A New Country is Born!
July 2nd, 2011
This month we join Catholic Relief Services in their leading the efforts for peace and development in the newly formed nation of the Republic of South Sudan. Learn more at: Catholic Relief Services
On July 9, 2011 Southern Sudan will become the world’s newest nation—The Republic of South Sudan. This result came about after a referendum for independence that, despite all predictions, was peaceful, orderly and uncontested.
South Sudan will be one of the world’s poorest nations. Decades of civil war with northern Sudan have left the region with widespread poverty, limited infrastructure and little money. A recent military confrontation in the border area of Abyei and political tensions in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile continues to escalate.
Many provisions of the peace agreement that brought an end to Sudan’s civil war and led to the referendum remain unsettled, including: border demarcation, citizenship, oil revenue sharing, and the security and rights of minorities.
Despite the real challenges, South Sudan has a rare opportunity to use its oil wealth to create a transparent and accountable government and to build a peaceful and prosperous society. At this pivotal moment, it is critical that we ask the leaders of our countries to help shape a climate of peace, stability and development and to remove the obstacles to peace in both Sudan and Southern Sudan.
Prayer Resources:
Action: Write to your Prime Minister or President:
United States:
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Email President Barack Obama at www.whitehouse.gov
Phone: 202-456-1111
FAX: 202-456-2461
Canada:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, KIAOA2
CANADA
Email Prime Minister Stephen Harper by going to: http://pm.gc.ca/
FAX: 613-941-6900
Dear ____
I am writing to urge you to focus your Administration’s efforts on ensuring that the outstanding issues between north and south Sudan are resolved before the end of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The long-term peace and stability in all of Sudan is at a critical juncture. With only days to independence, many of the key issues of the peace agreement remain unsettled, including border demarcation, citizenship, wealth sharing, and the security and rights of minorities, particularly of those remaining in the north. Escalating violence in Abyei and ongoing tensions in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile threaten the peace agreement. The suffering and insecurity of the people in Darfur must also be resolved.
Without a resolution to these issues, violence could erase the hope and progress of the recent referendum. I urge you to stand with Sudan now. Please do whatever you can to actively engage on resolving the outstanding peace agreement issues. Thank you for your efforts and for your continued leadership on this critical issue.
Sincerely,
Posted in: Action Alert, Africa, Global, Homepage News, Human Dignity, Issues, Members, News, Peace
Related keywords: Peace, poverty, southern sudan, sudan
