Condemning Violence and Violations of Law - Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, and Sudan

*hj0009*

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 9
P5, D5 6lr2348

By: Delegates Acevero, Addison, Alston, Coley, Hill, Martinez, Patterson,
Roberson, Stinnett, and Young
Introduced and read first time: February 9, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

A House Joint Resolution concerning 1

Condemning Violence and Violations of Law – Democratic Republic of the 2
Congo, Gaza, and Sudan 3

FOR the purpose of condemning all acts of violence against civilians and violations of 4
international humanitarian and human rights law occurring in the Democratic 5
Republic of the Congo, Gaza, and Sudan; stating grave concern over certain reports 6
and the risk of genocide in these regions; urging the government of the United States 7
to perform certain actions; and generally relating to the Democratic Republic of the 8
Congo, Gaza, and Sudan. 9

WHEREAS, The Maryland General Assembly has previously spoken out ag ainst 10
mass violence and humanitarian crises abroad, including through resolutions condemning 11
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and affirming the protection of civilians and respect for 12
international law; and 13

WHEREAS, The protection of civilians, the prohibition of collective punishment, and 14
the prevention of genocide and crimes against humanity are foundational principles of 15
international humanitarian law and the United Nations Charter; and 16

WHEREAS, In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, decades o f violence fueled by 17
armed groups and external actors have resulted in the deaths of millions of civilians, 18
widespread sexual violence, forced displacement, and ongoing instability, and recent 19
escalations continue to deepen an already devastating humanitarian crisis; and 20

WHEREAS, In Gaza, ongoing military operations have resulted in catastrophic 21
civilian harm, including the deaths of over 70,000 civilians, widespread destruction of 22
homes, hospitals, schools, places of worship, and critical infrastructure, and the 23
displacement of the vast majority of the population; and 24

WHEREAS, In Sudan, armed conflict between warring factions has led to mass 25
killings, ethnic violence, famine conditions, and the displacement of millions, with credible 26
2 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 9

reports of atrociti es amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly 1
against civilian populations in Darfur and other regions; and 2

WHEREAS, Numerous international humanitarian organizations, legal experts, and 3
United Nations officials have warned of the risk of genocide and have documented 4
violations of international humanitarian law, including the obstruction of humanitarian 5
aid and attacks on civilian objects; and 6

WHEREAS, These crises disproportionately impact women, children, the elderly, 7
religious and ethnic minorities, and other vulnerable populations; and 8

WHEREAS, Maryland is home to diverse communities with deep personal, cultural, 9
and familial ties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, and Sudan, and many 10
Maryland residents are directly affected by the suffering occurring in these regions; and 11

WHEREAS, Silence in the face of mass civilian harm undermines global norms 12
against atrocity crimes and erodes the moral authority of democratic institutions; now, 13
therefore, be it 14

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the State 15
condemns all acts of violence against civilians and violations of international humanitarian 16
and human rights law occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, and Sudan; 17
and be it further 18

RESOLVED, That the State expresses grave concern over credible reports of war 19
crimes, crimes against humanity, and the risk of genocide in these regions; and be it further 20

RESOLVED, That the State reaffirms its commitment to the values of human 21
dignity, justice, and the equal worth of all human life; and be it further 22

RESOLVED, That the State affirms that the protection of civilian life, humanitarian 23
access, and accountability under international law must be upheld without exception or 24
selectivity; and be it further 25

RESOLVED, That the State calls for: (1) an immediate and sustained ceasefire or 26
cessation of hostilities where necessary to protect civilians ; (2) full, unhindered 27
humanitarian access to affected populations ; (3) the release of all unlawfully d etained 28
civilians; and (4) independent investigations and accountability mechanisms for violations 29
of international law; and be it further 30

RESOLVED, That the State urges the government of the United States to: (1) use 31
its diplomatic, economic, and political influence to prevent further atrocities ; (2) support 32
international humanitarian relief efforts ; (3) ensure that U.S. foreign assistance is 33
consistent with international humanitarian law; and (4) work with international partners 34
to pursue durable, just, and peaceful resolutions to these conflicts; and be it further 35

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 9 3

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 1
Legislative Services to the Governor of Maryland; the President of the Senate of Maryland; 2
the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and the Maryland Congressional Delegation; and 3
be it further 4

RESOLVED, That certified copies of this Resolution be sent by the Secretary of State 5
to the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate; the United States Senate 6
Majority Leader; the United States Senate Minority Leader; the Speaker of the United 7
States House of Representatives; and the United States House of Representatives Minority 8
Leader. 9