Please Sign Letter to UN Security Council on Sudan

Dear Members of the UN Security Council:

We, the undersigned, are a group of individuals and organizations that advocate for human rights and religious freedom around the world. We represent diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds but are united in our goal of promoting freedom of religion and human rights for all.

We are writing to you to express our concern regarding the deteriorating situation that is currently unfolding in Sudan.

We appreciate the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 2736 on June 13, 2024. The resolution addresses some of the concerns that we have about Sudan. The ending of the siege of El Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces, protection of civilians, and opening of humanitarian corridors so people can leave El Fasher are key elements in the resolution.

However, we have significant concerns about what the resolution failed to address. Regarding the resolution’s call for lifting of the siege of El Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), we have two questions.

First, what is the deadline for lifting the RSF siege? UNSC Res. 2736 contains no specific deadline for when this siege should be lifted. How much time does the RSF have to lift this siege? Respectfully, we urge the Security Council to set a deadline for the RSF to lift its siege of the beleaguered city.

Second, where is the enforcement mechanism to enforce the lifting of the siege? Resolution 2736 did not authorize any enforcement by the United Nations or African Union if the RSF refuses or fails to lift its siege.

We also have two other concerns. The resolution failed to address the brazen flouting of the arms embargo currently in force for Darfur. The arms embargo should be extended to all of Sudan. The Security Council should call for sanctions on UN members that violate the embargo.

The resolution also fails to call for accountability by both the RSF led by General Hamdan and the Sudanese Armed Forces led by General Burhan. The war crimes and crimes against humanity against the civilian population by both forces should be tried in the International Criminal Court, the courts of Sudan, and courts with universal jurisdiction around the world.

Human Rights Watch has called for the African Union to work with the United Nations to deploy a Civilian Protection Mission to Sudan. Genocide Watch has called for such a UN/AU peacekeeping mission since July 2023.

We, the undersigned, agree with these proposals made to the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Justice Council. We encourage you to authorize, mandate, and fund these proposals for a strong UN and AU peacekeeping mission in Sudan.

We ask that a new UN Security Council Resolution be drafted, debated, passed, and implemented in time to save the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people now trapped by the civil war in Sudan.

We thank you for your consideration in this critical situation.