Sudan Events – Reports
The U.S. House of Representatives (118th Congress, 2023–2024) passed Resolution H.Res.1328, condemning the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and labeling its actions as genocide.
The resolution was introduced by Representative James John, a Republican from Michigan, representing the 10th district. This aligns with the Republican Party, led by Donald Trump, the current President-elect of the United States.
Context of the Resolution
The resolution was submitted to the House on June 27, 2024, following reports and documented evidence of atrocities starting in June 2023. These events included the killing of Khamees Abakar, the governor of West Darfur, by the RSF and allied forces in Geneina, the West Darfur capital. According to Human Rights Watch, over 1,100 civilians were killed in Geneina alone since April 2023, amidst violent attacks targeting the Massalit tribe and other non-Arab ethnic groups.
The RSF, along with allied militias, conducted widespread looting, arson, and destruction of vital infrastructure such as internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, hospitals, and markets. Local leaders, human rights defenders, and lawyers representing previous attack victims were also targeted and killed.
Key Provisions of H.Res.1328
The resolution:
1. Demands an immediate cessation of violence in Sudan.
2. Urges the U.S. and international community to protect Sudanese civilians.
3. Supports international investigations to hold the RSF accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
Legal Basis in International Law
The resolution invokes Article II of the 1948 Genocide Convention, which defines genocide as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, including:
Killing members of the group;
Causing serious bodily or mental harm;
Imposing living conditions calculated to destroy the group physically;
Preventing births; and
Forcibly transferring children to another group.
The resolution references atrocities committed in Darfur in 2003, where government-backed Janjaweed militias targeted Fur, Zaghawa, and Massalit communities, resulting in over 200,000 deaths and 2 million displaced persons, according to UN statistics.
It highlights the continuity of violence, noting that RSF commander Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti) was a key Janjaweed leader during the 2003 genocide and currently heads the RSF.
Supporting Evidence
The resolution cites multiple reports, including:
CNN (August 2023): Documented targeted killings in Geneina resembling past genocidal acts.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (November 2023): Reported kidnappings and slavery-like conditions for women in RSF-controlled areas.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (December 2023): Confirmed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing in Sudan.
Summary of Atrocities
The resolution provides detailed evidence, including:
Mass killings and targeted executions of non-Arab ethnic groups, including the Massalit.
Widespread sexual violence, forced displacements, and destruction of villages and infrastructure.
Denial of humanitarian aid and deliberate imposition of life-threatening conditions.
Broader Implications
The resolution is non-binding but serves as a formal condemnation of the RSF’s actions, emphasizing the intent to destroy non-Arab ethnic communities. It also underscores a call for justice and accountability, invoking international human rights and legal standards to address ongoing atrocities in Sudan.
