Africa's largest country, Sudan, gained its independence in 1956. The country recently emerged from a civil war that has left its infrastructure in tatters. The conflict broke out in 1983 when southern rebels sought independence from the Islamic government in the north. With the discovery of oil in southern Sudan, the conflicts increased as the government desired to control this vast source of wealth. Using money from the oil industry that was developed by western companies, the government purchased weapons in increasing numbers to use against the southern people. Government forces and militia destroyed entire villages and attacked hospitals and relief organizations trying to meet the needs of the people. Many women were raped and children were sold into slavery. Famine also plagued the country as a result of the war. The number of casualties was in the millions, while millions more were displaced. Although the conflict was officially about control of land and wealth, it also had a strong religious factor in that the government was strongly Islamic and the people of the south were predominantly Christian. The Muslim government declared a jihad against the people of the south which resulted in church buildings and Christian being specifically targeted.
After repeated attempts at peace talks over the past several years, a formal peace accord was signed on January 9, 2005. An interim constitution was established with the goal to adopt a permanent constitution in the near future. The interim constitution states that Islam is the majority religion in the country, but notes the place of Christianity and traditional religions. One of the conditions of the peace accord is that a referendum is to be held after six years to determine whether or not the South should remain a part of Sudan.
On January 9, 2011, people in Southern Sudan, who have suffered for decades, will go to vote for their independence. It is well known and highly likely that a new nation will be born on this date on the continent of Africa. However, the persecution and suffering of the people has left a big scar in the hearts of Southern Sudanese Christians. Millions of widows and
orphans are living without hope, both physically and spiritually. Therefore, as a follower of Christ, we know that He is the only Hope to all the nations. The Church, as the body of Christ, is rising up to assist, help feed and impart the prospect of a hope filled future to the forgotten children of Southern Sudan and the rest of the world. Imparting hope and life-skills to our people can increase chances of their survival as they go through life. The most important lesson is to know Christ as the giver of Unlimited Hope.
- Southern Sudan has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world.
- There are less than 200 doctors in Southern Sudan with a population of 11 million people.
- It is estimated that only 25 percent of the population live within a day’s walk of basic health care facilities.
- Sudan is the largest country in Africa, encompassing one million square miles and twenty-seven million people.
- Sudan’s farthest boundaries straddle Africa’s two cultural regions: the Islamic north and the Christian south.
- Within Sudan’s borders are Africa’s vast geographic regions: rain forest, savannah, steppe, and desert.
- More than 400 different languages and dialects are spoken among Sudan’s 597 ethnic groups.
- There are two major religious groupings, Islam and Christianity.
- South Sudan is an autonomous region within Sudan, and has an estimated 11 million living in it’s 10 states.
- Sudan has been host to almost continuous warfare since independence from Britain in 1956. In recent years, the country fought the longest running civil war in Africa, until it finally ended in 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
- Over two million people lost their lives during this period and four million were displaced from their homes.
- Years of conflict have left Southern Sudan as one of the poorest regions in the world.
- South Sudan has some of the worst social needs for nutrition, education, access to clean water, mother/child health, and outbreaks of common preventable diseases.
- The security situation in Southern Sudan is also an ongoing concern, despite the signing of the CPA. Widespread weaponry and age-old grievances have led to inter-ethnic conflicts, which has made it difficult for humanitarian agencies to access the most vulnerable.
- At the end of the civil war, the population displacement in Sudan was estimated at 600,000 refugees and approximately four million internally displaced people (IDPs): the largest IDP population in the world.
- The signing of the CPA created an opportunity for people to “freely choose” where to return and settle for the first time in over twenty years.
- By the beginning of 2008, over 1.2 million had returned home to Southern Sudan, most spontaneously from the Northern States of Sudan and neighboring countries. According to International Authorities estimate, over 330,000 IDPs and refugees are expected to return to Southern Sudan in 2008. Unfortunately, this further aggravates the situation of inadequate services for both host and returnee populations.
