Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table two petitions today, collected by students and groups in my riding, including the Canadian Jewish Congress in Quebec. They are concerned with the genocide in Darfur.
These two petitions call on Canada to play a leading role in mobilizing and organizing the hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur.
The first petition reminds us that more than 400,000 have already died in Darfur, that 4.5 million are on a life support system, and that mass atrocities continue unabated. It calls upon the government to take concrete measures to end the conflict, restore peace and stability to the region, and end the genocide.
The second petition is along the same lines. It also calls upon the government to use diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict and to specifically support the work of the International Criminal Court to end the culture of impugnity.
If this government does not act, the peace accords could crumble, which would cause the destabilization of the region.
The petitioners recall that Canada played a role in authoring the responsibility to protect doctrine and that this must not be empty rhetoric. “Never again”, tragically, is becoming yet again, again and again. While the international community dithers, Darfuris die. This must end.