June 16, 2011 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: Over the past month, the Sudanese Armed Forces have attacked and occupied the town of Abyei, shelled and overrun towns in Southern Kordofan, bombed several villages in Darfur, and blocked humanitarian access to all of these areas. These acts threaten to renew war between the North and South and come amid numerous reports of actions that may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. In light of this violence we ask that you suspend progress toward normalization and other rewards for Sudan, and impose consequences for the governments behavior instead. After the attack on Abyei, Special Envoy to Sudan Ambassador Princeton Lyman stated that such an invasion made diplomatic normalization, removal from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List, and debt relief difficult. The Southern Kordofan attacks led to White House calls for a U.N. investigation and for perpetrators of violence to be held accountable. We applaud these statements, but also believe that Sudanese leaders expect the U.S. to respond with rhetoric alone. Now is the time to prove them wrong. Please: Suspend progress on normalization with Sudan, including steps toward review of its state sponsor of terrorism status, debt relief and lifting of sanctions; Immediately impose targeted U.S. sanctions on officials and militia leaders implicated in orchestrating violence; Support expanding and strengthening existing U.N. sanctions in order to hold individuals responsible for instigating violence in Abyei and Southern Kordofan; Press the U.N. Security Council to authorize emergency planning for civilian protection and a stronger U.N. mission with a mandate that prioritizes civilian protection and access to sensitive areas on both sides of the North-South border; Call for a U.N. investigation into violence in Abyei and other border regions to ensure perpetrators are held accountable; and Press Sudans government to give peacekeepers and humanitarian groups access to Darfur and north-south border regions, including villages where displaced civilians have found refuge. Given recent violence in Abyei and Southern Kordofan, continued obstruction of humanitarian access, and aerial bombardments in Darfur, progress on rewards for Khartoum would be unconscionable. We appreciate your commitment to peace in Sudan and hope you will stand by your promise to meet aggression and obstruction with consequences. Sincerely, [THE UNDERSIGNED]