A concurrent resolution condemning the hostilities in Sudan and standing with the people of Sudan in their calls for peace and their democratic aspirations.

Bill: 118-sconres-24
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2023-12-19
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-12-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S6060)

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-12-19
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This concurrent resolution condemns the hostilities in Sudan since April 15, 2023, including attacks on civilians and widespread destruction of civilian property. Specifically, it (1) stands with the people of Sudan in their calls for peace and their democratic aspirations, and (2) calls on the warring parties to permanently cease hostilities and stop attacks on civilians.</p><p>The concurrent resolution also calls on the United States to name a Special Envoy for Sudan, to emphasize humanitarian efforts, and to work to establish mechanisms of accountability for atrocities.</p>

tv_txt: \III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. CON. RES. 24 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 19, 2023 Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Risch ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Condemning the hostilities in Sudan and standing with the people of Sudan in their calls for peace and their democratic aspirations.

Whereas, on April 15, 2023, hostilities broke out in Sudan between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary force formed from the Janjaweed militia that committed acts of genocide in Darfur since 2003, and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which like the RSF has a history of committing atrocities both in Sudan’s civil wars and against pro-democracy protestors from 2019–2022; Whereas, according to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, on April 17, 2023, just days following the outbreak of fighting, the humanitarian situation in Sudan was already precarious and is now catastrophic ; Whereas, on April 23, 2023, the United States temporarily suspended operations at its embassy in Khartoum and evacuated embassy personnel from the country; Whereas the war has created the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 7,000,000 people, including 3,000,000 children, displaced since the war began, and over half of the population in Sudan needs humanitarian assistance; Whereas widespread rape and sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war, and over 4,200,000 women and girls in Sudan are at risk for sexual violence according to the United Nations; Whereas Sudan was identified by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Early Warning Project as one of the top ten countries at risk for new mass killings in its 2022–2023 report, and the Museum warned in June 2023 about the dire risk of genocide in Darfur; Whereas Secretary of State Blinken issued an atrocities determination for Sudan on December 6, 2023, finding that the SAF and RSF have committed war crimes in Sudan, and that the RSF and allied militias have committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing; Whereas impunity for violations of international humanitarian law has characterized the conflict in Sudan; Whereas the United States and Saudi Arabia have engaged in multiple rounds of emergency diplomacy in Jeddah since May, during which the parties to the conflict have repeatedly made confidence-building, ceasefire, and humanitarian commitments that were immediately violated; Whereas, in October 2023, the United National Human Rights Council adopted a resolution establishing an independent Fact-Finding Mission with a mandate to investigate abuses committed in the context of the war in Sudan; Whereas leadership in neither the SAF or RSF represent the people of Sudan nor have a legitimate claim to leadership of the country, and there is no military solution to the political situation in Sudan; Whereas reports indicate some international actors have taken actions that constitute repeated violations of the existing United Nations arms embargo for Darfur; and Whereas the outbreak of hostilities has destabilized Sudan, and represents a threat to regional stability more broadly: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1) condemns the hostilities in Sudan since April 15, 2023, the brazen and brutal attacks on civilians, including systemic use of rape as a weapon of war, and the widespread destruction of civilian residences, businesses, and infrastructure; (2) stands with the people of Sudan in their calls for peace and their democratic aspirations; (3) calls for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to— (A) permanently cease hostilities; (B) stop attacks on civilians; (C) remove all roadblocks and checkpoints, and allow for the safe passage of civilians and the unfettered delivery of humanitarian assistance; and (D) comply with international humanitarian law and cease all atrocities against civilians; (4) calls on the President to name an experienced, high level United States Special Envoy for Sudan, that reports directly to the President or the Secretary of State, to coordinate a comprehensive United States policy and diplomatic efforts and to work with international partners to address the complex crisis in Sudan; (5) calls on the Secretary of State to— (A) regularly review and update the atrocities determination for Sudan, to include whether atrocities committed constitute genocide; (B) provide continued assistance to organizations documenting violations of international humanitarian law, and to share, as appropriate, information with international bodies investigating atrocities, including war crimes and crimes against humanity; (C) support enhanced end use monitoring of weapons sold by the United States to determine if United States defense articles, defense services, or any other type of security sector assistance have been diverted to the SAF and RSF; (D) coordinate with— (i) the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development on efforts to establish and maintain humanitarian access, and to support an inclusive, civilian-led political dialogue; (ii) the Department of the Treasury to develop a comprehensive strategy utilizing existing sanctions authorities applicable to Sudan, with priority given to the designation of the leadership in the RSF and SAF, and to actors which supply, or facilitate the supply of arms and materiel to belligerents, for targeted sanctions; and (iii) the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to ensure the United Nations Security Council reports violations of the Darfur arms embargo and works to prioritize efforts to protect civilians, and to pursue efforts to establish a credible mechanism for accountability for atrocities, including any that may constitute genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity; and (E) work, through a high level United States Special Envoy for Sudan, with partners to engage members of the international community to join United States efforts to end the conflict and promote accountability, including by setting clear criteria for establishing a more inclusive alternative to the Jeddah talks; and (6) calls on international allies and partners, particularly neighboring countries and partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council and others with direct interests in the Sudan conflict, to— (A) join United States efforts to— (i) pressure the parties to cease hostilities; (ii) explore options to protect civilians from mass atrocities; (iii) empower Sudanese civilians to establish a path toward a peaceful democratic transition; (iv) support the establishment of credible mechanisms for accountability; (v) impose targeted sanctions on SAF and RSF members who are responsible for violations of international humanitarian law, corruption, and undermining Sudan's transition to democracy, and actors who supply or facilitate the supply of arms and materiel to either party; (vi) take steps, as appropriate, including through imposition of sanctions, to pressure belligerents to return to the rule of law as set forth by the transitional constitution and immediately cease violations of existing United Nations arms embargoes and to deter any effort by external parties to support parties financially or with arms and materiel; and (vii) provide robust in-kind and financial contributions to humanitarian assistance efforts; and (B) suspend Sudan’s participation in all regional and multilateral organizations until a civilian-led government is established.