04/11/2019 04:38 PM EDT
Press Statement
Morgan Ortagus
Department of State Spokesperson
Washington, DC
April 11, 2019
The United States is closely monitoring the situation unfolding in Khartoum. The recent demonstrations clearly articulated the will of the Sudanese people to end Omar al Bashir’s rule. We commend the Sudanese people for maintaining peaceful demonstrations since December 2018. Sudan has the opportunity to set itself on a new path – one that must include legitimate democratic elections, respect for human rights, and a civilian-led government.
The United States strongly supports a peaceful and democratic Sudan. We call on the transitional government to follow the will of the people, work in an inclusive way with all representative parties, and commit to a speedy handover to civilian rule.
We condemn the abuse of force by security services that has resulted in the death of more than 20 civilians. We call on all armed parties to show restraint, avoid conflict, and remain committed to the protection of the Sudanese people.
The U.S. government in the coming days will discuss the situation with government officials and a range of Sudanese stakeholders to encourage a democratic transition. In the interim, we have suspended further Joint Review Committee discussions on Phase II, a process designed to expand bilateral ties with Sudan in six key areas: severing ties with North Korea, expanding counterterrorism cooperation, resolving internal conflicts, expanding humanitarian access, protecting human rights, and addressing outstanding legal claims related to victims of terrorism. These talks were scheduled for the last week of April.
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