III 

Calendar No. 106 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 188 

Encouraging a swift transfer of power by the military to a civilian-led political 

authority in the Republic of the Sudan, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 2, 2019 

Mr. CRUZ (for himself, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. RISCH, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. 

CRAMER, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. BOOZMAN, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. YOUNG, Mr. COONS, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. CARDIN, 

Mr. HAWLEY, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. PETERS, 

Ms. SMITH, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. WARREN, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BOOKER, 

Mr. BRAUN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. KAINE, and Mr. WYDEN) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Relations 

JUNE 3, 2019 

Reported by Mr. RISCH, with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic] 

RESOLUTION 

Encouraging a swift transfer of power by the military to 

a civilian-led political authority in the Republic of the 

Sudan, and for other purposes. 


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•SRES 188 RS 

Whereas the nation of Sudan has endured corrupt and brutal 

dictatorships for most of its post-independence period 

since 1956; 

Whereas President Omar al-Bashir came to power through a 

military coup in 1989, and for the next three decades his 

government was responsible for horrendous crimes in 

Sudan, especially Darfur, South Kordofan, Blue Nile, 

and in what is now the Republic of South Sudan; 

Whereas the United States Government designated Sudan a 

State Sponsor of Terrorism on August 12, 1993, for its 

support to international terrorist organizations and extremists, including elements of what would later be 

known as al Qaeda; 

Whereas more than two decades of civil war between President al-Bashir’s government and insurgents in southern 

Sudan resulted in more than 2,000,000 deaths and led 

to the eventual independence of South Sudan in 2011; 

Whereas in 2003, President al-Bashir’s government launched 

a ruthless crackdown against insurgents and civilians in 

Darfur that killed at least 300,000 Sudanese and displaced 2,500,000 more, resulting in Congress and the 

Administration of President George W. Bush in 2004 describing as genocide the Government of Sudan’s actions 

in Darfur; 

Whereas in 2011, when conflict resumed in South Kordofan 

and Blue Nile states, President al-Bashir’s government 

conducted indiscriminate bombings and raided villages, 

raping and killing civilians, and waged a campaign of 

forced starvation in the Nuba Mountains region of South 

Kordofan that displaced as many as 2,000,000 people; 


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•SRES 188 RS 

Whereas, while the fighting between government forces and 

insurgents in Darfur has subsided since 2016, when the 

government waged a large-scale offensive before declaring 

a ceasefire, violent attacks against civilians continue and 

humanitarian access remains restricted in some opposition stronghold areas of Darfur, South Kordofan, and 

Blue Nile; 

Whereas President al-Bashir remains the subject of two outstanding arrest warrants from the International Criminal 

Court based on charges including five counts of crimes 

against humanity, two counts of war crimes, and three 

counts of genocide; 

Whereas Sudan’s economic crisis risks bringing the national 

economy to total collapse, further raising the possibility 

of state failure and broader regional destabilization that 

could threaten a wide array of United States interests in 

East and North Africa and the Red Sea regions; 

Whereas the people of Sudan have engaged since December 

2018 in a wave of peaceful protests throughout the country demanding an end to the hegemony of President alBashir’s brutal regime; 

Whereas President al-Bashir’s government unlawfully detained and tortured hundreds of Sudanese during the 

protests, including political leaders, journalists, doctors, 

unionists, and youth and women leaders, in violation of 

the country’s constitutional provisions guaranteeing free 

speech, association, and assembly; 

Whereas, on February 22, 2019, President al-Bashir declared 

a year-long nationwide state of emergency and curfew, 

dissolving his government and replacing state governors 


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•SRES 188 RS 

with senior security officers and expanding the powers of 

Sudan’s security forces; 

Whereas when protesters in early April challenged President 

al-Bashir’s decrees and gathered in the tens of thousands 

in front of Sudan’s military headquarters in Khartoum to 

call for an end to the regime, some elements of the security forces tried to disperse the crowds with violence, 

leading to clashes between internal security forces and 

the military as some soldiers sought to protect the protesters; 

Whereas, on April 11, 2019, after five days of mass protests 

in front of their headquarters, Sudan’s military removed 

President al-Bashir from office and the country’s First 

Vice President and Minister of Defense, Lt. General 

Awad Ibn Auf, announced he would lead a Transitional 

Military Committee (‘‘TMC’’) that would rule the country 

for a two-year transition period, in addition to the suspension of the Constitution, dissolution of the National 

Assembly, and the imposition of a three-month State of 

Emergency and nightly curfew; 

Whereas Lt. General Abdel-Fattah Burnhan, former general 

inspector of the Sudanese Armed Forces, who replaced 

Ibn Auf on April 12, 2019, as the Chairman of the Transitional Military Council, said on April 21, 2019, that the 

council was ‘‘ready to hand over power tomorrow to a civilian government agreed by political forces’’; and 

Whereas, the African Union Peace and Security Council convened on April 30, 2019, and reiterated its conviction 

that ‘‘a military-led transition in Sudan will be totally 

unacceptable and contrary to the will and legitimate aspirations’’ of the Sudanese people, expressed ‘‘deep regret’’ 

that the military had not stepped aside, and, noting negoVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:24 Jun 03, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR188.RS SR188

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•SRES 188 RS 

tiations were underway, demanded that the military hand 

over power to a civilian-led transitional authority within 

60 days: Now, therefore, be it 

Whereas the nation of Sudan has endured corrupt and brutal 

dictatorships for most of its post-independence period since 

1956; 

Whereas President Omar al-Bashir came to power through a 

military coup in 1989, and for the next three decades his 

government was responsible for horrendous crimes in 

Sudan, especially in Darfur, South Kordofan, Blue Nile, 

and in what is now the Republic of South Sudan; 

Whereas the United States Government designated Sudan a 

State Sponsor of Terrorism on August 12, 1993, for its 

support to international terrorist organizations and extremists, including elements of what would later be known 

as al Qaeda; 

Whereas more than two decades of civil war between President 

al-Bashir’s government and insurgents in southern Sudan 

resulted in more than 2,000,000 deaths and led to the eventual independence of South Sudan in 2011; 

Whereas in 2003, President al-Bashir’s government launched a 

ruthless crackdown against insurgents and civilians in 

Darfur that killed at least 300,000 Sudanese and displaced 

2,500,000 more, resulting in Congress and the Administration of President George W. Bush in 2004 describing as 

genocide the Government of Sudan’s actions in Darfur; 

Whereas in 2011, when conflict resumed in South Kordofan 

and Blue Nile states, President al-Bashir’s government 

conducted indiscriminate bombings and raided villages, 

raping and killing civilians, and waged a campaign of 


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•SRES 188 RS 

forced starvation in the Nuba Mountains region of South 

Kordofan that displaced as many as 2,000,000 people; 

Whereas, while the fighting between government forces and insurgents in Darfur has subsided since 2016, violent attacks 

against civilians continue and humanitarian access remains restricted in some opposition stronghold areas of 

Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile; 

Whereas President al-Bashir remains the subject of two outstanding arrest warrants from the International Criminal 

Court based on charges including five counts of crimes 

against humanity, two counts of war crimes, and three 

counts of genocide; 

Whereas Sudan’s economic crisis risks bringing the national 

economy to total collapse, further increasing the possibility 

of state failure and broader regional destabilization that 

could threaten a wide array of United States interests in 

East and North Africa and the Red Sea regions; 

Whereas the people of Sudan have engaged since December 

2018 in a wave of peaceful protests throughout the country 

demanding an end to President al-Bashir’s brutal regime 

and pressing for a citizen-centered democratic transition; 

Whereas women have played a prominent role in the protest 

movement, helping bring about the ouster of former President al-Bashir; 

Whereas President al-Bashir’s government unlawfully detained 

and tortured hundreds of Sudanese during the protests, including political leaders, journalists, doctors, unionists, 

and youth and women leaders, in gross violation of international civil and human rights, and some of them remain 

in detention; 


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•SRES 188 RS 

Whereas on February 22, 2019, President al-Bashir declared a 

year-long nationwide state of emergency and curfew, dissolved his government, replaced state governors with senior 

security officers, and expanded the powers of Sudan’s security forces; 

Whereas when protesters in early April challenged President 

al-Bashir’s decrees and gathered in the tens of thousands 

in front of Sudan’s military headquarters in Khartoum to 

call for an end to the regime, some elements of the security 

forces tried to disperse the crowds with violence, leading to 

clashes between internal security forces and the military as 

some soldiers sought to protect the protesters; 

Whereas on April 11, 2019, after five days of mass protests in 

front of their headquarters, Sudan’s military removed 

President al-Bashir from office and the country’s First 

Vice President and Minister of Defense, Lt. General Awad 

Ibn Auf, announced he would lead a Transitional Military 

Council that would rule the country for a two-year period, 

suspended the Constitution, dissolved the National Assembly, and imposed a three-month State of Emergency and 

nightly curfew; 

Whereas Lt. General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, former general 

inspector of the Sudanese Armed Forces, who replaced Lt. 

General Ibn Auf on April 12, 2019, as the chairman of the 

Transitional Military Council, said on April 21, 2019, 

that the council was ‘‘ready to hand over power tomorrow 

to a civilian government agreed by political forces’’; 

Whereas the Rapid Support Forces, paramilitary forces led by 

Lt. General Mohammed Hamdan Dagolo, also known as 

‘‘Hemmeti’’, a former Janjaweed leader who currently 

serves as the deputy chairman of the Transitional Military 

Council, have been implicated by the United Nations 


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•SRES 188 RS 

Panel of Experts in widespread violations of international 

humanitarian law that human rights groups suggest may 

amount to war crimes, and have also been accused of killing protesters during the recent uprising; and 

Whereas, the African Union Peace and Security Council convened on April 30, 2019, and reiterated its conviction that 

‘‘a military-led transition in Sudan will be totally unacceptable and contrary to the will and legitimate aspirations’’ of the Sudanese people, expressed ‘‘deep regret’’ that 

the military had not stepped aside, and, noting negotiations were underway, demanded that the military hand 

over power to a civilian-led transitional authority within 

60 days: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) encourages a swift transfer of power by the 

3 military to a civilian-led political authority in Sudan 

4 that— 

5 (A) respects and reflects the legitimate 

6 democratic aspirations of the people of Sudan; 

7 and 

8 (B) engages in a credible process of de9 mocratization, governance, and security sector 

10 reforms, and is transparent in how it measures 

11 such progress; 

12 (2) calls on the ruling authorities in Sudan to 

13 take measurable steps to— 

14 (A) respect the right to freedom of associa15 tion and expression; 


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•SRES 188 RS 

1 (B) protect the rights of opposition polit2 ical parties, journalists, human rights defend3 ers, religious minorities, and nongovernmental 

4 organizations to operate without interference; 

5 (C) lift the bureaucratic restrictions on 

6 and facilitate access for humanitarian relief op7 erations; 

8 (D) introduce strong measures to create 

9 transparency and address the structural corrup10 tion and kleptocracy of the state; and 

11 (E) pursue accountability for serious 

12 crimes and human rights abuses; 

13 (3) expresses solidarity with the people of 

14 Sudan, and urges the United States Government to 

15 provide diplomatic, technical, and targeted financial 

16 assistance for efforts to advance a peaceful transfer 

17 of power and a civilian-led transition period that al18 lows for the peaceful resolution of Sudan’s conflicts 

19 and creates the conditions under which timely demo20 cratic elections can be held that will meet inter21 national standards and be overseen by credible do22 mestic and international electoral observers; 

23 (4) encourages the African Union to continue 

24 supporting the Sudanese people’s aspirations for de25 mocracy, justice, and peace; and 


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•SRES 188 RS 

1 (5) emphasizes that until a transition to a cred2 ible civilian-led government that reflects the aspira3 tions of the Sudanese people is established, the proc4 ess to consider removing Sudan from the State 

5 Sponsor of Terrorism List, lifting any other remain6 ing sanctions on Sudan, or normalizing relations 

7 with the Government of Sudan will continue to be 

8 suspended. 

9 That the Senate— 

10 (1) supports the African Union Peace and Secu11 rity Council’s initial two-week deadline urging a 

12 swift transfer of power by the military to a civilian13 led political authority in Sudan that— 

14 (A) has a civilian character and composi15 tion reflecting the will of the Declaration of Free16 dom and Change Forces leading negotiations on 

17 behalf of citizens; and 

18 (B) immediately begins a transparent proc19 ess leading to credible elections and security sec20 tor reforms; 

21 (2) calls on the ruling authorities in Sudan to— 

22 (A) respect the right to freedom of associa23 tion and expression; 

24 (B) protect the rights of opposition political 

25 parties, journalists, human rights defenders, reliVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:24 Jun 03, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\SR188.RS SR188

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•SRES 188 RS 

1 gious minorities, nongovernmental organizations, 

2 and civic movements to operate without inter3 ference; 

4 (C) lift the bureaucratic restrictions on and 

5 facilitate access for humanitarian relief oper6 ations; 

7 (D) introduce strong measures to create 

8 transparency and address the structural corrup9 tion and kleptocracy of the state; 

10 (E) pursue accountability for serious crimes 

11 and human rights abuses by former President al12 Bashir’s regime and elements of the security 

13 forces under the control of the Transitional Mili14 tary Council; and 

15 (F) release remaining political prisoners 

16 and refrain from arbitrary arrest, detention, and 

17 torture; 

18 (3) urges the United States Government to sup19 port efforts to advance a peaceful transfer of power 

20 and a civilian-led transition period that creates the 

21 conditions under which timely democratic elections 

22 can be held that will meet international standards 

23 and be overseen by credible domestic and inter24 national electoral observers, and for the peaceful reso25 lution of Sudan’s conflicts; 


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•SRES 188 RS 

1 (4) encourages the African Union and its mem2 ber states to continue supporting the Sudanese peo3 ple’s aspirations for democracy, justice, and peace; 

4 (5) expresses concern that the participation in 

5 the transitional government of individuals who have 

6 been implicated in possible war crimes would under7 mine efforts to restore peace and democracy and pur8 sue justice and accountability in Sudan; 

9 (6) emphasizes that until a transition to a cred10 ible civilian-led government that reflects the aspira11 tions of the Sudanese people is established, the process 

12 to consider removing Sudan from the State Sponsor 

13 of Terrorism List, lifting any other remaining sanc14 tions on Sudan, or normalizing relations with the 

15 Government of Sudan will continue to be suspended; 

16 and 

17 (7) stands in solidarity with the people of Sudan 

18 and their aspirations for a democratic, participatory 

19 government. 


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Calendar No. 106 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 188 

RESOLUTION 

Encouraging a swift transfer of power by the milipublic of the Sudan, and for other purposes. tary to a civilian-led political authority in the ReJUNE 3, 2019 

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 


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