In mid-April, violence erupted in Khartoum and across Sudan as two sides with powerful forces fought against each other. Hopes that the violence would end are diminishing, while more than 500 civilians have been killed and more than 100,000 have fled the country.
We live in Juba, South Sudan, relatively far from the conflict but also the country next door. Life in Juba feels relatively ‘normal’. But Juba is already feeling the impacts of the conflict. This week I talked to one friend here in Juba, who is worried about his elderly father and sister in Khartoum and is trying to convince them to come to South Sudan. “They do not want to leave,” he said, “They say ‘we fled from the war in South Sudan in 2016. Now there is war in Khartoum. We don’t want to flee again.’” Our friend explained that civilians are not being specifically targeted, but that the bombs can fall anywhere and people are killed in the crossfire. In addition, it is nearly impossible to find water, food, and fuel for power. To stay is very risky.
Many of our friends and colleagues in Juba have relatives
in Khartoum, some of whom are now coming to South Sudan, and specifically to Juba to escape
the war. A church leader we know moved his wife and children
to another part of Sudan to escape the war. There was already a financial
crisis in South Sudan along with floods in rural regions that made many people
in a desperate, fragile situation. Now, residents in Juba are hosting relatives
fleeing war or looking for funds to help their relatives leave Khartoum. This
week it was reported
that more than 50,000 people have entered South Sudan from Sudan because of the
conflict.
There are many churches in Khartoum, even though it is a
majority-Muslim country, and they are particularly vulnerable in this conflict.
This
article describes some of the impact on the Christian community, and some
of our partners are quoted in the article.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, barely
12 years ago. The people of South Sudan have a long and complicated
relationship with the government of Sudan and the city of Khartoum, in
particular. Most South Sudanese leaders, including church leaders, were raised
or educated in Khartoum. South Sudan’s primary source of revenue is its oil,
which is exported through Sudan. Political leaders from Sudan helped to
negotiate the current peace agreement in South Sudan, and now leaders from
South Sudan are working to negotiate a cease-fire and resolution between the conflicting
parties in Sudan. Even though we are not in the midst of war here in Juba, we
expect the tragic consequences and impacts of the war to be increasingly felt
here in South Sudan in coming days.
Please join us in praying for the people in Sudan. We offer this prayer by deacon Noha Kassa in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Bahri, Khartoum, which was damaged by munitions fire last week.
For the families displaced from their homes, unable to return.
For the sick and injured who cannot find medical care.
For the poor and those trapped inside, lacking food.
For those who lost a loved one, to have God’s comfort.
“Pray for all of this to stop soon,” said Kassa. “And for all who have lost hope, that they might find it again.”
Photo source: https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2023/apr/30/us-conducts-1st-evacuation-tfp/
