News & Updates
Check out the latest from Sudan and our movement
Do Justice Campaign: Philip's Story
In 2012, Philip was teaching when he heard a faint buzzing. Like everyone who lives in the Nuba Mountains, he was conditioned to pause.
"Teaching in Yida is hard. But I have hope."
- PHILIP
In 2012, Philip was teaching when he heard a faint buzzing. Like everyone who lives in the Nuba Mountains, he was conditioned to pause. He stepped to the doorless entrance and looked up to the blue sky. His heart skipped a beat. The buzz came from an Antonov bomber heading straight for them.
"Quickly children. Take cover," he said. They filed outside in a brisk fashion before bolting to foxholes. Thankfully, the bombs missed. Philip saved the lives of nearly 80 children that day. He's a hero.
By next week, attendance had dropped 70%. Scared families were sending their kids to Yida Refugee Camp across the border. Philip decided to follow.
On the road to Yida, he witnessed a hint of what awaited him: scared children from across the Nuba Mountains heading south. They had one eye on the road and one eye on the sky for bombers.
Philip finally arrived after a 4 day journey. Over 100 children walked into Yida with him. With no classroom and no chalkboard, he found a tree to gather them under. And he started teaching.
Teaching is central to Philip's identity. Watching students learn and grow is far more rewarding than the paycheck he receives. For the first few years in Yida, he didn't even get a paycheck. His students were all he had.
Philip's hope never wavered. The class he started underneath a tree? That was the beginning of the Endure Primary School, one of two schools we sponsor in Yida. Those first 100+ students? Most of them graduated. There are nearly 1,000 more children in Endure Primary today. Philip certainly has a lot to be proud of.
But there is still a very long road ahead in Yida. By the end of last year, several teachers and over 1,000 children had shown up at the schools begging for an open spot. All of them were turned away. The money just wasn't there to expand.
This is why giving monthly is so important. These people have no one else to turn to. We're it. When you start giving monthly, you're supporting heroes just like Philip.
Soirée For Sudan: Bridging The Gap
We have rescheduled Soirée For Sudan for August 29. While we are disappointed that our celebration is being delayed, the need for Sudan's most vulnerable teachers and children still remains.
Operation Broken Silence supports two schools in Yida Refugee Camp. 24 Sudanese refugee teachers and 1,200 students depend on us to keep the doors open.
With COVID-19 top of mind for all of us, we wanted to give you an update on our upcoming event in Memphis on March 28, 2020. We have rescheduled Soirée For Sudan for August 29.
While we are disappointed that our celebration is being delayed, the need for Sudan's most vulnerable teachers and children still remains. The support raised at Soirée For Sudan is critical to the schools remaining open in 2020.
In short, we need you more than ever.
To bridge the funding gap from delaying Soirée For Sudan, Operaton Broken Silence still needs to raise $23,000 to support teachers with salaries and students with school supplies. If this funding is not raised, the schools will have to significantly downsize and possibly close.
If you have not registered for Soirée For Sudan yet, please do so right now. If you cannot attend the event, please make a donation.
Your support will help bring Operation Broken Silence one step closer to reaching our goal and therefore, one step closer to our vision of a Sudan with strong, self-reliant communities.
For check donations, please make payable to Operation Broken Silenceand send to PO Box 770900, Memphis, TN, 38177-0900.
About Us
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We focus on empowering Sudanese change makers and their critical work. Learn more here.
Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Give today.
Do Justice Campaign: Jafar's Story
The camel-mounted attackers wielded AK-47s when they raided the farm. Jafar fled.
"They shot at us and each other for no reason."
-JAFAR
The camel-mounted attackers wielded AK-47s when they raided the farm. These men are members of the Popular Defenses Forces, a feared regime militia that has wreaked havoc across Sudan for decades. They opened fire and killed Mohammed, an unarmed farmer, for no reason at all.
A regime army unit passing by saw the militiamen and ordered them to stop. Full of rage, the militiamen opened fire on their allies in the army. The soldiers fired back. Chaos ensued.
Jafar was visiting a nearby farm and heard the fighting. He fled. Over the next several days, more regime militiamen raided farms and shops. The army and police refused to protect unarmed Sudanese civilians.
These attacks in the Habila area of the Nuba Mountains didn't happen several years ago, when the regime's genocidal onslaught against the Nuba people was at its peak. No, they happened in November, just a few months ago.
A lot of the news coming out of Sudan is that peace is taking hold. A ceasefire has prevented massive military operations, but attacks like Jafar witnessed are still common. Regime paramilitaries listen to no one in the transitional government.
How are children supposed to learn in this environment? Many have fled to Yida Refugee Camp, where it is much safer. So have teachers. In fact, so many live in Yida that the fledgling education system has been overwhelmed for years.
We're helping by fundraising for 24 teachers in Yida. A lot of work still needs to be done though. We need 200 families and individuals to give monthly for their salaries. Will you join us? Even if you can only pitch in $10 a month, that will go a long ways. Every dollar counts right now.
Do Justice Campaign: Arogo's Story
Like many Sudanese, Arogo doesn't know his birthday. He was born sometime in 1996, years into the first genocide the Bashir regime committed in the Nuba Mountains.
"I don't see the change the world is talking about."
- AROGO
Like many Sudanese, Arogo doesn't know his birthday. He was born sometime in 1996, years into the first genocide the Bashir regime committed in the Nuba Mountains.
Arogo never went to high school. The war took many of his family members. The regime stole his childhood. He's never fully recovered.
Arogo has been living in Yida Refugee Camp since the second war began in 2011. His home was torched by the Popular Defense Forces, one of the regime's jihadist paramilitary outfits that still prowls around the region. He can't return to rebuild.
But Arogo isn't concerned about himself. Everywhere he looks, he sees his story being repeated: no real peace agreement. No real change. And thousands of children unable to get an education.
Life in Sudan's oppressed periphery regions is very different than life in Khartoum. From the Nuba Mountains to Darfur, the most vulnerable Sudanese are in danger by regime forces who have not disbanded. Many can't return home.
This is barely reported on. This isn't right. This isn't justice.
As Arogo points out, Yida Refugee Camp is one of these places. The education crisis in Yida took a turn for the worse in 2019. Several teachers were forced to leave because their salaries disappeared. They aren't coming back. If more teachers leave, this crisis will turn into a catastrophe. Period.
We launched this campaign because we can fix this together. If we all pitch in what we can each month, we can turn this crisis around. Arogo can know that the next generation, who he is so deeply concerned for, can move their people towards a brighter future.
Do Justice: Our 2020 Campaign
We have a new campaign launching Monday, March 16. Here’s what you need to know.
Hello friends and supporters,
This week we are launching a new campaign: Do Justice. Here’s some information on what it is about.
Throughout 2019, more teachers then ever before showed up at our schools in Yida Refugee Camp, hoping for a job. Well over 1,000 refugee students showed up and begged for an opening. Often times with tears in their eyes, the Nuba teachers at our schools turned them away. The resources just weren't there to expand. They still aren't there. And this crisis is not getting any better.
Do Justice is the most important campaign in our history. It's an all-in effort to halt the education crisis in Yida before it morphs into a catastrophe. We're also going to bust some myths about Sudan along the way. That's why we're throwing everything we have, know, and believe into Do Justice.
The campaign launches this Monday. Here are three ways you can help:
Share our posts as they pop up in your social media feeds.
Get ready to learn about this crisis and become involved next week.
Contact us if you can't wait to get involved.
We’ll see you on Monday.
Onward,
Mark C. Hackett
Executive Director
Operation Broken Silence
Tennessee Advocacy Alert: HR 6094
If you are a Tennessee resident, we need your help securing Congressional cosponsors for important new legislation about Sudan.
New legislation will help the United States foster a successful democratic transition in Sudan. If you are a Tennessee resident, we need your help securing Congressional cosponsors for The Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability, and Financial Transparency Act of 2020 (H.R. 6094).
We need you to call your Representative and ask them to become a cosponsor. If you don’t know who your Representative is, enter your zip code here:
Step 1
Find the contact information for your Representative’s local office that is closest to your home below.
We recommend calling your local office instead of the Washington DC office. We’ve found that calling local offices is more effective.
District 2: Congressman Tim Burchett
Knoxville: (865) 523-3772
Maryville: (865) 984-5464
District 1: Congressman David “Phil” Roe
Kingsport: (423) 247-8161
Morristown: (423) 254-1400
District 4: Congressman Scott DeJarlais
Murfreesboro: (615) 896-1986
Columbia: (931) 381-9920
Cleveland: (423) 472-7500
Winchester: (931) 962-3180
District 3: Congressman Charles “Chuck” Fleischmann
Chattanooga: (423) 756-2342
Athens: (423) 745-4671
Oak Ridge: (865) 576-1976
District 6: Congressman John Rose
Cookeville: (931) 854-9430
Gallatin: (615) 206-8204
District 5: Congressman Jim Cooper
Nashville: (615) 736-5295
District 8: Congressman David Kustoff
Memphis: (901) 682-4422
Jackson: (731) 423-4848
Dyersburg: (731) 412-1037
District 7: Congressman Mark Green
Clarksville: (931) 266-4483
Franklin: (629) 223-6050
District 9: Congressman Steve Cohen
(901) 544-4131
Step 2
Prepare to make your phone call by editing our call script template.
We highly recommend that you make small edits so that your call is more personal. The Congressional staffer you talk to will know that you really do care a lot about this.
Copy and paste the following template to your computer or phone to edit:
Hello, my name is ___________ and I live in zip code _____. I am calling today to ask that Congressman _____________ cosponsor House Resolution 6094, The Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability, and Financial Transparency Act of 2020.
This bipartisan legislation authorizes assistance for Sudan’s transition to a democracy, requires the Trump Administration to submit a strategy to Congress for supporting the civilian-led Government of Sudan during the country’s current transition period, and more.
Last year, Congressman _____________ voted in favor of House Resolution 432, making it clear that the House of Representatives supported the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.
By becoming a cosponsor of HR 6094, Congressman __________ will continue helping to improve U.S. policy toward Sudan and ensure that our country continues to play an indispensable leadership role on the world stage. Thank you.
Tips To Personalize Your Call Script
Note Your Past Involvement: If you have given or fundraised for the programs we support in Sudan, or advocated with us on a previous campaign, be sure to mention that. It will let the Congressional staffer know that you’ve been involved for a while and are serious.
Be A Little More Casual: We know that our call template sounds kind of nerdy. Change some words up and simplify sentences to make it sound a bit more down to earth. Just try not to take out important information, like what the bill does or the resolution number.
Keep It Brief: Congressional staffers are busy people. They really do appreciate it when constituents are polite, but also direct and to the point. Make your call script personal, but don’t turn it into a novel.
Step 3
Use the number you selected and the script you made to call your local office!
Nervous about calling? Find a few more tips and some information below to further prepare yourself.
There’s a chance that the staffer you talk to won’t know much about Sudan. That’s okay! They may have a few questions for you. Here’s some more information to make sure you are prepared:
Why This Bill Is So Important
For the first time in 30 years, Sudan is awash in hope for real change. Decades of genocidal wars, brutal oppression, and extremist rule may finally be coming to an end.
In 2019, mass protests calling for civilian rule swept across Sudan. Regime security forces responded by murdering, raping, and torturing them. But the Sudanese people didn’t back down. In April of 2019, military leaders arrested dictator and indicted war criminal Omar al-Bashir in hopes of holding onto power themselves. Protesters refused to go home.
After several more months of regime violence and mounting international pressure, military leaders begrudgingly started to give ground. A half-win was achieved: three years of joint civilian and military rule followed by supposed free and fair elections.
But Sudan’s future is still hanging by a thread. Members of the regime remain at the highest levels of the transitional government. Their paramilitaries are still attacking ordinary people in Sudan’s oppressed hinterlands. And there have been several coup attempts by those who are trying to drag the country back into full-blown extremism.
While it is ultimately up to the Sudanese people to move their country forward, the United States can play a constructive role by helping to foster a successful democratic transition in Sudan. To do that, The Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability, and Financial Transparency Act of 2020 (H.R. 6094) needs to pass out of Congress with bipartisan support.
What H.R. 6094 Does
The Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability, and Financial Transparency Act of 2020 (H.R. 6094) does the following:
authorizes assistance for democratic governance, rule of law, and human rights, including support for free, fair, and credible elections;
authorizes support for development programs, including those focused on providing economic opportunities for youth and previously marginalized populations;
supports long-term peace and stability in Sudan by authorizing support for conflict mitigation, including efforts to strengthen civilian oversight of the Sudanese security and intelligence services;
promotes accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide by authorizing support to build Sudan’s judicial capacity to pursue prosecutions in domestic or hybrid international courts;
supports debt relief and multilateral financing from international financial institutions provided that certain governance and fiscal transparency benchmarks are met;
advances effort to assist the Government of Sudan in recovering stolen assets;
authorizes sanctions on any individuals who commit human rights abuses, participate in the illicit exploitation of natural resources, or undermine the political transition in Sudan; and
requires the Administration to submit to Congress a strategy for supporting the civilian-led Government of Sudan during the transition period.
If you want all the nitty gritty details, read the full text of the bill here.
Step 4
Call your local office back once a week until you get an answer.
Stay polite and brief. If your Congressman does become a cosponsor, be sure to say thank you!
Have questions before calling?
Stay Involved: Join Our New Campaign
Operation Broken Silence is battling a massive education crisis right now in Yida Refugee Camp. Tens of thousands of the Sudanese people have been living in Yida since 2011, when Sudan's military launched a genocidal war against the Nuba Mountains region.
Today, Yida looks less like a refugee camp and more like a permanent settlement. Schools dot the landscape; however, not a single one is fully supported. Nuba teachers are so severely underpaid that some have been forced to leave their profession altogether.
The beating heart of education is not classrooms, chalkboards, or textbooks. It is teachers. These teachers in Yida are so critical because they have lived through the war in Sudan, just like their students have. They are the only teachers in the world who fully understand what some 20,000 children in Yida have been through. They are irreplaceable.
Making sure these teachers can keep doing what they love is our top priority. You can keep them employed by joining our new campaign.
We need all the help we can get. Every penny counts right now. Please join us in empowering these teachers in Yida Refugee Camp.
About Us
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We focus on empowering Sudanese change makers and their critical work. Learn more here.
Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Give today.