WASHINGTON, April 28 (UPI) -- Five members of Congress were arrested outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington Friday during a protest against violence in the Darfur region.
All five were Democrats, The Los Angeles Times reported -- including Tom Lantos, a Holocaust survivor from California, James P. McGovern and John Olver of Massachusetts, James Moran of Virginia and Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas. Six religious leaders were also taken into custody by the Secret Service.
"Two generations ago, the civilized world stood in silence and looked away," said Lantos. "Congress stands united in our determination to put an end to this."
The conflict in Darfur has created at least 2 million refugees and left 180,000 people dead by many accounts. Large rallies are scheduled across the country on Sunday.
About 7,000 African Union peacekeepers in Darfur have been unable to stop the violence. The United Nations plans to add 20,000 of its own troops, but the Sudanese government has not agreed to admit them.
