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Thursday, 31 May 2007 01:00

Senator Nelson Travels to Africa

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Florida Democratic U-S Senator Bill Nelson is travelling in Africa this week. Nelson says the trip is an effort to bring more attention to the problems of Darfur.

Senator Nelson visited Chad Thursday – getting there via Kenya and Uganda after being denied access to Sudanese air space. Nelson was accompanied by the U-S ambassador to Chad, Mark Wohl. The two visited a camp in Chad occupied by Sudanese refugees from Darfur. Earlier this week President Bush ordered sanctions on Sudan for the genocide occurring in Darfur. Nelson, speaking from Chad, says the president has the right idea but needs to do more to help end the violence.

“This effort should have been made two years ago. This slaughter has been going on for four years. I think the president has made a statement in the right direction. And it is my hope that he will put the full weight of the white house behind this effort in the remaining year that he has.”

Nelson says he wants to see a U-N force of at least 20-to-25 thousand troops in the area. He did say that some of those troops could be American. He says they could include pilots enforcing a no-fly-zone.

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U-S Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida wants America to do more to help end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. The senator was travelling with American ambassador to Chad, Mark Wohl, visiting refugee camps in the area. Wohl says the U-S is working with the U-N and the African union to try and find peace.

“We’re working constantly in the United Nations with our international partners to build up an international commitment to do whatever is possible to bring peace to Darfur and on the Chad Sudan border.”

Nelson says there has to be a U-N force in the region. But it all starts with leadership from the United States, which could mean some U-S troops. Earlier this week President Bush announced sanctions on the Sudanese government. Nelson also says Russia and China need to stop helping the Sudanese government and do the right thing.