As some of you may know, we have launched a petition to the Trump Administration regarding the imposition of sanctions aginst Sudan. You can find the link here.
We have also created a template for individuals to send to their congressman/woman encouraging them to oppose the US decision to remove sanctions.
Darfur Women Action Group in partnership with Darfuri, Sudanese-American, and friends of Sudan
State of {}
Date: 7//5/17
Dear Congressman/woman []
I am writing this urgent message to you to share our concerns regarding the situation in Sudan. I ask that the US government maintain sanctions on Sudan, as it would be an important first step our government takes to end the long suffering of the Darfuri people as the 14-year genocide continues alongside massive human rights abuses in Sudan.
As members of your constituency, we are very appreciative of your commitment to human rights and justice at home and internationally. We appeal to you to make Darfur and Sudan your priority and to be our voice within the American government.
We are gravely concerned about the ongoing violence, rape, arrests, and torture that have devastated the lives of innocent civilians in Darfur. Countless men, women, and children have lost their lives, while the living endures unimaginable suffering with nowhere to escape.
The ICC has also accused al-Bashir of the world’s worst crimes- genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Bashir in addition to his crimes against the people of Darfur, he has perpetrated multiple conflicts across Sudan. His regime continues to order the rape of its civilians, and as a result, thousands of women and girls face the most brutal and dehumanizing act of abuse. In most cases those who are targeted for rape are minors, constituting the worst violations of our morals and values in which America believes.
Moreover, President al-Bashir’s regime has reportedly used chemical weapons against the people of Darfur as recently as September 2016. Although documented by credible sources, the occurrence has not yet been investigated, victims have not yet been treated, nor has accountability taken place.
Furthermore, President al-Bashir has used starvation and the blockade of humanitarian assistance for years to kill more people in Darfur, the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile region.
As if this were not enough, President al-Bashir’s government continues its close connection with terrorist groups across the Middle East and Africa to destabilize the area. This, of course, threatens the national security of the United States and the international community.
As the crimes against the people Darfur, President al-Bashir has also ordered the destruction of churches throughout Sudan along with the arrest and torture of Christian minorities in Sudan. They are consistently forced into exile demonstrating a violation of religious freedom for Sudanese citizens.
Al-Bashir’s regime continues to systematically arrest and torture human rights defenders, students, journalists and civil society leaders from Darfur and other conflict areas while restricting freedom of assembly, expression, and association.
To date, over 3 million victims of genocide, particularly in Darfur, are still without their homes and face the threat of death daily. Another million are displaced from South Kordofan and the Blue Nile region. Over 4 million people are without a home with no security or peace in place to allow them to return.
The Janjaweed’s Arab militias, the notorious Rapid Support Forces, and the border guards are still in full capacity as perpetrators with total impunity of atrocities against innocent civilians.
The Sudanese government has recently presented a new false narrative to get away with its crimes. The government perpetuates the idea that the situation in Darfur has improved, even as several attacks against civilian have taken place and have been documented, including the massacre in January 2017.
The fact of the matter is that the Sudanese government is responsible for all the crimes including when to attack. Creating a false narrative that ignores protection and accountability for 4 million people is an additional crime, one which we cannot and must not tolerate
Given the current conditions on the ground, lifting sanctions will only reward and help the regime gain access to more financial resources, international trade and investments, which will help them purchase more weapons that endanger the lives of millions of civilians, many who are already under attack. Also, rescinding sanctions will help the al-Bashir administration continue to support terrorist groups.
If the US lifts sanctions and ignores the above-noted facts, it would be a clear affront to the human rights’ norms that are enshrined in our American values. Lifting sanctions on Sudan will not only legitimize President al-Bashir and enable him to continue the slaughter of his citizens but will send a message to other criminals around the world that they will not be held accountable.
We believe that US engagement with Sudan must be built by protection of human rights, accountability, and sustainability. Representative xxxx with your help, the US administration can make this possible.
Accordingly, we urge you to stand with the genocide victims in Sudan and uphold US legal and human rights’ norms by asking the Trump administration to implement the following recommendations:
Representative, we as members of your constituency, the people of Sudan and the American public looks up to you to do what is right to end the suffering in Sudan We thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
The undersigned
November 21 - 2023
November 21 - 2023
+ Read MoreNovember 21 - 2023
November 15 - 2023
+ Read More