IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 689 

Supporting an end to the ethnic and politically fueled violence in South 

Sudan and the successful implementation of a transitional government. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 25, 2014 

Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. HOYER, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. ENGEL, 

Mr. WOLF, Mr. CAPUANO, and Ms. BASS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting an end to the ethnic and politically fueled violence 

in South Sudan and the successful implementation of 

a transitional government. 

Whereas the United States played a key role in brokering the 

2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the 

civil war of nearly 40 years, and resulted in South Sudan’s decision by referendum in January 2011 to secede 

from Sudan; 

Whereas emerging as the world’s newest country on July 9, 

2011, South Sudan possessed considerable energy resources but had almost no infrastructure or civilian governmental institutions and was challenged by 300,000 internally displaced people, half its population struggling 


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•HRES 689 IH 

below the poverty line, and a GDP per capita of $1,000, 

according to the World Bank; 

Whereas, on December 15, 2013, growing political tensions 

between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir of the 

Dinka ethnic group and Vice President Riek Machar of 

the Nuer ethnic group erupted in violence in the capital 

of Juba and spread to other parts of the country, particularly the eastern state of Jonglei and the oil-producing states of Unity and Upper Nile; 

Whereas what began as a political power struggle became a 

widespread ethnic battle that tore apart the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement as well as the cabinet and 

threatened ethnic violence across the country; 

Whereas President Kiir and former Vice President Machar 

have signed three separate peace agreements, including 

one on June 10, 2014, to form a transitional government 

within 60 days; 

Whereas according to the United Nations, since mid-December 2013, thousands of South Sudanese have been killed 

including those targeted for their ethnicity, 1,500,000 

people have been displaced, 7,000,000 people risk hunger 

and disease, approximately 4,000,000 people face severe 

food insecurity, and 50,000 children could die from malnutrition if aid agencies’ assistance and access does not 

increase; 

Whereas in December 2013, the Intergovernmental Authority 

on Development (IGAD) dispatched a ministerial delegation, consisting of Ministers and high level officials from 

Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda 

and the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, to Juba to help diffuse the tension in South 


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Sudan and mediate a peaceful political settlement, and in 

early June 2014, initiated peace talks in Addis Ababa 

that included civil society organizations, religious groups, 

political parties, and formerly detained political leaders in 

a multi-stakeholders symposium; 

Whereas the United States has been the largest bilateral foreign aid donor to South Sudan, obligating more than 

$268,000,000 in humanitarian assistance in fiscal year 

2013 and $394,000,000 in fiscal year 2014 to date; and 

Whereas Ambassador Susan Page re-declared a disaster in 

South Sudan in October 2013, and the U.S. Agency for 

International Development (USAID) has stated that insecurity, landmines, and limited transportation and communication infrastructure have restricted humanitarian 

activities across South Sudan, hindering the delivery of 

critical assistance to populations in need: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses its strong support for the people 

3 of South Sudan and the region; 

4 (2) condemns the targeted attacks on civilians, 

5 often along ethnic lines and in hospital or school set6 tings, and on civilian humanitarian assistance work7 ers, and insists that all armed groups cease all vio8 lence against civilians in compliance with inter9 national law; 

10 (3) stresses the need for unfettered access 

11 throughout South Sudan for humanitarian aid; 


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•HRES 689 IH 

1 (4) urges the President to work with the inter2 national community to provide technical support to 

3 the African Union Commission of Inquiry into grave 

4 human rights abuses and to consider the creation of 

5 a mixed or hybrid tribunal to ensure those respon6 sible for civilian attacks and grave human rights 

7 abuses are held accountable; 

8 (5) emphasizes the need for the Government of 

9 South Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation 

10 Movement in Opposition to implement in good faith 

11 the cessation of hostilities agreement signed January 

12 23, 2014; 

13 (6) encourages the Government of South Sudan 

14 to implement in good faith the agreement from June 

15 10, 2014, to create a transitional government within 

16 60 days and engage in meaningful dialogue with 

17 rebel forces, women, and civil society representatives; 

18 (7) urges the President to sustain high-level en19 gagement and apply continued pressure on both the 

20 Government of South Sudan and rebel forces; and 

21 (8) strongly supports efforts by the Intergov22 ernmental Authority on Development to mediate the 

23 conflict and monitor violations of the cessation of 


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1 hostilities agreement and leverage their influence to 

2 find a sustainable resolution to the current conflict. 

Æ 


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