wfn.org | Mission leaders call for international peacekeeping in Sudan

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

April 29, 2004	   ALL-AF-I{199}

NOTE: Photographs of the Rev. R. Randy Day and Bishop Joseph Humper, along
with the full text of Day's statement and a sidebar, are available at
http://umns.umc.org.

By Elliott Wright*

PITTSBURGH (UMNS) --The top mission executive of the 10-million member United
Methodist Church is calling for an international peacekeeping effort in the
Sudan, where government-supported militia have caused the death and
displacement of millions of people. 

The Rev. R. Randy Day, top staff executive of the United Methodist Board of
Global Ministries, made the appeal April 28 from the site of the
denomination's General Conference, a quadrennial legislative meeting.

In a related move, Bishop Joseph Humper of Sierra Leone, a director of the
New York-based mission agency, sent a letter to United Nations Secretary
General Kofi Annan, urging quick U.N. action to ward off a human catastrophe
in the Sudan. The bishop is chair of the Sierra Leone Commission on Truth and
Reconciliation, which is trying to repair disruptions caused by civil
conflicts in his country.

"Christians, including United Methodists, cannot stand idly by as the shadow
of what may become genocide spreads," Day said, appealing to church members
to join their voices to call for international action to stop the carnage in
Sudan. He also asked United Methodists to contribute to the denomination's
effort to care for refugees, many of whom are finding their way into the
neighboring country of Chad.

The Sudan Council of Churches and Norwegian Church Aid issued an April 27
emergency appeal for refugee assistance. The United Methodist Committee on
Relief is responding to that appeal by working with other agencies now
ministering to refugees who have moved into Chad.

"We must engage in all productive efforts for peace, and we must reach out to
victims in the name of Jesus Christ and to be agents of the Prince of Peace
for combatants on all sides," Day said.

The conflict is focused in the Darfur area of southern Sudan, where Islamic
militants, which have backing from the government, continue to harass other
populations despite a formal ceasefire.

Bishop Humper compared what is happening in Darfur to what happened a decade
ago in Rwanda, when a government-backed, ethnically based campaign killed
800,000 people. He asked the U.N. secretary general to use the "strengths of
your office to promote peace, stability and fair treatment of all ethnic
groups in Sudan."

The Pittsburgh statement was the second in a month from the head of the
United Methodist mission agency. Day noted that the conflict shows no signs
of abating. The United Nations continues to report the displacement of large
numbers of people.

Day asked United Methodists in the United States to join in a campaign
sponsored by Church World Service to win public support for congressional
measures aimed at stepped up U.N. investigation of the situation. Noting that
the U.N. High Commission on Human Rights is organizing a fact-finding
mission, Day said that increased messages to Congress will strengthen the
cause of peace and show support for the international solution in Sudan.

"The suffering of the people of Sudan is enormous." Day said. "The U.N.
states that 2 million Sudanese have died and 4 million out of a population of
29 million are internally displaced. The root causes ... include disputes
over resources, power, the role of religion in the state and
self-determination." 

The fact-finding mission from the U.N. High Commissioner's Office has spent
time in Chad and noted that in the past year at least 110,000 people have
fled from Darfur. Other U.N. sources say that 700,000 people are internally
displaced in Darfur. Atrocities have been reported, including killings and
the destruction of towns, villages, schools, wells and food supplies.

An official of the U.S. Agency for International Development on April 27 said
that black Africans in Sudan were victims of "ethnic cleansing."

Day appealed to United Methodists worldwide to directly contact U.N.
officials on behalf of greater peace efforts in Sudan. He expressed hope that
the African Union, an umbrella organization, would move swiftly to set up a
regional peacekeeping force.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief has set up a Sudan Emergency fund to
respond to the needs of refugees entering Chad. The United Methodist relief
arm is working with partner agencies, including Actions by Churches Together,
an alliance of many denominations. Contributions may be sent to Sudan
Emergency, UMCOR, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 (Advance No.
184385).

# # # #

*Wright is a correspondent for United Methodist News Service

News media contact: (412) 325-6080 during General Conference, April 27-May 7.
After May 10: (615) 742-5470. 

The full text of Day's statement follows:
A Call for Peacekeeping in Sudan

R. Randy Day
General Secretary
General Board of Global Ministries
The United Methodist Church

An international peacekeeping effort is urgently needed in the Darfur region
of southern Sudan, and speedy attention must be given to the situation of
refugees uprooted by fighting that continues despite a formal ceasefire.

United Methodists worldwide have an opportunity to call for an international
response to halt a grave humanitarian crisis caused by bitter political,
economic and inter-ethnic conflict. They can also respond to the needs of
displaced persons. 

The struggle in Sudan is primarily between government-supported Islamic
militants and more moderate Muslims and other groups, some of which are
organized into "liberation" movements. An official of the United States'
Agency for International Development (USAID) on April 27 said the militia
were engaged in "ethnic cleansing" against black Africans.

Ethnic and cultural conflicts in Sudan are not new but seem to be growing
worse. Vast numbers of people have been uprooted and killed in the current
round of hostilities. The United Nations reported on April 18 that "at least
50,000 people have fled their homes in recent weeks because of militia
attacks and fighting" between the two sides.

I am hopeful that the African Union, which is investigating the ongoing
conflict, will organize a regional peacekeeping force that may be able to
move swiftly to achieve stability. I also hope that this effort will receive
the fullest support from the United Nations Security Council including the
USA.

I urge church members in the United States to lend their support to a
Sudanese Peace Initiative organized by Church World Service, the ecumenical
relief agency representing 36 denominations. The focus of the appeal is
support for congressional resolutions that pressuring the United Nations
investigate the situation in Darfur. While the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights announced on April 20 that a fact-finding
mission will be allowed into Darfur, continuing messages to Congress will
strengthen the cause of peace and show support for the international
approach.

United Methodists around the world can affirm the UN High Commissioner's
mission and also contact other officials of the United Nations urging
peacekeeping initiatives in Sudan. (Information on how to engage in peace
advocacy for Sudan is given below).

Church members can also support the emergency efforts of the United Methodist
Committee on Relief (UMCOR) as it responds to Sudanese refugees in
neighboring Chad. (The Advance number for the Sudan Emergency is 184385).

The suffering of the people of Sudan is enormous. The UN states that two
million Sudanese have died and four million out of a population of 29 million
are internally displaced. "The root causes...include disputes over resources,
power, the role of religion in the state and self-determination". The
fact-finding mission from the UN High Commissioner's Office has spent time in
neighboring Chad and noted that in the past year at least 110,000 people have
fled from Darfur. Other UN sources say that 700,000 people are internally
displaced in Darfur and that there are atrocities committed which include
killings and destruction of towns, villages, schools, wells and food
supplies.

Christians, including United Methodists, cannot stand idly by as the shadow
of what may become genocide spreads. We must engage in all productive efforts
for peace and we must reach out to victims in the name of Jesus Christ and to
be agents of the Prince of Peace for combatants on all sides.

 
 

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org