URGENT ACTION: As peace talks resume, South Sudan needs your support today!
Since mid-December 2013, widespread violence, killings and displacement have been the daily reality for millions of South Sudanese. Thousands of people have been killed in the past two months alone, and more than 800,000 have been internally displaced inside South Sudan or have crossed borders into neighbouring countries like Ethiopia. This is the worst violence the country has seen since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in July 2011, following a popular referendum on self-determination.
Church leaders in South Sudan issued a plea for peace shortly after the violence broke out on December 15. Peace talks between the government and rebels in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa led to a ceasefire agreement in late January. However, fighting has persisted and the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate daily.
As peace talks resume in Addis Ababa this week, KAIROS believes there are several actions Canada and other members of the international community can take to support a peaceful resolution of this conflict. In your letter, we encourage you to reiterate KAIROS’ recommendations for the Government of Canada to:
- Play a constructive role, both diplomatically and financially, in supporting the peace talks underway in Addis Ababa.
- Prioritize the role of women in the peace negotiations and the ongoing efforts at peace-building and reconciliation.
- Bolster Canada’s commitment to humanitarian relief in South Sudan through the United Nations and civil society.
- Assist in the documentation of human rights abuses in South Sudan during this conflict.
Please send your letter to Minister Baird at john.baird@parl.gc.ca, and be sure to send a copy to Ian Thomson, Partnerships Coordinator at KAIROS at ithomson(at)kairoscanada.org. Every message makes a difference. Thank you in advance for adding your voice at this crucial moment.
Background:
For the past few years, KAIROS has supported the Sudan Council of Churches’ efforts to reactivate its National Women’s Program and enhance the capacity of South Sudanese women to engage in peace-building, human rights promotion and democratic development. In 2013, a new coordinator was hired in the capital of Juba, and focal points for the women’s program were established in other major centres. This institution-building work has been undertaken with the support of another KAIROS partner, FECCLAHA (Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa).
KAIROS executive director Jennifer Henry sent a letter of solidarity to the South Sudan Council of Churches in January 2014.
KAIROS also wrote Minister Baird regarding the crisis in South Sudan.
For more information please contact:
Ian Thomson,
Resources & Rights Partnerships Coordinator
ithomson(at)kairoscanada.org
613-235-9956 x222
