The new state is rich in oil, but also one of the world’s least developed countries

Officials had planned for people to hold quiet celebrations at home, with the formal declaration of independence due later on Saturday.

But the people clearly couldn’t wait. Two hours before midnight and lines of cars zoomed around town packed with people waving flags and waiting to celebrate.

When the final countdown arrived, the atmosphere was wild. Groups ran down roads, dancing to drum beats. Soldiers and policemen joined in too, waving paper flags and laughing.

A sign read: “Congratulations, free at last, South Sudan.” But the people didn’t need to read the message – they were already dancing and leaping with happiness.

“It is a shout of freedom,” said Alfred Tut, lifting his head back and screaming.

South Sudan

Facts and figures:

• Population: 7.5-9.7 million
• Size: 619,745 sq km (239,285 sq miles), larger than Spain and Portugal combined
• Major languages: English, Arabic (both official), Juba Arabic, Dinka
• Religion: Traditional and a Christian minority
• Main export: Oil

Challenges ahead:

• One of world’s least developed countries: Worst maternal mortality rate; most children below 13 not in school; 84% of women are illiterate
• Relations with Sudan: Dividing debts and oil; border disputes; citizenship
• Security: At least seven active rebel groups

• South Sudan profile
• Viewpoint: Mother Africa’s latest child
• Q&A: South Sudan independence

All you need to know about South Sudan’s independence

Sudan: A country divided

• Geography
• Ethnic groups
• Infant mortality
• Water & sanitation
• Education
• Food insecurity
• Oil fields

Posted by Charles Jacobs and Sasha Giller Dec 22nd 2010 at 5:49 am

Abuk Ngor Anyuon and Akuc Kiir Deng

If you think that enslaving blacks ended in the 19th century, you are dead wrong. Last week 603 black women and children were freed from the horrors of chattel slavery that to this day exists in Sudan, Africa’s largest country. Christian Solidarity International USA, a Christian human rights organization, frees slaves in Sudan. The stories the freed slaves tell them are simply horrific.

Abuk Ngor Anyuon was forcibly converted to Islam; her genitalia mutilated. Two of her sons were sold off to another master and her finger was cut off. Akuc Kiir Deng also accepted Islam under the threat of death. Akuc was blinded and ritually circumcised, and two of her children were taken from her. Akuot Anei Wol, freed last September, recollects: “I lost my sight in my eye soon after I was captured. I was still just a girl then. My master’s wife was called Howah. She made me grind grain and clean the house. One day, she was angry and accused me of failing to wash the dishes and sweep the floor properly. Howah grabbed a horse whip and struck me in the face. It hit me in the eye. I lost sight immediately. Howah said: “I’ll blind your other eye if you don’t work.”

Slavery in Sudan, a centuries-old phenomenon, gained widespread publicity in the United States in the 90’s. At that time an Arab regime in the Northern Sudan declared a “holy war” (jihad) against the African population of the South, which is largely Christian and animist. Arab militias, sponsored by the government and often joined by the Sudanese army, raided hundreds of villages, executing the men and taking women and children into slavery in the North. Unlike in the American South, slave owners in Sudan do not need the muscles of men to work plantations: they use boys as goat herds, and women for sex and for their wombs, to produce children who will be Muslims.

When confronted with facts of modern-day enslavement of blacks in the 1990’s, many Americans joined the neo-abolitionist movement spearheaded by groups like CSI in Europe and our own American Anti-Slavery Group. Some donated and raised funds to free Sudanese slaves; others participated in demonstrations and lobbied politicians. CSI’s emancipation operations were extensively covered by the media. The movement’s efforts bore fruit when the US-brokered Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) forced the suspension of the slave raids in 2005.

As a consequence, Americans’ interest in Sudanese slaves decreased. Today, when up to 35,000 of blacks are still enslaved by the Arabs in the North, the media has fallen silent on the issue. Human rights giants like Human Rights Watch, which were never particularly helpful, also abandoned these slaves: a simple search of HRW’s website for “Sudan slavery” reveals that its most recent related report dates back to 2003.

As Sudan approaches January 9, 2011 – the day the Southerners are scheduled to vote to remain with the North or to secede – the chances to emancipate those still in bondage become increasingly smaller. Most experts believe the South will vote for independence. No one can predict the Muslim reaction in the North to the South’s choice of freedom. There is the possibility of revenge attacks and acts of violence against the slaves and other Southerners living in the North. Some even think the North-South war might be rekindled.

Yesterday The New York Times reported on a speech given by Sudan’s President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, an indicted war criminal, who promised to impose Islamic Law (Shariah) in the North in case separation. “Shariah and Islam will be the main source for the Constitution, Islam the official religion and Arabic the official language,” he said. Al-Bashir also indicated that in his future state there will be no protection for non-Arab, non-Muslim minorities: “If South Sudan secedes, we will change the Constitution, and at that time there will be no time to speak of diversity of culture and ethnicity.” Interestingly, The New York Times “forgot” to report on his recent statement reflective of the state he envisions. Commenting on the popular YouTube video that shows a woman being flogged in public by the police, Al Bashir said: “If she is lashed according to Shariah law, there is no investigation. Why are some people ashamed? This is Shariah.”

CSI and the AASG are determined to liberate as many slaves as possible before the referendum takes place.

To learn how you can help visit www.iabolish.org.

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See also:

 

Genocide in Sudan

and

THE SCOURGE OF MUSLIM SLAVERY

 

THE REST OF THE STORY

Our family has prayed together through the remarkable book Operation World over the last several years. When you engage seriously with that book, you see that the training of indigenous Christian leaders in the nations of the world is one of the crying needs of modern missions. Page after page, country after country, theological education emerges as a critical need.

Without the work of theological education, there won’t be a lasting, effective Christian witness. Thankfully, many fantastic ministries are devoted to this task, including newer ones like Training Leaders International, whose website says for every 450,000 people outside the United States there is only one formally trained church leader.

I’ve never heard a more powerful expression of the importance of international theological education than the one recently shared with me by Jerry Bingham, a passionate, energetic, 72-year-old missionary who serves with Action International in Uganda. Jerry’s story comes from his decade-plus of missionary work in Mexico many years ago. He was involved in film evangelism in southern Mexico and had traveled with two Mayan pastors to a new area so they could show the Jesus film. As was their custom, upon coming to a new village they requested permission to show the film from the village chief.

The chief agreed to let Jerry show the film but commented that there was already a church in the village. Jerry and his companions were surprised and looked around to see the church. They couldn’t see one. The chief ducked into his hut, brought out four machetes, handed them around, and said, “Follow me.” With a number of other tribesmen now following along, Jerry and his team walked about 100 yards into the dense jungle and arrived in an area where they saw a huge mountain of vines growing over something. The reason for the machetes became clear.

After 40 minutes of hacking at the vines, the group uncovered a small building (about 8 feet by 8 feet) with a washed-out white cross on the roof line. Above the chapel door was an inscription: “Iglesia Presbiteriana—1847.” Jerry began to weep aloud. His immediate thoughts were (in his own words): “Do you mean to tell me that the Presbyterians were here in the 1800s with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and these people are now steeped into animism and witchcraft practices?” The work hadn’t borne any lasting fruit.

That day became pivotal for Jerry’s life and ministry. He realized that the crucial piece missing from his ministry was training leaders and so began working in pastoral leadership development, with 2 Timothy 2:2 as an encouragement and guide. His commitment to the long-term health of the church through training leaders continues today through his work in northern Uganda with the largest East African tribe, the Acholi. Jerry explains:

The real need is to train leadership for the church of Jesus Christ. Pastors, youth leaders, children workers. This is what we do in Africa. May we all catch the vision of the need to train our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we follow the teachings in the New Testament of training leadership [who] will in turn train others, who will in turn train others, we will see a great advancement for the gospel of our Lord.

Stephen Witmer is the pastor of Pepperell Christian Fellowship in Pepperell, Massachusetts. He serves on the editorial board of Themelios and is author of the forthcoming Good Book Guide to Jonah.

From the Gospel Coalition blog.