News & Updates
Check out the latest from Sudan and our movement
Yida Education Update - May 2021
Get the latest news from our education program in Yida Refugee Camp!
In 2015, Operation Broken Silence began funding four Nuba teachers in Yida Refugee Camp. They were giving lessons underneath a tree with a single, broken chalkboard.
With your support, their small effort has blossomed into the Endure Primary and Renewal Secondary Schools. You empower 24 Nuba teachers here. They run the show —not us— and oversee 1,400 students in their classrooms every week.
Endure Primary is one of the top performing schools in the region and a treasured possession of the Nuba community. More than 5,000 children have been served by the school to date. Renewal Secondary began a three-year phased opening in 2019 and has already shown great promise.
One of the largest demographics in Yida is children under the age of 16. The teachers’ vision has always been to ensure that every single child in Yida has the opportunity to attain a quality education at no financial cost to them.
LATEST NEWS
In March, we reported that several cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the Nuba Mountains and Yida Refugee Camp. Those individuals were placed in isolation and no confirmed cases have been reported since.
Most activity in Yida occurs in outdoor spaces, and the camp is fairly spacious due to the rural setting. COVID-19 testing and surveillance capacity are severely limited though, so there is a chance the virus is spreading slowly through the community.
National Exams Complete, Results Delayed
All grades at both schools completed their national exams over the past few months. Testing had been repeatedly delayed due to on-and-off national school closures brought on by COVID-19.
The education ministry is now working through a large backlog of tests. Our Nuba education partner in Yida has not been given an estimated completion date. Teachers and students are optimistic about their success.
Classroom Damage
Over the past three years, we’ve worked with our education partner to improve infrastructure at both schools. Thunderstorms were repeatedly damaging classrooms and forcing expensive repairs. By early 2020, all classrooms had received significant weatherproofing and strengthened roofs.
An unusually bad thunderstorm swept over Yida in late March, testing these upgrades like never before. The good news is that most classrooms held up just fine. Two classrooms suffered very minor damage. Unfortunately, one of largest classrooms at Renewal Secondary was hit with a strong gust of wind that tore part of the roof off.
We need to raise an additional $1,500 to complete repairs. Give here or scroll down to learn more about giving.
New Semester Begins
Another round of classes began two weeks ago following a brief break. Due to a quieter situation across the border in the Nuba Mountains right now, quite a few students were able to return home to visit family. Teachers also had an opportunity to relax and spend time with their families.
Teacher and student morale is high at the moment, although there is still a bit or tiredness in the staff. It’s been a long 14 months since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Extra precautions and less funding in 2020 —due to the economic fallout of the disease— took their toll here.
The good news is that fundraising is improving. We’ve already restored 30% of the funding the schools lost in 2020. There’s still a long road ahead, but we’re trending in the right direction.
GET INVOLVED
Operation Broken Silence is still the only nonprofit in the world funding community-led education efforts in Yida. Without Endure Primary and Renewal Secondary, the entire education system here would collapse.
Individual donors and fundraisers from around the world fund these teachers and students. You can help by joining our movement:
Additional ways to support:
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence, write Education in the memo line, and mail to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN, 38177-0900
ABOUT NUBA
The Nuba Mountains are home to roughly 100 African tribal groups who have lived here for over 2,000 years.
The roughly 1.3 million Christian, Muslim, and traditionalist Nuba people live mostly in harmony together.
Sadly, the Nuba way of life has been in danger for decades. Sudan’s military and extremist regime officials have long viewed the Nuba people as a threat to their iron-fisted rule. The military and their extremist paramilitary allies have committed two genocides in the region since the 1990s.
Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in a military coup in April 2019. Sudan now has a fledgling transitional government that is supposed to be moving the country toward civilian, democratic rule. A fragile ceasefire is in place right now, but war clouds still loom over the Nuba Mountains.
Operation Broken Silence focuses on the Nuba Mountains and nearby Yida Refugee Camp. We are the only funder of education efforts in Yida Refugee Camp. Your generous support is essential for the teachers. Learn more about our mission here.
Mother of Mercy Hospital Update - April 2021
The staff at the only hospital in Sudan’s oppressed Nuba Mountains are saving and changing lives.
Operation Broken Silence supports Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan.
The hospital serves as the backbone of the healthcare system in the Nuba Mountains. The referral facility in Gidel and the string of community clinics the staff manage serve well over 150,000 patients a year. The hospital’s growing staff performs operations, battles cancer and preventable diseases, and brings new children into the world.
Mother of Mercy recently confirmed their first COVID-19 case. Dr. Tom writes:
We recently had our first COVID case and have been able to keep the patient isolated. Thankfully, we have supplies and PPE because of the shipment that arrived from AMH. And the hospital team has been working hard to ensure we're able to care for each person who walks through our doors. (As many of you know, the peace in the region has allowed families to travel and more people continue to come to the hospital for help.)
Additionally, the hospital completed construction on two isolation wards in mid-March. The staff worked well to “flip into COVID-mode.” Only a few isolated cases have been confirmed since then
Much of Nuba culture and commerce happens in outdoor spaces, and many Nuba communities are fairly spread out due to the rural setting. But there are still reasons to be concerned.
Healthcare access is still limited in the Nuba Mountains and medical resources are scarce. Testing and surveillance capacity are also severely limited. While the situation appears to be under control for now, a major COVID outbreak could quickly overwhelm the area. A vaccination campaign for the Nuba people is most likely a ways off as well.
GET INVOLVED
You can help the staff at Mother of Mercy Hospital continue their life-saving work by making a donation, giving monthly, or starting a fundraising page.
Additional ways to support:
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence, write Hospital in the memo line, and mail to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN, 38177-0900
ABOUT NUBA
The Nuba Mountains are home to roughly 100 African tribal groups who have lived there for over 2,000 years.
The 1.3 million Christian, Muslim, and traditionalist Nuba people live in harmony together.
Sadly, the Nuba way of life has been in danger for decades. Sudan’s military and extremist regime officials have long viewed the Nuba people as a threat to their iron-fisted rule. The military and their extremist paramilitary allies have committed two genocides in the region since the 1990s.
Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in a military coup in April 2019. Sudan now has a fledgling transitional government that is supposed to be moving the country toward civilian, democratic rule. A fragile ceasefire is in place right now, but isolated violence committed by surviving regime paramilitaries is still a problem in more remote areas .
Operation Broken Silence focuses on the Nuba Mountains and nearby Yida Refugee Camp. We are one of the hospital’s financial partners. Your generous support is essential for the team at the hospital. Learn more about our mission here.
Biden Administration Rescinds Sanctions On International Criminal Court
We welcome the decision by the Biden Administration to end sanctions on ICC officials.
In a letter to Congressional leadership, President Biden announced today that his administration is ending sanctions and visa restrictions on officials at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
This news is a welcome announcement for the world’s court of last resort, as well as victims of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity who look to the court for justice.
It is also a reminder that civil society advocacy works. In February, Operation Broken Silence joined 70+ NGOs, faith-based groups, and academic institutions in calling on the Biden Administration to repeal these sanctions and restrictions. Our voices were heard.
Rather than being seen as a major step forward for justice, this decision should be understood as a return to the status quo.
The relationship between the United States and ICC has always been strained.
The US participated in the negotiations that created the ICC; however, in 1998, the US voted against the Rome Statute, the Court’s founding treaty. President Clinton signed the Rome Statute but did not submit the treaty to the US Senate for ratification.
In 2002, President Bush “unsigned” the treaty, sending a message that the US would not ratify. The Bush Administration promptly began a global campaign against the ICC, but these efforts were largely ineffective.
By 2005, US posture toward the court began to shift to a more neutral position. That year, the US refused to veto a United Nations Security Council request that the ICC open an investigation into the mass atrocity crimes being committed in Darfur, Sudan.
Underneath the Obama Administration in 2011, the US government’s stance toward the ICC shifted further to being modestly supportive. The US voted for the Security Council referral of the deteriorating situation in Libya to the Court for further action. And in 2012, American Special Forces and diplomats played critical roles in turning over two ICC suspects (Bosco Ntaganda and Dominic Ongwen) to the Court.
This progress shifted dramatically underneath the Trump Administration. In 2018-2019, administration officials and the President himself disparaged the Court every time the topic came up. The US imposed visa bans on ICC officials and, shockingly, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly threatened — by name — two ICC staffers. In a 2020 Executive Order, President Trump sanctioned ICC officials and threatened those who assisted the Court in their investigations, including American citizens, a move that severely harmed the Court’s efforts.
Underneath President Biden, US policy toward the ICC appears to be shifting back to the neutral-modestly supportive stance. In other words: the status quo. The nearly two decades-long tensions between the US and the ICC will most likely remain for now.
This tension is evident in President Biden’s letter to Congressional leaders:
I have determined that, although the United States continues to object to the ICC’s assertions of jurisdiction over personnel of such non-States Parties as the United States and its allies absent their consent or referral by the United Nations Security Council and will vigorously protect current and former United States personnel from any attempts to exercise such jurisdiction, the threat and imposition of financial sanctions against the Court, its personnel, and those who assist it are not an effective or appropriate strategy for addressing the United States’ concerns with the ICC.
It is also evident in the press release from the Court’s Public Affairs Unit:
The Court is mindful that the United States has traditionally made important contributions to the cause of international criminal justice. The Court stands ready to reengage with the US in the continuation of that tradition based on mutual respect and constructive engagement.
In the fulfilment of its independent and impartial judicial mandate, the Court acts strictly within the confines of the Rome Statute, as a Court of last resort, in a manner complementary to national jurisdictions. The Court relies on the support and cooperation of its States Parties, representing all regions of the world, and of the international community more broadly.
In summary, this is akin to old high school acquaintances — who haven’t seen each other in years — bumping into each other. It’s a little awkward and no one really knows what to say or do next, but it still feels warm and fuzzy.
The United States should be doing more to support the ICC.
Because the ICC is a standing international institution, US policy will inevitably evolve over time based on current and future events. Both the good and the bad can be undone at any given time based on the occupant of the White House.
Still, the Biden Administration really should come up with an array of options that are more supportive of the ICC, even though it’s unlikely the US Senate will ratify the Rome Statue any time soon. During the Obama Administration, the US government found some creative ways to be more supportive of the ICC’s important work (see above section), so doing more is not without precedence. The State Department and FBI already have multiple international justice outlets built into their respective institutions. Aligning some of those outlets with specific ICC cases the US has interests in isn’t exactly a crazy idea.
One can also argue that the Biden Administration’s campaign to restore US credibility around the globe would receive a boost if the US became more supportive of the ICC. 123 countries are party to the Rome Statue, including many key US allies who vocally support the Court. Taking a more proactive and positive approach to the ICC would undoubtedly help heal some wounds in America’s bilateral relationships.
All that to say, moving back to the status quo is better than staying the course of the Trump Administration.
We do hope that the Biden Administration and Congressional leaders use this announcement as a springboard to improve relations with the ICC and begin working on longstanding concerns between American and Court officials. It’s past time for progress.
Get Involved
Change in Sudan doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why Operation Broken Silence supports long-term education and healthcare programs in the Nuba Mountains region.
Several years ago we created an endowment fund, a move that has already proven its value. When COVID-19 temporarily brought our fundraising to a screeching halt in the spring and summer of 2020, this special fund helped us keep our doors open and our Sudanese partners afloat.
Right now, a generous private donor is matching all gifts to our endowment, up to $25,000 total! You can help by making a donation or starting a campaign and asking your friends and family to give.
Here are a few other ways you can give as well:
Join The Renewal, our family of monthly givers
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence, write Endowment in the memo line, and mail to P.O. 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 here.
Sudan's Transitional Government And Nuba Leader Sign Deal For Peace Talks
On March 28, a breakthrough Declaration of Principles agreement was signed between Sudan’s transitional government and Nuba leaders.
On Sunday, March 28, a breakthrough Declaration of Principles agreement was signed between Sudan’s transitional government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), the country’s largest armed opposition force in the southern Nuba Mountains region of the country. You can see the full agreement here.
This news is a welcome announcement for Sudan’s move to democracy, which has slowed over the past several months due to COVID-19, regime paramilitaries breaching ceasefire agreements, and more. The agreement is a sign that some of the tensions between the new transitional government and Nuba leaders are beginning to be addressed in a more serious way. There is no real resolution to Sudan’s challenges without Nuba involvement and justice for the oppressed, mountainous region.
While the Declaration of Principles agreement covers quite a bit of ground (again, you can read it here), there are two key elements worth pulling forward that are exciting to see.
Taken to its logical conclusion, this agreement lays the groundwork for a significant reduction of Khartoum’s power.
Many Sudanese and outside observers have some differing views on Sudan’s future; however, most agree there is way too much power centralized in the country’s capitol.
While Khartoum’s centralization of power began well before the Bashir regime seized power in 1989, the consolidation significantly ramped up in the Bashir years. By the time South Sudan split from Sudan in 2011, Khartoum had turned most of the rest of the country into a prison colony that it raped and pillaged for the enrichment of Sudan’s political, religious, and military elite.
The Declaration of Principles agreement appears to aim a wrecking ball at this status quo. Here are two sections from the agreement that speak to that:
2-2: Emphasize the right of the peoples of the regions of Sudan to manage their affairs through decentralization or federalism.
2-5: Achieving justice in the distribution of power and wealth among all the peoples of the Sudanese regions to combat marginalization developmentally, culturally, taking into account the affirmative action of the war regions.
The SPLM-N and Nuba people have been holding out in hopes of separating religion from government. That now seems more likely to happen than ever before.
The Nuba people are one of the most oppressed people groups in Sudan, suffering for decades underneath brutal Islamic, military rule. The region is home to roughly 100 African tribal groups who collectively identify more broadly as Nuba. Christians and Muslims live largely in harmony in the Nuba Mountains.
When Sudan’s transitional government began forming after the fall of the Bashir regime, it became clear that a major, obvious sticking point for Sudan’s transition to democracy would be the interplay between religion and state. After 30 years of Khartoum violently trying to force sharia law on the Nuba people, secularism has strong appeal throughout this region especially.
The Declaration of Principles agreement speaks clearly in Section 2-3 to the need for separating religion and state :
The establishment of a civil, democratic, federal State in Sudan, wherein, the freedom of religion, the freedom of belief and religious practices and worship shall be guaranteed to all Sudanese people by separating the identities of culture, region, ethnicity and religion from the State. No religion shall be imposed on anyone and the State shall not adopt any official religion. The State shall be impartial in terms of religious matters and matters of faith and conscience. The State shall guarantee and protect the freedom of religion and practices. These principles shall be enshrined in the constitution.
But don’t forget that these are just words on paper.
As important as this new agreement is, history cannot be ignored. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan represented the transitional government in this agreement. Burhan is a holdover from the Bashir era, a time in which the government broke just about every ceasefire and peace deal they ever signed.
But this does not mean that the agreement is destined to fail. Despite the long-standing differences between Khartoum and the Nuba Mountains, leaders on both sides seem to not want to return to full-blown war. Whether that desire can translate into a real peace agreement or not is yet to be seen. Time will tell.
As has been the case since Sudan’s peaceful revolution in 2019, we remain cautiously optimistic about the future. There’s certainly a lot that can go wrong; however, for the first time in a long time, there’s also a lot that can go right.
Get Involved
Change in Sudan doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why Operation Broken Silence supports long-term education and healthcare programs in the Nuba Mountains region.
Several years ago we created an endowment fund, a move that has already proven its value. When COVID-19 temporarily brought our fundraising to a screeching halt in the spring and summer of 2020, this special fund helped us keep our doors open and our Sudanese partners afloat.
Right now, a generous private donor is matching all gifts to our endowment, up to $25,000 total! You can help by making a donation or starting a campaign and asking your friends and family to give.
Additional ways to support:
Join The Renewal, our family of monthly givers
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence, write Endowment in the memo line, and mail to P.O. 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 here.
COVID-19 reported in the Nuba Mountains
COVID-19 has reached the Nuba Mountains. Here’s how you can help.
One year after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, Operation Broken Silence can confirm that the virus has reached the Nuba Mountains of Sudan and affiliated areas, such as nearby Yida Refugee Camp.
All of the Sudanese-led programs Operation Broken Silence supports are in these areas.
Background
The Nuba Mountains region has always been one of the most isolated places on the planet. Rural, oppressed, and often under siege, the estimated 1.3 million people who live in the mountains, surrounding farming areas, and nearby refugee camps face a myriad of challenges forced on them by Islamic extremists and racist government officials.
Travel in and out of the Nuba Mountains has been extremely limited for years due to the war. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since 2016, and Sudan’s peaceful 2019 revolution ushered in a fragile transitional government. Sadly, paramilitaries built up under the previous regime continue to wage a shadow war in several frontline areas. Many people in Yida Refugee Camp still cannot return home. A permanent peace agreement remains elusive.
For these reasons, the Nuba Mountains essentially operates as a de facto country within Sudan’s borders. Travel to the area has opened up a little over the last two years, but there is still no widespread population movement between government and rebel-controlled areas. Between that and the general isolation of the area , there was a modest chance that COVID-19 would not touch the area.
COVID-19 Confirmation
Three weeks ago, our education partner reported to us that several suspected cases of COVID-19 had been detected in Yida Refugee Camp. More recently, a few isolated cases have been confirmed in the Nuba Mountains as well.
There are reasons to hope. In mid-March, Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains completed construction of two isolation wards. The staff worked well to “flip into COVID-mode.” Only a few isolated cases have been confirmed so far. Much of Nuba culture and commerce happens in outdoor spaces, and many Nuba communities are fairly spacious due to the rural setting.
There are also reasons to be concerned. Healthcare access is severely limited in the Nuba Mountains and medical resources are scarce. Testing and surveillance capacity are also limited. While the situation appears to be under control for now, a major COVID outbreak could quickly overwhelm the area.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
A vaccination campaign for the Nuba people is most likely a ways off, but there are still ways to help save lives.
Mother of Mercy Hospital is the backbone of the healthcare system in the Nuba Mountains. The only referral hospital in the region, their facilities in Gidel and the string of community clinics they oversee have always needed more funding. Every year, they serve well over 100,000 patients by performing operations, battling cancer and preventable diseases, and bringing new children into the world.
You can help the staff continue their life-saving work amidst COVID-19 by making a donation, starting a fundraising page, or giving monthly.
Additional ways to support:
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence, write Hospital in the memo line, and mail to P.O. 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 here.
Meeting With Senator Bill Hagerty's Office Concerning The International Affairs Budget
Our Executive Director met with Senator Bill Hagerty’s office for a conversation on U.S. foreign policy and the International Affairs Budget.
On March 10, Operation Broken Silence’s Executive Director Mark Hackett met with staff from Senator Bill Hagerty's office and a number of other nonprofit professionals, military veterans, and business leaders from across Tennessee for a conversation on U.S. foreign policy and the International Affairs Budget.
Following a robust and engaging discussion, we requested that the Senator:
Support a strong, effective, fully-resourced International Affairs Budget in FY22.
Support a comprehensive emergency response to COVID-19 that includes both domestic and international resources to protect the health and economic recovery here at home.
Ensure Congress continues to champion effective, accountable, and results-driven international affairs programs that keep America safe, grow our economy, and promote our values.
This meeting was organized by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a nonpartisan organization uniting business, military, faith, and political leaders to strengthen U.S. investments in global development and diplomacy. Mark serves on USGLC’s Tennessee Advisory Committee.
About The International Affairs Budget
The International Affairs Budget supports American diplomacy and development initiatives, including funding for the State Department, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Peace Corps.
At a fraction of the cost of maintaining the US military, these non-military investments empower democracy, build free markets, combat violent extremism, fight poverty and health crises, and promote positive relationships with the United States.
Over the past four years, Congress overwhelmingly rejected the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to the International Affairs Budget on a bipartisan basis, instead consistently providing increases to these critical resources.
The Biden Administration is expected to release its first budget request for FY22 this spring. President Biden has been vocal about his commitment to restoring U.S. leadership abroad and has pledged to increase investments in America’s development and diplomacy programs that advance our nation’s interests and values.
Operation Broken Silence is funded by private donors and institutions. Although we do not receive federal grants, we understand the tremendous value of a strong State Department and USAID. Both agencies are critical to achieving a peace and just future in Sudan.
GET INVOLVED
Sudan’s transition to a more peaceful, just, and secure future is at risk.
Operation Broken Silence is on the frontlines alongside of brave Sudanese change makers. They need your support. Here are a few ways you can help them.
We focus on the oppressed Nuba Mountains region and nearby Yida Refugee Camp. Operation Broken Silence is the only nonprofit in the world funding education efforts in Yida, supporting 24 Nuba teachers and over 1,300 students at the Endure Primary and Renewal Secondary Schools.
Also, don’t forget that a generous private donor is matching all gifts to our Endowment Fund, up to $25,000 total! If you would like to double your impact, get involved here.
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 here.