Washington, D.C. - U.S Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement regarding the African Union's suspension of Sudan amid reports that the ruling military in the country continue to perpetrate extreme violence against peaceful protestors:
"The African Union's (AU) suspension of Sudan from all AU activities until a civilian authority is established sends a strong message to the Sudanese ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) that the international community will not tolerate the senseless loss of life and brutal attacks on citizens witnessed this past week in Khartoum and other parts of the country, as well as the arrest of opposition leaders like Yasir Arman."
"The TMC has been warned on multiple occasions that the world is closely watching their actions and will be held accountable. In addition to today’s AU suspension, the TMC leadership has responsibility for Monday's massacre of more than 100 Sudanese citizens. The campaign of fear and senseless killing that is being driven by Lt. Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo "Hametti" and his paramilitary Rapid Support Forces must end.”
###