Members of Congress Express Concern to Egyptian Government

Thirty-four members of the U.S. House of Representatives recently sent a letter to the Egyptian government expressing their concern for the fate of Sudanese refugees crossing the border from Egypt into Israel.  The September 26, 2007, letter, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-VA) and signed by 33 other members from both the Democratic and Republican parties, referred to several Sudanese refugees who have been shot by Egyptian border crossing guards.  The legislators urged Egypt to “lead other countries with an example of humane, respectful practices.”

The letter from Congress also recalled a horrific incident in 2005 in which Egyptian police cleared a make-shift Sudanese refugee camp in a park across from the United Nations’ refugee office.  They used water canons and batons on men, women, and children, resulting in the deaths of at least 32 people.  This brutal treatment, along with the fact that Sudanese do not have official refugee status in Egypt and thus receive none of the basic services such as health, education, and employment, is one of the reasons why both Christian and Muslim Sudanese have fled from Egypt to Israel.

Here is the letter that was sent to the Egyptian government.  Check and see if your member of Congress was one of the signatories.  If so, you may consider sending an email or calling to thank him or her.