Sudan

South Sudan Independence Referendum

The Situation:

Click picture for detailed OCHA map.

7 Jan 2011 - On January 9 citizens of southern Sudan will vote on a referendum to secede from Sudan and form their own country. While many southern Sudanese living in northern Sudan or the border countries of Kenya and Uganda return to their hometowns in preparation for the vote, the ELCA is accompanying companions as they prepare to meet the impending humanitarian needs.

Following over twenty years of violence, including two civil wars in which more than two million people were killed, four million people displaced and millions lost in the form of infrastructure and personal property, the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005. One of the stipulations of this agreement was that southern Sudan would be given the chance to vote for its independence in January 2011.

This is an event that could end relatively peacefully with few humanitarian consequences or, alternately, could cause significant violence which would be accompanied by mass population movements, food shortages, and destruction of the already weak infrastructure in southern Sudan. If the vote passes and is accepted, a mass flux of people will return or move into the new country of South Sudan, putting intense strains on the countries resources. If the vote passes and is contested by the current government of Sudan (located in the north), renewed violence could erupt leading to more people losing their lives or being displaced. If the vote fails, disgruntled southern Sudanese may protest, which could lead again to renewed violence leading to the same end.

ELCA Response:

Photo Credit: Paul Jeffrey

To address these impending needs, ELCA International Disaster Response resources have been pre-positioned with companions in south Sudan, Kenya and Uganda that will allow for the immediate provision of food, water, shelter and security for families in Sudan and those migrating to the safety of neighboring countries. The ELCA, through it’s partnership with the Lutheran World Federation, has been assisting the needs of south Sudanese refugees living in Kenya and Uganda for many years while partnering to help repatriate and renew the lives of returning families to south Sudan.

The ELCA, a member of the global ACT Alliance, has also provided $50,000 to prepare all partners in Sudan through emergency preparedness training, coordinated communication and the security advising.

What you can do:

Pray:

Engage in prayer with Christians around the world for the Peace of Christ to be realized in the midst of this moment of tension in the life of the Sudanese people. For ideas of what to pray for check out this link from the ELCA Worship page.

Study and Share:

As we move into the time after the vote keep abreast of what is going on in the region and what needs may arise. Along with the secular media, please check back here and with the following organizations for updates:

Give:

Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response help us to provide immediate and effective support to communities which are in need. Please consider giving to support the needs of this response and others like it. Information on giving is provided in the box on the right “How You Can Help.” 100% of your gift will be used in full to bring life sustaining support to this crisis. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

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