Bishop Asks Churches to Pray, Fast June 26 for People of Nuba Mountains Undergoing Horrific Persecution
Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org
WASHINGTON, June 23, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- IRD's Church Alliance for a New Sudan is urging churches to answer the call of an Anglican bishop for a day of prayer and fasting for Sudan June 26.
The request comes from the Rt. Rev. Andudu Adam Elnail, Bishop of Kadugli and Nuba Mountains. Since June 5, the people of Nuba Mountains (also called South Kordofan) have continuously been attacked by Sudanese Armed Forces and Arab militia. Subjected to daily aerial bombardment, the black, African Nuba face a campaign to eradicate them from the region. Recent reports tell of chemical weapons dropped from bombers on villages near the city of Kadugli.
In the 1990s hundreds of thousands of Nuba were among the 2.5 million who died during Sudan's war to create the first Arab/Islamic state in sub-Saharan Africa. The National Islamic Front regime declared Nuba Mountains Muslims as "apostate" for joining Christians to fight for secular democracy.
Bishop Andudu commented:
"Once again we are facing the nightmare of genocide of our people in a final attempt to erase our culture and society from the face of the earth. It is not a war between armies that is being fought in our land, but the utter destruction of our way of life and our history, as demonstrated by the genocide of our neighbors and relatives in Darfur.
"This is a war of domination and eradication, at its core it is a war of terror by the government of Sudan against their people."
IRD Church Alliance for a New Sudan Director Faith J.H. McDonnell commented:
"This horrific attack on the Nuba is nothing less than another ethnic cleansing leading to genocide.
"It is erroneous for the U.S. government to cast as morally equivalent the government of Sudan, conducting a racially-motivated extermination of this black, African people group, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army, defending the Nuba people.
"If Khartoum's campaign is allowed to continue, it could mean the actual end of the Nuba. This is the orchestrated extinction of an ancient civilization.
"This shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is spiritual warfare, and those who believe in the power of a Sovereign God need to treat it as such, fasting and praying for the Nuba this weekend."
www.TheIRD.org
