U.S. Lawmakers Urge President Biden to Sanction Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces for Human Rights Violations
In a bipartisan effort, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Jim Risch, along with Representatives Gregory Meeks and Michael McCaul, have called on President Biden to determine whether Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, should face sanctions for gross violations of human rights. This urgent request comes on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the conflict in Sudan.
The lawmakers cite Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s declaration that the RSF has committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing since the outbreak of fighting in Sudan. They highlight specific instances of abuse, including the abduction and killing of human rights activists, targeted threats against journalists, and the violent dispersal of peaceful protests.
Under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, sanctions can be imposed on foreign individuals who commit gross violations of human rights. The lawmakers urge President Biden to also investigate the RSF’s financial networks, such as gold smuggling, and its relationships with the Russian Federation and Wagner Group for possible corruption.
The letter emphasizes the need for a robust response to these grave violations and calls for swift action from the President. The lawmakers recommend the designation of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan under Executive Order 14098 for his role in undermining Sudan’s democratic transition and perpetuating atrocities during the conflict.
This bipartisan effort underscores the importance of holding perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable and seeking justice for the victims. The international community must stand together to condemn such atrocities and ensure that those responsible are held to account.
