Advocacy Action for Southern Sudan ... please take 60 seconds and act now!

Friends,

this alert just came from the Episcopal Public Policy Network. Please take a minute and take this simple action, which is so critical for our sisters and brothers in Southern Sudan.

We here in Missouri have had a companion relationship with the Diocese of Lui in Southern Sudan for several years now. Over the past few weeks we have heard increasing reports of violence in the neighboring diocese of Mundri with refugees streaming into Lui. This is a critical action at a critical time ... and it takes no more than 60 seconds.

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During his campaign, President Obama spoke of the need to stop he so-called "Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)," a Uganda-based rebel group that has been active in South Sudan and other parts of the region for more than two decades Over the past six weeks, the people of South Sudan, already living precariously with their northern neighbors, have been terrorized by an unremitting campaign of LRA militia attacks on civilians.

Christianity is the majority religion in South Sudan and the violence has had a particular effect on the Episcopal Church of the Sudan,. Some of the earliest attacks – which included killings, child abductions, decapitation, and other unspeakable crimes at the hands of the LRA – were directed at parishes and villages in the Dioceses of Mundri and Ezo. Tragically, the violence appears to be spreading, with reports from bishops and others in Sudan that LRA activity has reached across southern Sudan to Torit, Kajokeji, Lainya, Yei, Yambio, Ibba, Maridi, and Lui.

Last week, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori urged Americans to learn more about the situation, advocate for a U.S. government response, give to the work of Episcopal Relief and Development in the region, and pray for peace. To read the Presiding Bishop's statement, click here.

WHAT ONE CAN DO:

Click here to send a message to the White House, asking President Obama to take urgent action with other international leaders to stop the violence.

Ask him now to work to ensure:

(1) a viable strategy to arrest LRA leaders and bring them to justice;

(2) robust protection for civilians as the governments of Southern Sudan, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue a joint effort to apprehend LRA leaders;

(3) a negotiated end to the LRA's activity in the region; and

(4) an adequate deployment to the region of UN peacekeepers.

"Prayers and intervention needed in Southern Sudan" -- by Mama Daria Kwaje

I was supposed to send my EGR writing on the 1st of February, but also I was out in Rokon dioceses conducting a conference for the women. In Rokon there is no access of communication only satellite phone.

Maybe this will be the only information that I want the readers to know and pray upon it. Our dioceses in Western Equatoria (South Sudan) has a very big and critical issue of attacks by the Ugandans Rebels so-called Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) since the whole of December last year entering to January this year up to this present day. Beginning from Lui, Mundri, Maridi, Yambio and Ezzo diocese. The LRA has made a lot of damages to the people in these areas, killing and looting their properties. Many people died, some were injured and some were scattered in the bush and many others ran to the town whereby food and accommodation became a problem, no shelters, no medicines.

We are unable to help the situation, we need your support in prayers so that God can intervene to calm the situation, This year will be the year of hunger if the LRA remains there because people will not be able to cultivate, the children were scattered from their schools and many of the small children will be affected with malnourishment due to lack of food.

Mama Daria Kwaje is a Mother's Union Provincial Worker, Episcopal Church of Sudan.

For more on the LRA attacks in Southern Sudan, read this ENS article.