USCR Activity

Crisis in Sudan

USCR has closely followed events in Sudan for 17 years. We first traveled to Sudan in 1981 and have conducted numerous site visits to southern Sudan since then. In 1998, USCR traveled to Sudan four times to assess the assistance and protection needs of uprooted Sudanese. We regularly meet with key government officials and other non-governmental agencies to monitor the situation in southern Sudan. Some of our most recent activities include:

• On March 3, 1999, USCR kicked off a national "Campaign to Prevent Another Decade of Despair in Southern Sudan." USCR held a Congressional briefing with Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), and Representatives Tony Hall (D-OH), Frank Wolf (R-VA), Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Tom Tancredo (R-CO) to focus the attention of policymakers on the problems in Sudan. At this briefing, USCR released a new paper, "Follow the Women and the Cows: Personal Stories of Sudan's Uprooted People." In addition, USCR called on the United Nations to set a binding referendum to end the 15-year war in Southern Sudan.

• In November 1998, USCR conducted a site visit to Uganda's Adjumani refugee camp, where thousands of Sudanese who fled their country have been living. The trip also included a visit to a hospital in Yei, southern Sudan, which was bombed by the Sudanese government forces the day after USCR visited.

• USCR traveled to Labone and Mapel in October 1998 to reassess the famine conditions in southern Sudan. On the visit, USCR also talked to aid officials about progress they had made and impediments they faced in responding to the famine. Extensive interviews with internally displaced were also conducted, which were published in a USCR issue paper, Follow the Women and the Cows: Personal Stories of Sudan's Uprooted People.

• On July 22nd 1998,, USCR hosted a briefing by Dan Eiffe, a staff member of Norwegian People's Aid, an organization that has operated one of the largest aid programs in southern Sudan for 11 years.  Mr. Eiffe offered political analysis of the ongoing civil war that is in part responsible for creating the current famine.

• On July 17th 1998,, USCR briefed members of Congress on the famine conditions in Sudan, the cause of the conditions, and the current response efforts. USCR made recommendations to policy makers regarding U.S. and UN action that would help save thousands of lives.

• On July 9th 1998,, USCR Africa Policy Analyst Jeff Drumtra gave a public briefing upon his return from a two-week fact-finding mission to southern Sudan.  In addition to his analysis on the current famine conditions, he provided detailed information about goverment raids, which include killing innocent people, burning villages and crops, stealing cattle, and taking children as slaves.  Jeff also gave a deeply moving slide presentation.

• On Wednesday, July 1, 1998, USCR held a briefing on the humanitarian emergency in Sudan. USCR's Executive Director, Roger Winter, led a panel discussion with experts from non-governmental organizations, as well as John Prendergast of the National Security Council.