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Sudan Covenanters Suffer from Upsurge in Violence
Covenant News Service
IRVINE, CA (May 1, 2002) - Some 50,000 Sudanese Covenanters are in increased
danger due to an upsurge in violence by the Northern Sudanese government,
said Jim Sundholm, director of Covenant World Relief.
Sundholm, who also serves as coordinator for Department of World Mission
Church Relations
West, traveled with Jerry Rice for two weeks in southern Sudan and western
Ethiopia, arriving back in the United States April 9. He said that the
Khartoum-based northern Sudanese government has been fighting in south
Sudan as it has attempted to gain land for oil companies to do development
work in that country. As a result, said Sundholm, many relief agencies are
unable to make drops of food and other supplies to areas that are unable to
support themselves.
"I was meeting a lot of people who weren't just living by the day, they
were living for the half day," said Sundholm in describing the desperate
situation in Sudan.
According to a recent Associated Press report, the rebel Sudan
People's Liberation Army said in a statement that mechanized infantry
columns supported by helicopter gunships began attacking rebel-held
villages in Bahr el-Ghazal and Western and Eastern Upper Nile provinces
last week.
The Sudan People's Liberation Army has been at war with the Khartoum-based
government since 1983. Heavy fighting was also taking place on a road
connecting the towns of Wau and Gogrial. Christian Solidarity International
told the Associated Press that the entire population of Gogrial had
been evacuated and that 20,000 had left their homes.
Covenant churches in south Sudan have been fortunate in getting needed
supplies because of proximity to Ethiopia in what is called the Upper Nile
region. "Most agencies spend 30 cents on the dollar to fly supplies into
the area, but we have an enormous savings because of our base in western
Ethiopia," he said. "People could drive or walk supplies in or fill a canoe
and float supplies across the river."
Sundholm said that the purchase of needed canoes has been a godsend.
Through Covenant World Relief, the Covenant Sudanese congregations have
also benefited from learning about drip irrigation, which can help them
grow crops when there isn't much water. Where many areas are
experiencing food shortages, other areas served by Covenant churches are
more secure because they are producing crops such as corn or sorghum (a
type of grain) and harvesting a plentiful supply of fish in the Upper Nile.
Lately, however, local militia have harassed innocent people and looting by
roving thieves has increased, said Sundholm, who added, "Now North Sudan is
bombing areas that have the ability to produce food and they can't plant
crops. "The churches seemed to be thriving in the midst of
persecution, but it's beginning to be difficult to resource them."
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