Kamlager-Dove Statement on One Year of War in Sudan

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) released the following statement marking one year since the outbreak of the war in Sudan:   

“Today, as we mark a year of devastating conflict in Sudan, we are watching a humanitarian catastrophe unfold in the face of international inattention and inaction. Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and General Hemedti’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is creating the world’s largest hunger crisis and largest internal displacement crisis. Members of the SAF have committed war crimes, and members of the RSF have committed crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and war crimes - including targeted attacks on the Masalit people in Darfur that echo the genocide that began almost 20 years ago.  

Civilians have been the primary victims of this wanton violence. 25 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. Out of a population of 45 million people, 18 million face severe hunger, with 5 million of them at life-threatening levels. 3.5 million children under the age of 5 suffer from acute malnutrition, and 90% of people who urgently need life-saving food are trapped in areas largely inaccessible to humanitarian agencies. More than 8.6 million people have been displaced. As conflicts rage on in the Middle East, Ukraine, and around the world, we cannot forget Sudan.  

The international community must push for an end to the fighting and do more to fund the persistently under-resourced humanitarian response. I was encouraged by the recent Paris conference, which saw world donors pledge $2.1 billion of the needed $2.7 billion to Sudan’s humanitarian response and urge all contributors to follow through on their commitment. The United States' pledge of $100 million brings the total U.S. contribution of humanitarian aid to more than $1 billion since the conflict began.  I am also grateful for the Administration’s recent appointment of a Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, which is necessary and long overdue. It is vital that we provide the Special Envoy with the resources and staff necessary to adequately address this crisis. At the same time, we must engage with our international partners to bring an immediate end to the fighting, address the immense humanitarian needs in Sudan, and work towards a democratic, secure future for all Sudanese.” 

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