[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 209 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6059-S6060]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 24--CONDEMNING THE HOSTILITIES IN SUDAN 
  AND STANDING WITH THE PEOPLE OF SUDAN IN THEIR CALLS FOR PEACE AND 
                      THEIR DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS

  Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. Risch) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

[[Page S6060]]

  


                            S. Con. Res. 24

       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 
     Antonio 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
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), 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.

                          ____________________