Presbyterians call for US to help end Sudan atrocities

LOUISVILLE — The Presbyterian Office of Public Witness has joined a chorus of voices calling for the United States to intervene in the war and atrocities in Sudan, where people are suffering from starvation and mass killings.

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The Washington-based office is among more than 30 faith and advocacy groups that recently signed a letter to U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican who chairs the House Subcommittee on Africa, asking him to stress to the White House the urgent need to help bring about peace in the African country.

“As people of conscience, we urge you to impress upon President Trump the seriousness of the crisis and the power he has to stop the killing and to bring about peace in Sudan,” states the letter, which notes that “the war between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces has likely killed more than 400,000 people, displaced over 15 million, and left over 26 million people in need of emergency aid.” 

With the situation worsening, “we strongly urge you to discuss Sudan with the President, imploring him to take two immediate steps, backed by decisive action,” the letter states.

Those steps, according to the letter, are:

• Demand that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stop sending weapons to and otherwise supporting the RSF. The president “should use all levers of influence to cause the UAE to pressure the RSF to allow unrestricted, protected, and sustained humanitarian access into El Fasher and other areas under siege, to allow people to leave these areas freely and safely, and to end its targeted attacks on civilians,” the letter states.
• Surge U.S. humanitarian assistance to address the extreme hunger and deprivation experienced in El Fasher, South Kordofan, and elsewhere in Sudan and in the surrounding countries hosting Sudanese refugees.

The letter also notes that its request of Smith is unusual but is the “best hope for immediately preventing further starvation and mass atrocities, and [is] required for securing a sustainable, democratic peace. We urge the President to make peace in Sudan a top priority of his administration.”

In recent days, various groups and noted figures, including the World Council of Churches' general secretary, the Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, have raised concerns about the situation in Sudan.

In a press briefing on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar, Guterres called the war in Sudan a "horrifying crisis" that he said is "spiraling out of control."

“For over 18 months, El Fasher and the surrounding areas in North Darfur have been an epicenter of suffering, hunger, violence and displacement,” he said. “And since the Rapid Support Forces entered El Fasher last weekend, the situation is growing worse by the day.” 

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He went on to say, “Hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped by this siege. People are dying of malnutrition, disease and violence. And we are hearing continued reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. Indiscriminate attacks and targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals. Horrifying instances of gender-based and ethnic violence. And now, credible reports of widespread executions since the Rapid Support Forces entered the city. I once again call for an immediate end to this unimaginable violence. I call for the safe, rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to all civilians in need. I call for an end to the flow of weapons and fighters into Sudan, which is making a desperate situation even worse. Finally, we need an immediate cessation of hostilities.”

The UN Human Rights Office issued a statement Oct. 27 with similar concerns and noted that there are indications of “ethnic motivations for killings, and of persons no longer participating in hostilities ... Multiple distressing videos received by UN Human Rights show dozens of unarmed men being shot or lying dead, surrounded by RSF fighters who accuse them of being SAF fighters.”

Anglican bishops in Sudan, led by Archbishop Ezekiel Kondo of the Episcopal (Anglican) Church of Sudan, have condemned the violence, including the killing of women and children, and noted the reported slaughter of more than 450 people at a hospital.

“We call upon all parties to the conflict in Sudan to immediately cease hostilities,” the bishops said. “The war will not bring peace or development to Sudan. Fire cannot be quenched with fire: only water can make a difference.”