​Museum Statement on US State Department's Determination of Genocide in Darfur

WASHINGTON, DC - Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s determination that genocide is being perpetrated in Darfur by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias is a somber acknowledgment of the horrific crimes endured by people who have been neglected for so long. This determination, which included an announcement of targeted sanctions, would be most impactful if followed by additional efforts to protect these communities.

Tragically, these crimes could have been prevented. In 2023, the Museum warned of the risk of genocide in Darfur. Skirmishes in April of that year, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, a powerful paramilitary group, spiraled into open war with civilians targeted on the basis of their ethnicity.

“That the people of Darfur are again facing genocide 20 years after the world promised safety and accountability is a staggering injustice. Commitments made two decades ago to help victims of horrific crimes were broken, leaving the same communities vulnerable to the violence they are suffering again today. The world cannot simply use words when urgent action is needed,” said United States Holocaust Memorial Council Chair Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat.

Twenty years ago, armed forces of Sudan, with the assistance of the Janjaweed militia, which would evolve into the RSF, committed genocide and crimes against humanity against the Masalit, Zaghawa, and Fur groups, all of which are non-Arab. As with that genocide, in the current conflict, the RSF has carried out brutal extrajudicial killings and widespread sexual violence against targeted Darfuris on the basis of their identity, deliberately starving civilians and razing entire neighborhoods and villages to the ground. Some of the very people targeted 20 years ago are again struggling to survive. 

“Today’s determination brings meaningful recognition, but it is now our collective responsibility to make sure this determination spurs urgent and effective action to both halt these crimes and hold perpetrators accountable,” said Tom Bernstein, chair of the Museum’s Committee on Conscience. “Those actions should include increased pressure on states that provide financial support to the RSF. The US must also prioritize civilian protection, including by supporting locally led prevention and protection efforts.” 

About the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

A nonpartisan federal institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding, and relevance. Through the power of Holocaust history, the Museum challenges leaders and individuals worldwide to think critically about their role in society and to confront antisemitism and other forms of hate, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity.