Senator Coons tells al-Burhan that U.S. Congress is supporting sanctions on Sudanese military
Senators Coons (R) and Chris Van Hollen hold a press conference in Khartoum on 5 May 2021 (ST photo)
February 8, 2022 (WASHINGTON) – U.S. Senator Chris Coons told the Head of the Sovereign Council that Congress would adopt targeted sanctions against military undermining democratic transition in Sudan.
On Monday, Coons spoke b telephone with General al-Burhan about the situation in Sudan after the coup d’etat of October 25, 2021, including the bloody violence on the anti-coup protests.
In a statement issued after the call, Coons said he reiterated his concern and that of the Congressmen about the political crisis in Sudan and the ongoing crackdown by security forces on protesters.
“Coons reminded General Burhan of the strong bipartisan support for advancing legislation that would impose targeted sanctions on those undermining the democratic transition in Sudan and violating human rights if the military does not change course,” reads the statement.
The security forces in Sudan killed 79 protesters and wounded hundreds in a bid to quell the anti-coup demonstrations that erupted hours after the coup last October.
Coons stressed the need to end lethal violence against the protesters and to hold accountable the perpetrators.
Also, expressed his support to the UN-facilitated process aiming to establish “a civilian democratic government, and facilitating the military’s exit from Sudanese politics,” said the statement.
Further, he made clear that the national electoral process cannot be rushed and that major reforms are necessary to ensure elections are free, fair, inclusive, and credible.
In Khartoum, the Sovereign Council did not issue a statement about the call.
On December 9, US Congress advanced legislation that imposes targeted sanctions “against those who impede the democratic transition in Sudan, threaten its stability, restricts freedom of expression or media access, engage in arbitrary detentions or torture, or misappropriate Sudanese state funds”.
Earlier this month, U.S. senators blamed the Biden administration for its failure to impose targeted individual sanctions on the Sudanese military after the coup.
(ST)