Your constituent’s demands for Sudan, Tigray and the D.R. Congo

I am your constituent writing to demand that you take immediate action regarding Sudan, Tigray and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Here are concrete actions you should take: Sudan: Stop U.S. arms sales to the United Arab Emirates by supporting H.R. 2059 and S. 935. These bills are essential steps toward ending U.S. complicity in the devastating violence unfolding in Sudan. There UAE has provided weapons and logistical support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Please take the following actions this week: formally file the genocide-treaty request (“Article 8”) to ask the UN to act under the Charter; at the UN Security Council extend and enforce the Darfur arms embargo (UNSC 1591) to all of Sudan, fund and task the UN Panel of Experts, and require flight/cargo monitoring on the Chad routes that resupply fighters; if a veto blocks the Council, support a 24-hour Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly (“Uniting for Peace”) recommending embargo expansion, cargo monitoring, and protected humanitarian corridors from El Fasher to Tawila; and, in parallel at home, expand sanctions and finance/trade advisories on conflict-gold and logistics networks tied to RSF resupply, and audit charter/IL-76 flights into Chad with manifests shared to UN monitors. Please reply with the steps your office will take this week. Tigray: I’m also very concerned about continued obstacles to implementing the Pretoria Peace Agreement and the ongoing displacement of people from Western Tigray. Please urge the Administration to use targeted sanctions and diplomatic pressure against those blocking returns and committing abuses, and press for verified humanitarian access and monitoring so Tigrayans can safely return home. I would appreciate a response on how you plan to support enforcement of the Pretoria Agreement. The DRC: The U.S. State Department, the Congolese government, the United Nations and a number of human rights organizations have said that the Rwandan government led by President Paul Kagame is backing the M23 rebels that are one of the major forces fueling conflict in the Congo. In 2013 the Obama Administration withheld aid from Rwanda for supporting this same M23 group and we would like for you to do the same today. The State Department says there is "credible evidence" that Rwanda is providing support to the M23. There is a US Law, P.L. 109-456, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Relief, Security and Democracy Promotion Act that says the Secretary of State is authorized to withhold assistance to countries that destabilize the Congo. I ask you to act with urgency because valued lives are at stake and I don’t want to be complicit in genocide, nor should you. Resources: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/congress-do-not-allow-our-tax-dollars-to-fund-conflict-in-the-congo https://coalitionfortigray.org/guide-to-help-the-people-of-tigray/ https://coalitionfortigray.org/guide-to-help-the-sudan/ https://congoweek.org/toolkit.html https://eyesonsudan.net/ https://www.sudanaction.org/ https://www.darfurwomenaction.org/ https://friendsofthecongo.org/