With just a quick telephone call to your member of Congress today, you can join thousands of caring citizens across the country to help bring peace, justice, and religious freedom to the people of Sudan.
Today is National Call-In Day to support the House of Representatives Resolution 1692 (#SupportHR1692), the Sudan Peace, Security, and Accountability Act of 2013. This advocacy event is sponsored by our friends at Operation Broken Silence, (OBS) who say that the Sudan Peace, Security, and Accountability Act “has the potential to change outdated foreign policy towards Sudan.”
Why should you do this? For the people of Sudan, that they might have peace, justice, religious freedom, and democracy.
Currently, the Government of Sudan is waging genocidal war against its own citizens in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile State. Since June 2011 in the Nuba Mountains, and since September 2011 in Blue Nile State, Khartoum has been attacking civilian areas with aerial bombardment and with ground campaigns of ethnic cleansing of the black, African people groups. The jihad against the Nuba and Blue Nile people has brought about massive displacements to refugee camps or to hiding in mountain caves, towns and villages destroyed, and unknown numbers of people killed. Keep in mind, too, that the Khartoum regime waged the exact same campaign against the Nuba and Blue Nile people during the North/South war. No people group should have to endure TWO genocides in less than TWO decades!
In addition, the now ten-year-old genocide against the people of Darfur continues in a manner that Sudan activist Professor Eric Reeves calls “genocide by attrition.” Also continuing is the struggle for a just resolution to the crisis of Abyei, a majority Ngok Dinka area, held under the domination of Khartoum. There are also the lesser-known regions in which Khartoum is engaged in ethnic and cultural cleansing of black African indigenous people — the Beja of eastern Sudan, and the Nubians of the far north. It is not stretching the imagination or the truth to also say that Khartoum has played a role in the current crisis taking place in South Sudan that began with the attempted coup by ousted Vice President Riek Machar.
Perhaps Matthew 25: 40 is another reason why you should do this…
What should you do?
Operation Broken Silence has provided instructions in just a few easy steps and we have also included our own suggestions, as well:
1. Join the Facebook Page for the event.
2. Tweet about your participation, using this hash tag: #SupportHR1692.
3. Call your representative’s Washington, DC office. Find your representative’s info here.
4. When the congressional staff answers the phone, OBS has provided a sample script.
5. Also inquire if your member of Congress is a part of the Congressional Sudan Caucus. This is a group of U.S. Representatives that have a special focus on Sudan/South Sudan. They hold briefings, sponsor events, and otherwise call attention to the plight of the people in these two countries. Members of the Sudan Caucus have helped IRD to call attention to the Nubians and the Beja by being honorary co-sponsors for Capitol Hill events focused on these groups.
6. If your member of Congress is a co-sponsor of 1692, say how much you appreciate it. If he or she is not, urge them to become a co-sponsor, leave your name and number with the staffer, and promise to call back in a week to see if they have made the commitment. Likewise, if your member is in the Sudan Caucus, thank them and consider writing a handwritten note of appreciation. If he or she is not, urge them to join the Sudan Caucus and again, leave contact information and the promise of a check-up call!
Related actions you can take:
1. Encourage others to participate in National Call-In Day. Particularly involving friends and family members in the same congressional district will give you all more leverage with your member of Congress!
2. Watch and share with others, Operation Broken Silence’s videos:
Land of the Hungry (less than 12 minutes!)
Across the Frontlines: Ending the Nuba Genocide (about 50 minutes)
And other videos, such as those by Sudan activist and filmmaker Tomo Kriznar:
You may be the catalyst for your member of Congress taking an interest in the situation in Sudan.
Pray that God will use this day to bring many new co-sponsors of H.R.1692 on board, and many new members of Congress into the Sudan Caucus, in order to bring hope and help to the people of Sudan and South Sudan.
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