Victory! U.S. Senate Passes Resolution 188
Yesterday, the United States Senate passed Senate Resolution 188: A resolution encouraging a swift transfer of power by the military to a civilian-led political authority in the Republic of the Sudan, and for other purposes. We would like to thank our Tennessee movement members who took the time to call and write Senators Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn about S.Res 188.
While neither Senator became a cosponsor of this resolution, Senator Blackburn's office responded to several of our movement members thanking them for reaching out and letting them know she would keep their requests in mind if the Resolution came to the full Senate.
We received no reports that Senator Alexander's office responded to their constituents about S.Res 188, nor did we get a response on why the Senator's Nashville office hung up on Tennessee citizens when they called.
What The Resolution Does
Since 1989, Sudan's military regime has killed and displaced millions of people through multiple genocidal wars and a vast web oppression. The situation has been so horrific that the country's now former dictator Omar al-Bashir faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.
But despite the ousting of Bashir in April 2019 following continuous mass protests, these violent policies have continued. The Sudanese people's wish for democratic, civilian rule is being thwarted by the Transitional Military Council, a group of army officers, militia leaders, and security officials who previously served Bashir. Peaceful protests continue; however, the regime has responded by shooting and raping defenseless civilians.
Senate Resolution 188 calls on a swift transfer of power by the military regime to a transitional civilian-led government. More immediately, it demands the allowance of humanitarian aid into regions that critically require food and medical supplies, a move that would save lives and prevent more deaths. The resolution calls for the officials and authorities who planned and carried out the atrocities of ethnic cleansing and other human rights abuses to be taken to justice for their crimes against humanity. With atrocities continuously committed, awareness must be raised and action taken. If you want all the nitty gritty details, you can see the full resolution here.
All that is left to do with regards to S.Res 188 is to spread the word! You can share our social media posts to let your friends and family know:
The crisis in Sudan is far from over. If you would like to stay involved, we have three ways you can directly support the Sudanese people below.
The people of Sudan are overcoming two of the greatest challenges facing humanity today: war and genocide. Operation Broken Silence is accelerating their ability to generate lasting change by funding storytelling and movement-building, education and emergency response, and grassroots advocacy programs. Here are a few ways you can join us:
1. Give Monthly To The Education In Yida. The Renewal is our unstoppable family of monthly givers who never stop fighting for change. They give automatically each and every month to the two schools we sponsor in Yida Refugee Camp, providing consistent support to 24 teachers and nearly 1,100 students from the Nuba Mountains. Right now, the schools are short about $2,500 in monthly funding. LEARN MORE »
2. Become A Fundraiser. If you can’t give monthly right now, you can start an online fundraising page for the schools in Yida. BECOME A FUNDRAISER »
3. Live In Tennessee? We need your help! There is a companion resolution in the House of Representatives. We need you to call and email your Representative and ask them to cosponsor. TAKE ACTION »
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