,,iii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #ahh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #b1 #bjai,mr4 ,cruz 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,risch1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,cramer1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,isakson1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,boozman1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,mr4 ,young1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,roberts1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mr4 ,hawley1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 ,mr4 ,graham1 ,mr4 ,peters1 and ,ms4 ,smith7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,encouraging a swift transfer of power by the military to a civilian-led political authority in the ,republic of the ,sudan1 and for other purposes4 ,whereas the nation of ,sudan has endured corrupt and brutal dictatorships for most of its post-independence period since #aief2 ,whereas ,president ,omar al-,bashir came to power through a military coup in #aihi1 and for the next three decades his government was responsible for horrendous crimes in ,sudan1 especially ,darfur1 ,south ,kordofan1 ,blue ,nile1 and in what is now the ,republic of ,south ,sudan2 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,government designated ,sudan a ,state ,sponsor of ,terrorism on ,august #ab1 #aiic1 for its support to international terrorist organizations and extremists1 including elements of what would later be known as al ,qaeda2 ,whereas more than two decades of civil war between ,president al-,bashir's government and insurgents in southern ,sudan resulted in more than #b1jjj1jjj deaths and led to the eventual independence of ,south ,sudan in #bjaa2 ,whereas in #bjjc1 ,president al-,bashir's government launched a ruthless crackdown against insurgents and civilians in ,darfur that killed at least #cjj1jjj ,sudanese and displaced #b1ejj1jjj more1 resulting in ,congress and the ,administration of ,president ,george ,w4 ,bush in #bjjd describing as genocide the ,government of ,sudan's actions in ,darfur2 ,whereas in #bjaa1 when conflict resumed in ,south ,kordofan and ,blue ,nile states1 ,president al-,bashir's government conducted indiscriminate bombings and raided villages1 raping and killing civilians1 and waged a campaign of forced starvation in the ,nuba ,mountains region of ,south ,kordofan that displaced as many as #b1jjj1jjj people2 ,whereas1 while the fighting between government forces and insurgents in ,darfur has subsided since #bjaf1 when the government waged a large-scale offensive before declaring a ceasefire1 violent attacks against civilians continue and humanitarian access remains restricted in some opposition stronghold areas of ,darfur1 ,south ,kordofan1 and ,blue ,nile2 ,whereas ,president al-,bashir remains the subject of two outstanding arrest warrants from the ,international ,criminal ,court based on charges including five counts of crimes against humanity1 two counts of war crimes1 and three counts of genocide2 ,whereas ,sudan's economic crisis risks bringing the national economy to total collapse1 further raising the possibility of state failure and broader regional destabilization that could threaten a wide array of ,united ,states interests in ,east and ,north ,africa and the ,red ,sea regions2 ,whereas the people of ,sudan have engaged since ,december #bjah in a wave of peaceful protests throughout the country demanding an end to the hegemony of ,president al-,bashir's brutal regime2 ,whereas ,president al-,bashir's government unlawfully detained and tortured hundreds of ,sudanese during the protests1 including political leaders1 journalists1 doctors1 unionists1 and youth and women leaders1 in violation of the country's constitutional provisions guaranteeing free speech1 association1 and assembly2 ,whereas1 on ,february #bb1 #bjai1 ,president al-,bashir declared a year-long nationwide state of emergency and curfew1 dissolving his government and replacing state governors with senior security officers and expanding the powers of ,sudan's security forces2 ,whereas when protesters in early ,april challenged ,president al-,bashir's decrees and gathered in the tens of thousands in front of ,sudan's military headquarters in ,khartoum to call for an end to the regime1 some elements of the security forces tried to disperse the crowds with violence1 leading to clashes between internal security forces and the military as some soldiers sought to protect the protesters2 ,whereas1 on ,april #aa1 #bjai1 after five days of mass protests in front of their headquarters1 ,sudan's military removed ,president al-,bashir from office and the country's ,first ,vice ,president and ,minister of ,defense1 ,lt4 ,general ,awad ,ibn ,auf1 announced he would lead a ,transitional ,military ,committee 7,,tmc7 that would rule the country for a two-year transition period1 in addition to the suspension of the ,constitution1 dissolution of the ,national ,assembly1 and the imposition of a three-month ,state of ,emergency and nightly curfew2 ,whereas ,lt4 ,general ,abdel-,fattah ,burnhan1 former general inspector of the ,sudanese ,armed ,forces1 who replaced ,ibn ,auf on ,april #ab1 #bjai1 as the ,chairman of the ,transitional ,military ,council1 said on ,april #ba1 #bjai1 that the council was ready to hand over power tomorrow to a civilian government agreed by political forces2 and ,whereas1 the ,african ,union ,peace and ,security ,council convened on ,april #cj1 #bjai1 and reiterated its conviction that a military-led transition in ,sudan will be totally unacceptable and contrary to the will and legitimate aspirations of the ,sudanese people1 expressed deep regret that the military had not stepped aside1 and1 noting negotiations were underway1 demanded that the military hand over power to a civilian-led transitional authority within #fj days3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 encourages a swift transfer of power by the military to a civilian-led political authority in ,sudan that-- 7,a7 respects and reflects the legitimate democratic aspirations of the people of ,sudan2 and 7,b7 engages in a credible process of democratization1 governance1 and security sector reforms1 and is transparent in how it measures such progress2 7#b7 calls on the ruling authorities in ,sudan to take measurable steps to-- 7,a7 respect the right to freedom of association and expression2 7,b7 protect the rights of opposition political parties1 journalists1 human rights defenders1 religious minorities1 and nongovernmental organizations to operate without interference2 7,c7 lift the bureaucratic restrictions on and facilitate access for humanitarian relief operations2 7,d7 introduce strong measures to create transparency and address the structural corruption and kleptocracy of the state2 and 7,e7 pursue accountability for serious crimes and human rights abuses2 7#c7 expresses solidarity with the people of ,sudan1 and urges the ,united ,states ,government to provide diplomatic1 technical1 and targeted financial assistance for efforts to advance a peaceful transfer of power and a civilian-led transition period that allows for the peaceful resolution of ,sudan's conflicts and creates the conditions under which timely democratic elections can be held that will meet international standards and be overseen by credible domestic and international electoral observers2 7#d7 encourages the ,african ,union to continue supporting the ,sudanese people's aspirations for democracy1 justice1 and peace2 and 7#e7 emphasizes that until a transition to a credible civilian-led government that reflects the aspirations of the ,sudanese people is established1 the process to consider removing ,sudan from the ,state ,sponsor of ,terrorism ,list1 lifting any other remaining sanctions on ,sudan1 or normalizing relations with the ,government of ,sudan will continue to be suspended4