D047 HD Committee #04 Report #18

House of Deputies Committee 04 - World Mission presents its Report #18 on Resolution D047 (Response to the crisis in Sudan and support for the Episcopal Church of Sudan) and moves:

Concur

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That the General Convention Lament the overthrow of the civilian transitional government of Sudan in October 2021, and the subsequent April 2023 outbreak of devastating civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Force militia, resulting in the death of tens of thousands of people, the displacement of nearly nine million people, the breakdown of civil society, collapse of the medical system, disruption of the banking system, extensive damage to industrial, agricultural and other infrastructure, including the oil facilities vital to the economies of both Sudan and South Sudan, and the impending onset of famine threatening even more people, with over 18 million reportedly acutely food insecure; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention salute the courageous work of the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS), led by its Archbishop, the Most Rev. Ezekiel Kondo, its clergy, and its lay people in continuing to preach the Gospel and to provide tangible relief to the people of Sudan in these dire circumstances; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request that our Presiding Bishop send greetings on behalf of The Episcopal Church (TEC) to Archbishop Kondo, with assurances of our continued prayer for ECS, its clergy, and people, and our continued efforts to provide tangible relief and advocacy for peace on their behalf; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention authorize TEC’s Office of Government Relations to advocate appropriate United States Government and International efforts to bring about a cease-fire and a negotiated peace resulting in the restoration of democratically elected government for Sudan, efforts including but not limited to:

  1. High level diplomatic engagement (a) to persuade countries supporting the combatants with arms, equipment, and funds to stop doing so, and (b) to mobilize the funds and equipment from many countries needed to relieve the impending famine, to restore medical care, and to reconstruct Sudan;
  2. Imposition of a comprehensive United Nations arms embargo to cut off the flow of military equipment into Sudan and the hands of the combatants;
  3. Application of appropriate U.S. and international sanctions (including secondary sanctions on parties in third countries) and export controls to discourage private parties from financing and from providing the combatants with the means to continue the conflict;
  4. As appropriate, the deployment of peacekeeping forces under the auspices of the United Nations to help stabilize the situation and separate the armed combatants from each other

And be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention ask the Presiding Bishop to:

  1. designate a season of prayer later this year by our diocese, congregations, clergy and people for peace in Sudan;
  2. encourage donations to Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) and the American Friends of the Episcopal Church of the Sudans (AFRECS) to aid in this effort

And be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention direct the Secretary of General Convention to dispatch a copy of this Resolution to the Honorable Thomas Perriello, the United States Special Envoy for Sudan, and to the Honorable Anthony Blinken, Secretary of State.