Christian Organisations Rush to Sudan’s Aid

On 22nd July it was declared that the killing of tens of thousands of African civilians by Arab militants in Sudan’s Dafur region is "genocide" – a crime punishable by international law.

Christian humanitarian groups have warned against such massive slayings since early this year, and have mobilised its members to provide food and aid through local workers in Sudan. World Relief, the evangelical arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, are working with the churches in neighbouring Chad to give food, clothes and supplies to the refugees displaced within the nation.

Christian Aid’s work in Sudan began in the early 1970’s after the end of the first civil war since independence gave the nation new hope. However, war again broke out just 11 years later in 1983 and the violent problems since then have continuously burdened local churches and agencies for support.

Currently Christian Aid co-operates with twenty-four local partners across the country and has an annual expenditure in the region of more than £2million. The displacement and hunger caused by warfare and drought create the constant need for both food and non-food relief amongst millions of displaced families on the outskirts of Khartoum, and amongst remote and dispersed communities across the southern part of the country from Wau to the Nuba Mountains, to northern Bahr el-Ghazal and Western Upper Nile.

The giving of relief by all Christian organisations comes at great risk and cost, as the southern and northern areas are mostly only accessible by air, and often banned by the Government in Khartoum.

Christian Aid has labelled southern Sudan a 'development disaster'. Almost 20 years of conflict has devastated health and education services. Christian Aid's partners are struggling to provide people-focused development through building civil society and community organisations which can deliver a voice to the people as well as education and other basic services.

Also providing much needed help are the Sudanese Councils of Churches, who stand up to advocate on issues of human rights abuse in circumstances of personal danger and engage, particularly in the south, in groundbreaking programmes of grassroots people-to-people peace-making.

Partners have also spoken out against investment by foreign oil companies as the war has become ever more destructive. “The Sudanese churches believe that the oil in southern Sudan is a national resource that should be used for all the peoples of Sudan,” commented the Sudanese Councils of Churches in a statement issued in late 2000. “Instead, oil revenues have been used for the purchase of weapons used for killing and displacing people in the oil areas. As shepherds of the population in the Sudan and eyewitnesses, we call upon the international community to take immediate action... [and for] the withdrawal of the oil companies.”

Offering more aid to the Sudan area is the Methodist charity; The Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF). The MRDF launched its appeal for Sudan on 24th June and since then it has raised over £16,000. The funds raised by MRDF are going directly to aid body Action by Churches Together (ACT) to meet urgent needs for shelter, food and clean water in the refugee camps in Darfur and neighbouring Chad.

Sarah Hagger of MRDF said: “We would like to thank everyone who has responded so generously and rapidly to MRDF’s Sudan appeal. Your gifts have gone directly to help people in desperate need of aid. The Disasters’ Emergency Committee appeal, launched this week, shows that the need has not gone away but has got more acute. A huge effort is still required by all agencies to help the people of Darfur.”

Action by Churches Together (ACT) have already saved so many desperate lives in the region so far, including 3,000 people, who were sheltering together in a school compound for fear of Janjaweed militia attacks. These people are now safe in Um Gozen camp after efforts by ACT to lead them to safety. In the Gozen camp ACT partners have provided water pumps, simple building materials for shelters and a medical centre to treat diseases such as malaria, typhoid and diarrhoea.

Life is harsh and basic at Um Gozen, but it is safe and better equipped than most other camps. Families fleeing from violence are arriving daily at different camps, with little shelter or clean water and at serious risk from disease and malnutrition. However, it is through the grace of God and the great efforts by these Christian relief organisations that many are being saved.