Sudan

Sudan consists of two distinct regions, the north with a majority of Arabs, and the south where the population is African. The majority of the Christians live in the south. The north of Sudan was once home to the Nubia kingdom, and was islamized in the 14th century. The entire territory was a British colony from 1898 to 1956, but Britain neglected the south. Before independence, Southern Sudan launched a civil war. The WCC and the AACC played an important role in ending this conflict, in 1972, but efforts to find a political solution failed. The war resumed in 1983, between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in the south and the Muslim Arab government in the north. Introduction of Sharia’h law, and the control of oil production exacerbated the conflict. More than two million people died, more than four million were displaced or fled to neighbouring countries, and the infrastructure of the south was largely destroyed. In 2005, peace became effective after long negotiations mediated by Kenya, and a coalition government was formed. In 2003, another conflict erupted in the Darfur region (West Sudan), claiming thousands of lives and uprooting hundreds of thousands of people. The violence continued through 2005. The Catholic, Anglican, Protestant and Orthodox churches in the Sudan have been deeply involved in promoting peace and reconciliation, and caring for the victims of the violence. They are together in two councils, the Sudan Council of Churches which is based in Khartoum, and the New Sudan Council of Churches which operates in the south, and has its offices in Nairobi. The evangelical body is the Sudan Evangelical Christian Association, which is affiliated with the WEA.