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How to write email messages and letters supporting People to People Peacemaking in South Sudan South Sudanese Friends International, Inc. (SSFI) 2847 Plaza Ct. Lafayette, IN 47909

Sending email messages and letters to policy makers is a simple, but effective action that grassroots Americans can take to make a difference in the lives of the grassroots people in South Sudan. It is best if your email message or letter highlights one or two points.

The root cause of suffering -> War

Change comes about when we address the root cause of human suffering. For example, abduction or "slavery" is a problem in South Sudan, but it is not a root cause. War is a root cause. If the war in Sudan ended, then the abductions--the slavery-- would also cease.

South Sudanese Friends International, Inc. (SSFI) believes that the best way to help end Sudan's war is by supporting both grassroots peacemaking and responsible humanitarian efforts.

SSFI has been involved in the People to People Peace and Reconciliation Process and in finding long-term solutions to the humanitarian crisis in southern Sudan since 1994.

Highlight a solution -> People to People Peacemaking

The grassroots People-to-People Peace Process is bringing people together in South Sudan by allowing communities to gain an understanding of a local conflict situation without interference from the political movements. The process is a collaborative effort, sponsored by the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC).

The process of understanding begins as individual mediators approach the people groups who need to be reconciled. It takes a lot of individual discussion and background work to find the real reasons why there is conflict between A community and B community. Then there is a conference of representatives of the people groups. The representatives will include women, youth, elders, tribal leaders, church leaders, traditional religious leaders, intellectuals, military officers, and observers. All come together under one roof to talk under the mediation of either a chairperson or moderators chosen by the consensus of the people.

What takes place at the conference? An informal debate. The elders of the people try to capture the trend of the conversations and summarize it. That statement becomes the consensus upon which the peace agreement is built. The whole debate may take 3-5 days or longer.

Once communities reach a consensus, the democratic system of civil institutions in the area must be restored in order to maintain the peace and reconciliation. Simultaneously, projects must be initiated to enhance peace through the provision of seeds, healthcare, and other resources for self-reliance. Peacemaking really means bringing back a total way of life. This is a continuous process demanding an enormous amount of resources.

The greatest achievement of People to People peacemaking has been healing the inter-factional fighting in the South. The inter-communal fighting, as influenced by the Liberation Army factions, has ceased.

What can the US government do to help?

USAID has been helping since 1993 by supporting relief services. USAID is now helping with the establishment of self-governance systems in areas where there is peace. But this effort is not enough.

The new administration of the US Government is re-visiting its policies toward Sudan. It is important now to make a strong case for supporting the trend toward people-to-people peacemaking and restoring civil society that is rapidly expanding throughout South Sudan. 

The processes are handicapped by a lack of resources and by a lack of international recognition and support. Your email message or letter today could help change that situation.

Send your email message or letter to:

Sample Letter

South Sudanese Friends International, Inc. (SSFI) is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit corporation founded in 1994. Our activities are funded by contributions from individuals, religious organizations, and civic groups.

Our mission

is to share the love of Jesus Christ with the people of southern Sudan in a way that leads them towards peaceful and self-reliant living from the grassroots level, so that available resources will meet the needs of their communities.

Our activities

Peacemaking - SSFI works in Sudan at grassroots, national, and inter-national levels to initiate and encourage peacemaking. Our object is to bring people together for talks and help them find common ground for reconciliation.

 

Advocacy for self-governance - SSFI helps people in Sudanese communities learn to support one another and live together in peace by teaching and applying principles of pluralism, democracy, and respect for human rights within the context of the Christian faith and the Sudanese culture.

 

Community Development - SSFI conducts self-reliance programs in Sudan to help families both individually and collectively to solve their own problems. SSFI has distributed seeds for home gardens, provided fishing nets, and taught mothers and community workers ways to improve nutrition, hygiene, and water purification.