The season of Advent offers us not only a time to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ but also a moment for deep reflection. It is a season to pause and recognise the blessings we so often take for granted – a warm meal, a roof over our heads, the care of our family, community and Church.
Now, as Advent unfolds, I find my thoughts returning to reflect on the situation in Sudan. The ongoing war – a conflict that has already caused so much suffering – still shows no sign of resolution. And the silence from the global community is deafening. My concern deepens as South Sudan is now also beginning to show signs of fragility and turmoil. It is slowly being engulfed by the violence spilling over its borders.
When I visited South Sudan in 2023, the country was just recovering from a civil war. It was evident that there were many challenges – the trauma of conflict, struggles of poverty and the need for rebuilding and development. Despite the hardships, I was deeply moved by the resilience and faith of the people, which was palpable throughout my visit. Even now, despite the increasing difficulties, South Sudan continues to host over 330,000 refugees, many of them from Sudan. They welcome them with open hearts, offering what little they have to provide safety and hope.
But of course, amidst the hope and resilience, the issue remains: the war is largely ignored by mainstream media, the humanitarian crisis is unknown to many, and little has been done to bring the conflict to an end. The statistics on the suffering have been recounted multiple times but must be repeated time and time again to convey the severity of the situation. <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/projects/sudan-conflict/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">According to Amnesty International</mark></a>, over 9 million people in Sudan have been internally displaced, while a further 1.8 million have fled the country. An additional 25 million are at grave risk of food insecurity, with famine already taking hold in North Darfur. Nearly 3 million children are reported to be “acutely malnourished”.
But this is just the visible part. The reality of suffering goes much deeper. Targeted violence against women and girls, slavery, and war crimes occur daily. On 1 December, the first day of Advent, intense shelling targeted Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur – a place that should have been a sanctuary, free from violence. The situation is so severe that the food experts have formally declared Zamzam to be <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/12/1157726?utm_source=UN+News+-+Newsletter&utm_campaign=f19ce28ecc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_12_04_01_00&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fdbf1af606-f19ce28ecc-110207018"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">in a state of famine</mark></a>.
The cries of the bishops of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference (SSSBC) for the world to listen and act remain unanswered. Just this November, the bishops appealed to the global community to intervene and to help them with the devastating impact of disintegration and to help them restore peace. They had serious concerns about the postponement of the elections in South Sudan. It is hard to know who is listening, as people continue to ask: “What is happening in Sudan, and why are people fleeing?” Many remain unaware of the <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/africa/news/2024-11/rescue-sudan-from-disintegration-bishops-of-sudan-and-south-sud.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NewsletterVN-EN"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">atrocities carried out</mark></a> in Khartoum, El Fasher and Darfur.
In times of crisis, it is easy to feel defeated and hopeless. Yet, inaction and despair do not bring solutions. While it is the global community's moral responsibility to act, we too must act in the spirit of solidarity, advocacy, and charity. You could write to your MP and ask them to raise the issue. You could donate to <a href="https://cafod.org.uk/give/donate-to-emergencies/sudan-crisis-appeal"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">Cafod’s appeal</mark></a> – even as little as £5 can provide a family with clean water. And we can share our awareness with others. As Isaiah 1:17 reminds us: "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."
Prayer is, obviously, an essential response. In itself it does not work by magic, but it can change hearts, starting with our own. At the heart of the Christian story is a family in need of shelter, hospitality. Within the story we are not spared humanitarian atrocities as the Holy Family are forced into exile as refugees. This story is relevant to our own times. Perhaps I can’t do much, but I can do something. The question is; will I?
<em>Photo: Sudanese families who have fled from the war in Sudan carry their belongings while arriving at a transit centre for refugees in Renk, South Sudan, 14 February 2024. (Photo by LUIS TATO/AFP via Getty Images.)</em>
<em>Bishop Paul Swarbrick of Lancaster is the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales' lead bishop for Africa. He visited South Sudan in 2022 and is in close contact with the Church in Sudan and South Sudan.</em>
