JERSEY CITY, NJ – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement regarding the attempted military coup in Sudan:
“I condemn in the strongest terms General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s dissolution of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and the transitional government, and the reported detention of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other Ministers, as well as other civil society leaders.
“The Sudanese military’s takeover of the state apparatus is completely unacceptable and will have long-lasting consequences with respect to U.S.- Sudanese relations. However, it’s not too late to reverse course and stop this attack on Sudan’s transition towards democracy. The military arm of the Sovereign Council must immediately release the civilian members of the transitional government and stop restricting internet access to prevent the world from bearing witness to this crisis.
“The United States must use every diplomatic tool at our disposal to send a clear message to the Sudanese military that they must return to the barracks, demonstrate restraint and respect the rights of those who have taken to the streets to peacefully protest. Our partners in the Arab world and elsewhere must also push for the release of the Prime Minister and other government officials, and a transfer of leadership to a civilian as required under the terms of the transitional constitution.
“The transitional government provided hope for the Sudanese people after suffering for more than three decades under the oppressive and brutal regime of Omar al-Bashir. Its forceful toppling would be devastating for the people of Sudan and their aspirations to live under an open society where civilian rule ensures respect for their political freedoms and human rights. The world is watching and we cannot stand idly by in the face of military oppression in Sudan.”
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