SUDAN: ‘WE FEEL FORGOTTEN’

“We feel forgotten,” say church leaders in Sudan.

More than a year of fighting in Sudan has caused the displacement of millions of people, with aid agencies warning that mass famine could be near.

“Sudan is home to the world’s largest displacement with nearly 9 million people on the run, and is facing the world’s largest hunger crisis, but it is not getting the attention and the response it should compared to other crises,” says Illia Djadi, Open Doors’ Senior Analyst for Freedom of Religion or Belief in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

In April 2023, Sudan descended into a civil war between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support. When Illia visited the region earlier this month, he found church leaders who “feel forgotten”.

ADDED PRESSURE FOR CHRISTIANS

The situation is particularly dire for Sudanese Christians. Living in a majority-Muslim country that is ranked number 8 on the Open Doors World Watch List is difficult enough, but the violence has added extra pressure.

“There is no security, no protection. Not from the warring parties or from opportunists who will use this situation to further their own agenda’s,” said Illia. “Christians, churches have been attacked with impunity.” 

So far more than 150 churches have been damaged or destroyed, either being targeted or due to ongoing violence. Christians, forced from their homes, often must flee multiple times and lose contact with other members of the small Christian community. 

For Christians, their faith is an added vulnerability. Where they find shelter, they might face discrimination from those around them, as well as in aid distribution. As a result, a large part of the Church is on the run and unable to provide for its people. 

Top image: A young person from the Nuba mountain region in Sudan sits at the entrance to a makeshift bomb shelter