Outrage and Grief: Mass Atrocities in Sudan — A Call to Prayer, Witness, and Action

 

Shimba Theological Institute — Emergency Newsletter

Date: 31 October 2025
Subject: Outrage and Grief: Mass Atrocities in Sudan — A Call to Prayer, Witness, and Action

Dear friends and partners,

We write with heavy hearts. In recent days the world has been confronted with horrifying evidence that mass atrocities are unfolding in Sudan — particularly in El-Fasher and parts of Darfur — where satellite analysis, survivor testimony and frontline medical teams report summary executions, mass killings and widespread targeting of civilians, including women and children. These are not isolated battlefield losses; humanitarian organisations and UN monitors are warning of mass graves, bodies in the streets, and what may amount to ethnic cleansing. (OHCHR)

The methods and scale of the violence are chilling. Independent satellite analysts observed clusters and ground discolorations consistent with bodies, and on-the-ground witnesses describe people being separated, hunted and killed as they tried to flee. Medical teams and relief agencies are reporting scenes of mass casualties and grave shortages of food, water and medical care for the displaced. The International community must call these acts what they are: crimes against humanity and, where the evidence supports it, genocide. (doctorswithoutborders.ca)

We are also alarmed by credible reporting that external arms flows have fueled and prolonged this conflict. Investigations by journalists and international bodies point to states and networks that have been supplying weapons, fuel and equipment to combatants — a strategic decision that has made the violence more deadly and the humanitarian emergency worse. Supplying arms that enable massacres of civilians is morally indefensible; it binds suppliers to the suffering they help unleash. (Reuters)

What must we do now?

1. Pray and Lament. As Christians and citizens of conscience we must stand in prayerful solidarity with the innocent. Pray for the bereaved, for those hiding or on the run, for healthcare workers and aid teams, and for a swift end to violence.

2. Speak and Witness. Churches, pastors, students and civic groups should use their voices — in sermons, public statements and letters to elected officials — to demand accountability and protection for civilians. Silence helps the perpetrators.

3. Support Humanitarian Relief. The most immediate need is aid for survivors: food, water, emergency medical care and shelter. Trusted agencies on the ground include UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières; gifts to these organisations provide life-saving assistance. (UNICEF)

4. Demand Accountability. We urge governments, regional bodies and the UN Security Council to: (a) condemn the atrocities unequivocally; (b) press for independent, international investigations; and (c) impose targeted measures on actors who provide material support to forces committing atrocities. Recent sessions at the UN and reporting in major outlets make clear the urgency of such steps. (The Guardian)

5. Protect Refugees and Displaced People. Neighbouring states and the international community must keep borders and humanitarian corridors open, and ensure safe passage for those fleeing. Humanitarian access cannot be negotiable.

A theological word: when nations descend into brutality, the church is called to be a sanctuary for the voiceless — to lament with those who lament, to feed the hungry, to shelter the frightened and to stand for justice. Scripture teaches that God hears the cries of the oppressed; we must not let our hands be idle while others suffer. (Isaiah 1:17; Psalm 34:18.)

Shimba Theological Institute stands with the people of Sudan. We will be monitoring developments closely and publishing updates, guidance for churches and resources for relief giving. If your congregation or organisation would like a short bulletin insert, prayer liturgy, or guidance on how to organise local advocacy or a relief collection, reply and we will provide materials you can use immediately.

In grief, in solidarity, and in faith,

Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute

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