancellation from the G-20 finance ministers, even though Sudan should live up to its treaty and moral responsibilities in Darfur and South Sudan before such relief is granted;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby join with the Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition, the Sudanese Community in Pittsburgh, the national Save Darfur Coalition, and the Darfur Alert Coalition of Philadelphia, in encouraging President Barack Obama to use his influence and that of the United States as head of the U.N. Security Council to work to finally achieve a solution to the problems of both Darfur and South Sudan; and it is
RESOLVED FURTHER that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh urges the officials of the G-20 nations and especially President Obama to encourage, enable, and enjoin those G-20 nations which are responsible for a majority of Sudan's foreign trade, and hold a majority of Sudan's foreign debt, to adopt a common platform that uses the strength of those economic relationships to compel significant and demonstrable progress by the Sudanese regime related to peace in Darfur and implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with South Sudan; and it is
RESOLVED FURTHER that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh calls on the state of Pennsylvania to follow the lead of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and 27 states around the country to adopt targeted divestment from companies doing business in Sudan and whose operations support and enable violence against civilian populations; and it is
RESOLVED FURTHER that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does commend and agree with the local student, church, synagogue, and other groups which have collected more than 15,000 postcards addressed to President Obama toward these ends, and does call upon Pittsburghers to take part with Americans, Darfuri and Sudanese, elected officials, religious leaders, students and others, in the September 14th press conference and rally, so that the compassion of the people of Pittsburgh can be shown in full light.