[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 12, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H4440-H4441]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      STAND UP FOR SUDANESE PEOPLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, last year, I had the opportunity to visit 
Sudan and hear from the Sudanese people. I saw firsthand the 
devastating toll that the Sudanese regime has taken on the country of 
Sudan and its citizens.
  Sadly, today, the hardship and violence have escalated after months 
of peaceful protests by the brave Sudanese people.
  Sudan's longtime leader, President Omar al-Bashir, was removed from 
power. Since then, the Transitional Military Council has attacked 
protesters who are peacefully calling for a transition to democratic 
governance.
  The news we continue to see from Sudan over the past few weeks has 
been nothing short of heart-wrenching as peaceful protesters have been 
attacked, threatened, and killed.
  Congress cannot sit idly by while this regime kills its own citizens, 
blocks communication to the outside world, and continues to commit 
serious human rights abuses.
  Congress must do everything we can to help end this conflict. We are 
morally obligated to use this platform to call attention to what is 
happening there and to say with a unified voice that the Sudanese 
Government's treatment of its people is completely unacceptable.
  For these reasons, I have introduced a bipartisan resolution this 
week calling attention to the situation in Sudan. I am honored that the 
chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Engel, joined two other 
leaders on this issue, Representative McGovern and Representative 
Bilirakis, in supporting this legislation as original cosponsors.
  I ask my colleagues to all join as cosponsors for this important 
resolution, a resolution that affirms that it is Congress' position 
that the Transitional Military Council must immediately stop all 
violence against peaceful protesters and begin to immediately 
transition governance to a democratic and civilian-led body.
  The Sudanese people have the right to freedom from oppression and 
violence and to live in a country where they can choose their own 
leaders without fear of persecution, without fear of violence, and 
without fear of being killed for simply asserting their right to self-
determination, as all human beings ought to be allowed.
  Simply, the ability to peacefully assemble and have one's voice heard 
is a basic human right. It should be afforded to all people, including 
all citizens of Sudan.
  This resolution also makes it clear that Sudan must improve 
dramatically if it wants to continue a productive engagement with the 
United States of America, including political reform and respect for 
basic human rights.
  This resolution affirms the right of Sudanese people to assemble 
peacefully and condemns the government's use of violence against 
protesters and journalists. We emphasize that absent political reforms 
and respect for human rights, it will be impossible for the U.S. to 
engage Sudan as a partner.

[[Page H4441]]

  It is time that we step up. It is time that we have our voices heard, 
that we stand up for people whose voices are being silenced by 
violence. We have a chance to speak in a clear voice and send a message 
that the United States and its government will support the people of 
Sudan.
  Sudan must do better because we and the world are watching. Sudan 
cannot be allowed to go down this dangerous path.
  We have to stand with the people of Sudan, stand for their democratic 
rights, allow their voices to be heard, and allow them to live in 
freedom.

                          ____________________