Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 145 | Wed 08 Feb 2012

By Elizabeth Kendal

SUDAN: NUBA GENOCIDE LOOMS

When Khartoum began ethnic cleansing South Kordofan in June 2011, there
were an estimated one million non-Arab, non-Muslim, predominantly
Christian Nuba in the state. Today more than half that number have been
either killed or displaced. To maximise casualties, the Arabist-Islamist
regime of Sudan president Omar el-Bashir (an indicted war criminal) closed
the region off to humanitarian aid so as to engineer famine. Now the UN
estimates that by March up to 500,000 Nuba will be dying en masse due to
famine.

A coalition of Christian, Jewish and interfaith anti-genocide groups are
urging the American government to intensify its efforts to convince
Khartoum to open a corridor for the delivery of humanitarian aid. Aware
this might fail, they are also urging the US administration to consider
delivering aid without Khartoum’s consent, an act they acknowledge would
be fraught with risk. Khartoum insists it will never let aid organisations
reward ‘rebels’. Furthermore, without citing any evidence, it has accused
the aid organisations of arming rebels. Khartoum would surely view any
unsanctioned incursion as a hostile and provocative act and doubtless
declare it to be a trigger for war. The situation is extremely delicate.

Grave fears are held for some 200,000 starving Nuba refugees slowly making
their way south through the Kauda Valley, headed for the Yida refugee camp
in South Sudan which is already home to about 24,000 Nuba refugees.
Digital Globe images made public by Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) [
http://www.satsentinel.org/  ]show that the Government of Sudan has moved
Sudan Armed Forces’ tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and artillery into
the southern end of the valley, creating a fortified ‘choke-point’ which
is preventing refugees from escaping south. SSP images also reveal that
the runway at nearby Talodi has recently been extended to handle Antonovs
(used as bombers). Satellite images also show new elevated roads being
built into the Nuba Mountains, capable of bearing heavy military vehicles
in all weather conditions. Images also reveal that helicopter gunships
have arrived at the renovated airbase in the capital, Kadugli. Observers
believe the regime will want to complete any military offensive and
genocide before the onset of the rainy season due in around 8 weeks.

BURMA: KACHIN SITUATION IS DIRE

Behind the regime’s smokescreen of token reforms-of-convenience, Burma’s
ethnic-religious minorities are suffering more than ever. Zetty Brake of
Burma Campaign Australia told Radio Australia on 6 February that the
situation for these minorities is actually getting worse: conflict is
increasing as are human rights abuses, whilst some 60,000 displaced
Christian Kachin are still without humanitarian aid. Similarly, the UN
estimates that about 55,000 Kachin IDPs (internally displaced persons) in
two dozen IDP camps are struggling to survive without basic aid. People
are dying of preventable illnesses caused by cold weather and unsanitary
conditions. Most of the children suffer diarrhoea and stomach parasites
due to dirty drinking water. It is feared that diseases will spread. Women
are suffering miscarriages at an increased rate. The situation is dire.
Ben Rogers of Christian Solidarity Worldwide recently returned from the
Burma-China border saying he heard some of the worst stories of human
rights violations that he had ever heard in his almost 15 years of
involvement in Burma. Please pray for the Christian Kachin. Also, the
Burma Day of Prayer on Saturday 17 March 2012 is a date for church
calendars. See  http://www.csw.org.uk/prayforburma.htm  for resources.

[There is a version of this prayer bulletin with links at
http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com  ]

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT —

* the God who saved Israel from Pharaoh’s army by enabling their escape
through the supposedly impenetrable Red Sea, will save the Nuba from
el-Bashir’s genocidal schemes. ‘The Lord will fight for you; you need
only to be still.’ (Moses, to the trapped and imminently imperilled
Israelites on the shore of the Red Sea, Exodus 14:14 NIV)

* the LORD of creation, who fed 5000 men and all the women and children
present from five loaves and two fish, might magnify all efforts and
multiply all provision so that the displaced Nuba and Kachin will not
starve. (Matthew 14: 15-21) ‘I am with you always . . .’ (Jesus’ promise
from Matthew 28:20)

* Jesus Christ our LORD, who himself lived as a refugee in Egypt, might
speak with empathy into the hearts of all his displaced children in
Sudan, South Sudan and Burma, drawing them to him for healing, provision
and empowerment. (Isaiah 40:27-31)

~~~~

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
———————————————————–

CHRISTIAN REFUGEES IMPERILLED IN SUDAN & BURMA

The UN estimates 500,000 mostly Christian Nuba fleeing ethnic-religious
cleansing in South Kordofan, Sudan, will be dying en masse from famine by
March. Furthermore, some 200,000 Nuba are trapped in the Kauda Valley,
unable to cross into South Sudan because their escape route is blocked by
Sudan Armed Forces. Further to having engineered famine, the Arabist-
Islamist regime in Khartoum appears to be preparing for a military
offensive. It is extending runways, building roads and bringing in
bombers, helicopter gunships, tanks and other military hardware. In Burma,
an estimated 55,000 Christian Kachin refugees, driven from their homes by
Burmese forces during seven months of war, remain without aid. Children
are dying and women are miscarrying — the situation is dire. These are
God’s children and our brothers and sisters. Please pray.

——————–

We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ <http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com>.

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at <http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com/>.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

If this bulletin was forwarded to you, you may receive future weekly
issues direct by sending a blank email to <[email protected]>.