Former Sudan President Omar al-Bashir. PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
By ABDULHAKIM SHERMAN
United States today imposed sanctions against officials of the regime of former Sudan President Omar al-Bashir as well as other individuals said to be working to suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms of Sudanese people.
In a press release, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it has imposed sanctions that include visa restrictions on Ali Karti, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs during Omar al-Bashir’s regime and the Secretary General of the Sudanese Islamic Movement, a hardline Islamist group that actively opposes Sudan’s democratic transition together with on other individuals.
“Following the fall of the al-Bashir regime, Karti led efforts to undermine the former civilian-led transitional government and derail the Framework Political Agreement process,” the statement said.
It added that Karti and other former officials in the Bashir regime have been obstructing efforts to reach a ceasefire between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, mobilizing forces to enable continued fighting, and opposing Sudanese civilian efforts to resume Sudan’s stalled democratic transition.
The US said others sanctioned includes Sudanese Islamists, as well as other individuals who are working to suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms or engage in other actions that undermine Sudan’s aspirations for democracy.
“Since the Sudanese people peacefully ousted Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, various actors, including the individual being designated today, have taken steps to undermine Sudan’s efforts to establish civilian, democratic governance,” the statement said.
The US added Karti’s actions have obstructed efforts to reach a ceasefire to end the current conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and opposed Sudanese civilian efforts to resume Sudan’s stalled democratic transition.
“The two entities designated today are RSF-affiliated companies generating revenue from, and contributing to, the conflict in Sudan,” they noted.
In addition, the Department of State said it had taken steps this week to impose visa restrictions on individuals believed to be responsible for or complicit in past and current efforts to undermine Sudan’s democratic transition.
“Today’s action holds accountable those who have undercut efforts to find a peaceful, democratic solution in Sudan,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “We will continue to target actors perpetuating this conflict for personal gain.”
The US said it will continue to hold to account those who undermine peace and a democratic transition in Sudan.
The Department of the Treasury’s designations were taken pursuant to Executive Order 14098, which targets persons destabilizing Sudan and undermining the goal of a democratic transition.
