Speak Out on Sudan: Demand Action to Protect Civilians in Sudan

CHERO KASI, SUDAN - SEPTEMBER 7: A Sudanese rebel fighter from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) sombrely watches the abandoned village of Chero Kasi burn less than an hour after Janjaweed militiamen set it ablaze in the violence plagued Darfur region September 7, 2004. United States Secretary of State Colin Powell told a U.S. congressional committee this week that the ethnic violence in Sudan amounts to
(Scott Nelson/Getty Images)

During negotiations for a new transitional government in April 2023, violence escalated after weeks of tensions between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) over security force reform. Since then, over 11 million people have been displaced, and over 24,000 have been killed.

In a report published in August 2023‘Death Came To Our Home’: War Crimes and Civilian Suffering In SudanAmnesty International documented extensive war crimes being committed by the SAF and RSF in the conflict. Many ethnic Masalit people who fled to Chad from West Darfur told Amnesty International that their towns had been attacked by RSF and heavily armed Arab militias in ethnically motivated violence.

A new report, New Weapons Fueling the Sudan Conflict: Expanding Existing Arms Embargo Across Sudan to Protect Civilians, documents how recently manufactured foreign weapons have been transferred into and around Sudan, often in flagrant breach of the existing Darfur arms embargo. Amnesty International found that recently manufactured or recently transferred weapons and ammunition from countries including China, Russia, Serbia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen are being imported in large quantities into Sudan, and then in some cases, diverted into Darfur.

Demand action in Sudan

Despite the ongoing violence and immense suffering of civilians, the White House has remained largely silent on Sudan. Demands for enforcing the 2005 UN Security Council arms embargo on Darfur have not gained traction. Meanwhile, the humanitarian response remains woefully underfunded, and civilians continue to suffer.

Take one or more of these actions below to make your voice heard!

Ask them to pressure the Biden Administration to enforce the existing arms embargo on Darfur and expand it to all of Sudan.

Sign the petition

Contact your Member of Congress, especially your Senators, and deliver the following message:

“Hi, I’m calling as a constituent of Senator/ Representative [NAME]. I would like to leave an important message for [him/her.] As a constituent of [his/hers], I am deeply concerned over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, particularly the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

I am calling to ask the Senator/ Representative to do everything in [his/her] power to stop companies in other countries from sending weapons and ammunition to Sudan that are being used in violation of international law in the conflict.

Tonight, you and I will go to sleep in the safety of our homes. In Sudan, the bombardment is non-stop, nowhere is safe, and more blood is being shed. And it’s Sudanese civilians – especially children – who are suffering the most. Thank you for taking my call and delivering my message.”

You can find out who your Representative is here and your Senator here.

Add your name to our letter to President-elect Trump, and we’ll hand deliver your signature to the White House.

Sign the letter.

Urge President Biden to:

  • Enforce the existing United Nations Arms Embargo on Darfur
  • Work to expand the arms embargo to cover all of Sudan
  • Pressure U.S. allies not to send weapons to Sudan
  • Demand unimpeded humanitarian access to Sudan

CALL (202) 456-1111. The phone line is open Tuesday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST

watercolor painting of woman with Speak Out on Sudan titleWhile the conflict in Sudan has been ongoing for more than a year, many in the US are unaware of what is happening.

You can help by speaking about Sudan with your friends, family, colleagues and classmates. Tell them what you’ve learned and ask them to take action, too.

#SpeakOutOnSudan

Rep. Sara Jacobs speaks at United for Sudan Rally to mark one year of the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan and call for immediate action to end the war on Monday, April 15, 2024 in Washington. (Joy Asico-Smith/AP Images for Amnesty International USA)
Rep. Sara Jacobs speaks at United for Sudan Rally to mark one year of the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan and call for immediate action to end the war on Monday, April 15, 2024 in Washington. (Joy Asico-Smith/AP Images for Amnesty International USA)

United for Sudan Rally

Amnesty International USA and several advocacy, human rights, and Sudanese advocacy organizations hosted a rally to demand action and show solidarity with the people of Sudan on April 15th, one year into the current conflict.

Learn about Sudan

Learn more about the conflict in Sudan through Amnesty research. Educate your community about what is happening so that more people take action!