Published December 4, 2024
Dear Secretary Blinken,
We, the undersigned organizations, write with deep concern about the ongoing and increasing atrocities in Sudan, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and potentially genocide. In December 2023, we welcomed your determination that members of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had committed war crimes, and that the RSF and allied militias committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing since the conflict broke out in April 2023. Now, in light of the alarming developments over the last year, we urge you to issue an updated atrocity determination for Sudan and take concrete actions to protect civilians and prevent further atrocities in line with the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act, the U.S. Strategy to Anticipate, Prevent, and Respond to Atrocities, the Women, Peace, and Security Act, the U.S. Strategy and Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, and other U.S. prevention-oriented laws and policies. An updated atrocity determination should include war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by both the SAF and RSF, as well as assess whether any of the crimes committed to-date constitute genocide.