U.S. Commission on International
By Susan Ryan, Coordinator, Presbyterian Diaster Asssistance, February 25, 2000
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom held it’s first public hearing on the issue of Sudan on Feb. 15. The morning hearing began with a packed room of observers which dwindled over the day, a sad reminder of the transitory nature of the interest in Sudan.
Beset by slavery, famine, religious persecution, and a war that has left 2 million dead, 4.3 million displaced within the country and well over a million in exile, Sudan has become the “hell of the world and [that condition] should not be allowed to continue” (Dan Eiffe, Norwegian People’s Aid). For Presbyterians, Sudan is more than 100 years of mission history, partner churches, investment in Bible translation for language groups, and a place where mission workers serve in the midst of unimaginable suffering. Thus, although the work of the Commission is of interest and importance to the Worldwide Ministries Division, their work on the Sudan is of special concern to us.
Speakers at the hearing included Baroness Caroline Cox (known for her work in the redemption of slaves), exiled Sudanese students, non-governmental organizations, groups focusing on corporate responsibility, professors, and human rights groups. Unfortunately, the only speaker for the Sudanese Churches was Roman Catholic Bishop Gassis; therefore the situation of many Christians received only minimal focus in this hearing.
By the end of the day it was clear that there was consensus on a number of issues and debate over others. There was unanimous agreement that the religious persecution in the Sudan is pervasive, with Christians and Muslims being targets. Roger Winter of the U.S. Committee for Refugees reminded the commission that, “this is not a Christian/Muslim battle. The conflict for the past 11 years has been between Muslim extremists and everyone else including moderate Muslims. Government of Sudan forces are also attacking mosques because they are not the right kind of Muslims. There are clear religious issues in Sudan, but they cannot be simplistically seen as Christian verus Muslim.” Mr. Abdelaziz, a Muslim student who had been imprisoned several times and tortured, referred to the current regime as the “new fascism of this century.”
There was agreement that the major issues of slavery, famine, and religious persecution cannot be solved until the war is stopped. As long as the war wages on, the world will be rebuilding what is continually destroyed and providing food for people in one of the potentially richest agricultural areas of the Mideast. Over 3 billion dollars has been spent on aid to the South since the current phase of the war began (1983), yet there is nothing on the ground to show for that expenditure. Two generations of children have been denied education because of the ongoing war.
So what can the Commission recommend to Congress and what can the United States do to bring peace in Sudan? There was agreement that the U.S. embassy should not be reopened lest it send a signal that our policy towards Sudan was changing. Speakers agreed that our policy must be one of active engagement and pressure on our partners. Steve Rickard of Amnesty International asked, “Will the administration push the European Union as much on the issue of Sudan as it did on the issue of bananas?” There was also agreement that swift action should be taken to deny international oil companies currently partnering with the Government of Sudan access to U.S. capital markets. There was agreement that a “no-fly” zone over the South should be explored, and that there should be an expansion of the IGAD (Inter-Governmental Authority on Development) process with pressure for a vote on self-determination of the South. Discussion of providing direct aid to the rebel movement both with respect to weapons and food was affirmed by some with concern expressed by others.
So what should Presbyterians be doing?
Here is what is being planned through the Worldwide Ministries Division:
- Building on the testimony before the Commission we will be bringing Dr. Haruun Ruun (PCUSA mission worker and General Secretary of the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC) and Telar Deng (the Sudanese Lawyer coordinating the People to People Peace Process for the NSCC) to Washington D.C. to meet privately with the Commission. We plan to spend at least four days in Washington making visits to congressional offices, U.S. AID, and are scheduling a visit with Harry Johnston, the newly designated State Department Peace Envoy for Sudan.
- We will continue our support of the peace consultations in Sudan ($70,000 of support has gone from WMD for the March conference). By the end of March, we will have available an education packet on Sudan for advocates. Call PresbyTel at 1-800-872-3283 to get a copy
- In May, we will have a synopsis of the report that the Commission on International Religious Freedom sends to the Congress with suggestions of how individual Presbyterians can best engage their own congressional representatives on the report.
As we have in so many resolutions before the General Assembly, we solicit continuing prayer for this region. We will be presented with a small window of opportunity to make a lasting difference. Let us pray together for peace to come to those who have suffered far too much, far too long.