Sudan: Christians pray ahead of elections
19 May 2010We are urged to pray for the country’s first democratic elections in 24 years taking place from April 11 to 13 that could help pave the way for lasting peace, or spark another civil war. Relief organisation Samaritan’s Purse International said, ‘In 17 years of doing relief work in Sudan we’ve witnessed so much horrific violence. With this historic election Sudan sits at a crossroads and has an opportunity for long-term peace. We are asking every Christian to join us in prayer for the people of Sudan’. Sudan has been embroiled in a 21-year civil war sparked by government efforts to impose Islamic law on the mostly Christian south. The war was one of the longest lasting and deadliest of the late 20th century with an estimated 2 million civilians killed in southern Sudan and more than 4 million people displaced because of the violence.
Pray: that all polling stations will be safe and secure, for peaceful elections, for political stability in Sudan and for an end to the conflict in Darfur. (Ps.12:5)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.pray.ahead.of.sudan.elections/25580.htm
Sudan: Christians evacuated
11 Jan 2013Barnabas Fund has transported over 2,300 Christians from Sudan since the start of its rescue mission four months ago. The Christians are being evacuated because of increasing hostility in the majority-Muslim country. After South Sudan gained independence in 2011, the largely Christian Southerners living in Sudan lost their citizenship rights and were ordered to leave. There is little sign of conditions improving as Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has vowed to bring in a fully Islamic constitution and strengthen Sharia law. The Christians in the Barnabas evacuation programme are being taken to South Sudan, which is largely Christian. The evacuees, who include women and children, are being transported by bus in partnership with Africa Inland Church Sudan. There are plans to rescue another 1,500 from Sudan. Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said: ‘It has been wonderful to see the Lord’s hand at work in the Exodus mission.’
Pray: that God will continue to bless this work so that many more Christian women and children trapped in Sudan can be helped to safety. (Ps.34:22)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.evacuated.from.sudan/31398.htm
Sudan: Christians detained; Violence kills 60
09 Mar 2013Dozens of Sudanese Christians were thought to be trapped in a Sudanese prison Saturday, February 23, as violence raged in renewed fighting between two Arab tribes, killing scores of people. At least 55 Christians were detained by the government of Sudan over two weeks ago on ‘false accusations’ of allegedly receiving money from foreign countries, including Israel, according to Christians with close knowledge of the case. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said the group, which has no political affiliations and includes church leaders, was jailed as part of a wider crackdown on Christians in the volatile Islamic country. ‘CSW is deeply concerned at these arbitrary arrests and the wider news of an escalating crackdown on Christian citizens in Sudan’ said CSW’s Advocacy Director. ‘We urge the Sudanese government to release these prisoners and end its campaign of harassment against the Christian community.’ Also on Saturday 60 people died in fighting over mining rights in northern Darfur.
Pray: for detained believers and other Christians forced to flee areas of Sudan because of clashes and Islamic pressure by the government. (2Pe.1:2)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/26685-sudan-detains-dozens-of-christians-violence-kills-60
Following last week's Prayer Alert report of thousands fleeing burning and looting by North Sudan forces in and around Abyei, the Sudanese government has presented a package of proposals to resolve the issue of Abyei’s disputed oil-rich area. The proposals included deploying African Union troops and appointing a new chairmanship for the area on rotation between north and south Sudan. Elsewhere conflict continues as Sudanese authorities arrested a Christian woman in a Darfur camp accused of possessing and distributing Bibles. Sources said she could also be tried for apostasy, which carries the death sentence in Sudan. In Khartoum a wounded Christian mother of a 2-month-old baby and her husband are destitute because they left Islam for Christianity. Northern Christians are becoming more vulnerable. Source: Pray: that Sudan’s spiritual atmosphere changes from death to life and the proposals resolve the conflict peacably. (Is.2:4) More: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=590670
Sudan: Alarm over demolition of church
28 Jun 2012The World Council of Churches (WCC) and All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) have condemned the destruction of a church in Sudan. The Episcopal Parish Church of Saint John, Haj Yousif, in Khartoum was reportedly demolished on 18 June on the orders of Sudanese government officials. The WCC and AACC have denounced the action as the latest in a series of ‘calculated attacks’ on minority communities and Christians in particular. On 21 April, the Sudan Evangelical Church Bible School in Khartoum was destroyed and books including the Bible set on fire in full view of the police. Two days later, security forces occupied the premises of the Sudan Council of Churches and Sudan Aid in Nyala, Darfur, and confiscated property. The WCC and AACC warned that Christians of Muslim background were being targeted and dispossessed of their property and their spouses.
Pray: for God’s people in Sudan that they will be covered by the armour of God. (Eph.6:10-20)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/alarm.over.demolition.of.church.in.sudan/30144.htm
Sudan: A call to prayer
23 Jun 2011
June 21st the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kadugli called Sunday June 26th a day of prayer and fasting ‘To end the Nuba Genocide and for the Peace of all Sudan’ as Sudan faces the nightmare of genocide in what the Bishop called, a final attempt to erase our culture and society from the face of the earth. It is not a war between armies that is being fought in our land, but the utter destruction of our way of life.’ See Meanwhile President Bashir threatened to shut pipelines carrying South Sudan's oil. Oil accounts for 98% of the south's income. Most pipelines, refineries and the main port is in the north. Talks between North and South continue regarding oil, citizenship and disputed borders while horrendous fighting persists between Christians and Muslims. See last weeks Prayer Alert and INSIGHT article.
Pray: for God in His mercy to place His hand over this situation and bring order out of chaos. (2Ch.14:11)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13870929
Sudan: 165 killed in clashes
11 May 2011
A clash between South Sudan's army and rebel militias resulted in 165 deaths on April 25th. The wave of violence sweeping the new nation is threatening to destabilize it before it can achieve formal independence in July. Violence has been reported in nine of South Sudan's 10 states in 2011, reportedly killing close to 1000 people and displacing 100,000. ‘The closer southern Sudan gets to independence, the more unstable the region appears,’ notes one journalist. As we watch we can pray for the Lord to arise and do battle for this fledgling nation - praying for Him to accomplish His will and purpose for South Sudan. (Ps.68:1; Jer.29:11) Pray: for the spirits of violence, mayhem and terror to be bound asking the Holy Spirit to move throughout Sudan giving peace and hope to the people. (Mat.16:19) More: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/26/3200157.htm
Sudan/South Sudan: Buffer zone
06 Oct 2012Last week Sudan and South Sudan signed nine agreements settling some disputed issues and established security cooperation between the two governments to stop rebel attacks from both sides through a number of measures including a 14 mile buffer zone of pasture land on the common border. Some Dinka think they have been abandoned by their government, believing this agreement gives another opportunity for the marauding Murahaleen to resume their rustling; while others view it as a trading off of their land for a region that initially in terms of law and administration chose not to be part of South Sudan. Meanwhile, although they welcomed these agreements, the rebel alliance Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) said they are determined to bring down Khartoum's regime. An SRF spokesperson said they doubt Khartoum's regime will implement what is agreed in Addis Ababa. See also: http://allafrica.com/stories/201210030016.html
Pray: for peace between the two Sudans and for speedy implementation of all the agreed provisions. (Lk.6:37)
More: http://allafrica.com/stories/201210020985.html