Catholic Diocese in South Sudan Raising Funds to Support War Victims in Sudan

More than a million people have reportedly been displaced by fighting in Sudan as fighting rages on between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary force under General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The latest figure includes some 843,000 people displaced internally and around 250,000 people who have fled across Sudan's borders to other countries including Ethiopia, Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan.

Even though Sudan and South Sudan separated in July 2011 after decades of war, many South Sudanese remained in Sudan, and those in South Sudan have relatives Sudan, including the capital, Khartoum, which has been rocked by a violent conflict.

In the ACN report, Sr. Almendra notes that despite decades of violent conflict, Sudan and South Sudan, as neighboring countries, have their populations sharing some commonalities.  

Because of this relationship, the Catholic Church in South Sudan is preparing to host refugees from the current civil war, she says, hinting to the appeal that the Catholic Archbishop of Juba has made for South Sudanese “to open the doors” for those fleeing the violence in Sudan.

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“When we say that South Sudan is the youngest country in the world, it is because it only became independent in 2011. But the people are the same as before, and they all have relatives in Khartoum. We are constantly asking them how they are, if they have managed to leave the country, can they make it to South Sudan?” Sr. Almendra says.

The native of Portugal who arrived in Wau Diocese in early 2021 after serving in neighboring Kenya for six years says that it is the poorest who are affected by the ongoing violent conflict in Sudan, as they are forced to walk on foot over long distances in search for safety.

“Anybody who had money, or some savings, managed to get out by car or by airplane. All the rest had to leave on foot, and it can take months for them to reach safe places, such as Wau, for example, where we are expecting them and ready to welcome them,” the Catholic Nun says.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.