News & Updates
Check out the latest from Sudan and our movement
Watch: ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan briefs the UNSC on the Situation in Darfur, Sudan
Yesterday, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) presented an update to the United Nations Security Council.
Yesterday, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) presented an update to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) concerning the situation in Darfur, Sudan. You can watch Prosecutor Khan’s moving testimony above and find a brief summary below.
Trial of Ali Kushayb
In April 2007, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Ali Muhammad Ali Abd–Al-Rahman, aka Ali Kushayb. The Prosecutor’s Office argues that he was a key commander and organizer of the pro-regime Popular Defense Forces and Janjaweed militias that launched devastating attacks on Darfuri towns and villages between 2003-2004.
Evidence suggests that Ali Kushayb personally participated in some of the attacks against civilians in the towns of Kodoom, Bindist, Mukjar, and Arawala between August 2003 and March 2004, where the murder, rape, and torture of civilians were committed. The prominent regime militia leader was captured in the Central African Republic in 2020, after fleeing Sudanese government forces who had turned against him.
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan reported that his office is preparing to wrap up the case against Kushayb. This is a landmark trial, the first ever stemming from a Security Council referral and the first in relation to the situation in Darfur before the Court.
Regime No Longer Cooperating With The Court
Prosecutor Khan informed the Security Council that the Sudanese government has largely stopped cooperating with regards to the Court's other cases. ICC staff entering Sudan face growing administrative hurdles that are preventing them from pursuing their critical work. The Court still has not been allowed to set up an investigative office in country. “Over the last six months, unfortunately not one request for assistance has been executed by the government of Sudan,” he said.
Sudanese war criminals indicted by the Court also remain “at large,” even though their locations are believed to be known. Overthrown dictator Omar al-Bashir, also indicted by the Court, is in Sudanese government custody. Prosecutor Khan stressed that “a change in posture is needed” in Sudan, saying “And if we do not see a change of approach, I may have no option in the next report but maybe to commend certain other action by Member States in the next period.”
Background
The crisis in Darfur was referred to the ICC by the UNSC in March 2005 after the Security Council determined that the situation in Sudan constituted a threat to international peace and security. The ICC investigations regarding Darfur focus on allegations of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur, Sudan since July 2002.
Since then, the Court has produced several cases with suspects ranging from Sudanese government officials, militia/janjaweed leaders, and leaders of armed resistance groups.
Get Involved
Operation Broken Silence has been working next to our Sudanese partners on the ground for over a decade. Our mission has always been focused on the long run, which is why empowering local solutions in the oppressed Nuba Mountains region is our top priority.
When you give, you are supporting local teachers just like Chana, who are serving over 900 students a year in Yida Refugee Camp.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
Start a fundraising page and ask friends and family to give!
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence and mail to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900
Farewell 2022
An end of year message from our Executive Director.
Supporters and friends,
Where did 2022 go? Our mission went by faster this year than any I can remember.
As we prepare to enter a new year, I want to pass along the sincere gratitude of our Sudanese partners. Here are a few highlights that they asked me to share with you:
Incredible progress is still being achieved at the Endure Primary and Renewal Secondary Schools, despite many families departing Yida Refugee Camp for their villages in the Nuba Mountains. Attendance at both schools is holding steady at roughly 900 students every day, classroom repairs were recently completed, and roughly 1,400 students at other schools in Yida received national exam preparation support thanks to you.
At Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains, the long-dreamed of clinical school is finally open and training the next generation of healthcare workers in the region. Additional construction on a new operating theatre and labour and delivery ward is nearing completion. And the eye care program is now sometimes treating upwards of 50 patients a day!
With your help, we continue to make progress on the clean water project one of our Sudanese partners plans to complete in 2023. Final preparations are being made on the ground now as what should be the final donations roll in. When complete, roughly 7,000 people across five villages in the Nuba Mountains will have clean water.
This is but a small snapshot of the life-changing work done in our mission every day. None of this would have been possible without your generous support! Thank you.
A Strange, But Good Year For Our Movement
If there is a single word that can sum up the past twelve months here at Operation Broken Silence, it is strange. Like many small international nonprofits that are critical to the communities we serve, our mission faced strong headwinds outside of our control.
Inflation, the war in Ukraine, overblown fears of a recession, and cultural sorting in the United States posed significant challenges to our movement-building work. Many of our creative approaches that bore fruit last year gained less ground in 2022. Doors that were once open to us are closed, even as new ones opened. The usually quiet summer months were unusually productive. The busy end of year season has been a bit quieter than usual.
As I was recently telling one of our monthly donors, not much really makes sense right now. There is neither a rhyme nor a rhythm to our work. This doesn’t appear to be cause for concern though. The numbers are shaping up to be a fairly normal year, even though how we got here has been anything but normal. Reflecting on conversations with some of you during events and fundraising, I believe this is a testament to your dedication. Behind numbers are real people just like you.
Not only did we see some new faces join our movement, but our core supporters stuck with us. Membership in The Renewal monthly giving program was impressively stable. Our online fundraisers nearly doubled their impact, making up for lost support from shrinking faith institutions and family foundations that redirected support to Ukraine. And while bad weather plagued our return to in-person events, dedicated supporters turned out.
Again, you made this year possible. Thank you.
Looking Ahead
2023 will likely be another year of unpredictable and chaotic moments. Sudan remains in the top 10 list of countries at greatest statistical risk for mass killing. We don’t know how things will shake out in Khartoum with the vague new agreement. The political system in the U.S. is already gearing up for another heated presidential election. A recession is still a possibility, although we aren’t deeply concerned as recession predictions continue coming up short, the economy is humming along, and inflation is easing.
This season is one in which we can learn about the complex and sometimes harsh environment we are in. Our Sudanese partners have been doing this for some time now. Rather than committing to a hard plan in 2023, we will pursue a few key principles:
Be rooted in the basics. It is clear that making big plans and bold proclamations is not the best idea right now. Instead of anxiously fighting against forces far outside of our control, we’ll be taking everything one day, one week, and one month at a time within the context of what we have always done: serving our Sudanese partners and you to the best of our ability.
Be nimble. We jumped at several last minute fundraising opportunities this year that really paid off. Looking back, there were also a few that we missed. Next month we will streamline some of our internal processes to put some free time back into our leadership team. In the midst of uncertainty there is opportunity, and we need more space to seize every one of them.
Be and think small. We have no plans to expand in 2023. We will focus on sustaining and strengthening our core programming in Sudan and in our global movement. While we have the cash on hand to add a new full-time staffer, we currently have no plans to hire. There are still too many unanswered questions about the future and what are staffing should look like.
In summary, our focus in 2023 is making incremental progress. This perhaps doesn’t sound as exciting as previous years, but there is so much good work left to be done with what we already have in our mission.
As we stand on the cusp of a new year and the hope that comes with it, would you consider making one final tax-deductible donation to Operation Broken Silence? Donations are being matched by a private donor, instantly doubling your impact! Your gift will help one of our Sudanese partners bring clean water to roughly 7,000 people in 2023.
Like many of you, I’m excited for the new year that lies ahead. I hope these last few days of 2022 are restful and spent with loved ones. Take care.
Onward,
Mark C. Hackett
Executive Director
Mother of Mercy Hospital Update - December 2022
Get the latest news from the only referral hospital in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan.
Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan serves as the backbone of the healthcare system in this fragile region. The main referral facility in Gidel and its string of community clinics serve over 150,000+ patients year. The local staff performs operations, battles cancer and preventable diseases, and brings new children into the world.
Photo provided by Dr. Tom Catena
Tutu’s Story
A few times a year, the hospital’s medical director Dr. Tom Catena shares a story of one of their patients or a member of the local staff who is leaving a lasting impression on the team:
As my team in the Nuba Mountains continues its essential work, your support sustains us.
I’d like to introduce you to Tutu Abraham, my friend and colleague. Tutu is a midwife-nurse on the maternity ward here at Gidel Hospital. He is from Gidel in the Nuba Mountains and was able to move to Kenya to continue his education. After 14 years, Tutu was ready to return to his home and apply his knowledge as an assistant nurse.
I work with Tutu at the hospital and know the compassionate spirit and love he has for patients. Tutu’s potential was obvious, so he received a sponsorship to further his education at the Catholic Health Training Institute in Wau.
We are grateful Tutu accepted this offer because today, after three years, he has graduated from the program with a degree in midwifery. Tutu returned to us right where he began in the maternity ward. But now, he is a certified midwife.
“My greatest joy is helping mothers deliver strong, healthy babies,” Tutu told me. “As a father myself, there is no more beautiful thing in the world than being a parent.”
Photo provided by Dr. Tom Catena
Recent News
2022 has been another busy year. The fragile ceasefire in the Nuba Mountains continues to allow for better freedom of movement. People are even coming from various parts of Sudan for care, a testament to the high reputation of the staff.
After years of anticipation, the clinical school is now open and training the first wave of 20 new clinical officers! Their two weeks of orientation were in August and classes remain ongoing. The students are working well together and are joyfully engaged in their studies. More healthcare workers are desperately needed in the Nuba region. The new facilities and trainings will help alleviate the healthcare worker shortage over time.
Construction projects remain ongoing at the hospital, with a new operating theatre and labour and delivery ward nearing completion. Operation Broken Silence recently managed funds for a multi-org project that brought needed building materials, tools, and other resources to help get the clinical school up and running and these new facilities built. These were items that couldn’t be sourced locally.
Photo provided by Dr. Tom Catena
The hospital’s eye care program continues to flourish even as needs remain great. Hundreds of people show up at the hospital every month to be evaluated for vision issues. Caesar, a clinical ophthalmology officer, provides cataract surgery and other eye procedures. In August, his team reached a new milestone of treating upwards of 50 patients every day! “There are many cataract cases, and people come from all over states of Sudan for treatment here,” Caesar says. “Patients are really happy and trust our treatment here. It’s my goal to use my knowledge and skills to prevent blindness and improve vision in my community.”
A measles outbreak began showing up at the hospital in September. By early October there were over 100 admissions that filled the two new isolation wards built last year and overflow tents. This is not the first time a measles outbreak has spread in the Nuba region. Vaccines have historically been difficult to come by. In fact, for the past two years no vaccines have gotten into the region at all. Thankfully, some vaccines were delivered in late September despite flooded roads from the rainy season. And the isolation wards are already proving to be valuable.
A Nuba female doctor who was studying at a medical school in Nairobi has returned to the hospital. And in January and February, a pediatric surgeon from Duke and an American plastic surgeon working in Kenya will briefly visit to help provide additional care and training.
This is but a small snapshot of the life-changing work done every day at the hospital. After years of war and oppression led to a high emphasis on emergency care, Dr. Tom recently said of these latest developments “we’re slowly becoming a teaching hospital.” This is what is truly needed for the health of the Nuba people to improve in the long run and for patients to feel whole again.
The vision of a brighter future is finally becoming a reality, but there is much work left to be done.
Photo provided by Dr. Tom Catena
Get Involved
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our supporters have unique opportunities to empower the staff at Mother of Mercy Hospital.
This critical healthcare facility is funded by private supporters from around the world. When we all do our small part, the hospital staff, trainees, and the Nuba people thrive. The fastest and easiest way to help is to make a quick one-time donation online, or setup a small monthly gift to help provide the team the consistent support they need.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
Start a fundraising page and ask friends and family to give
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence, write Hospital in the memo line, and mail to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN, 38177-0900
Sign up for our free email list to never miss an update from the hospital
Stock Giving Is Here
You can now donate stock from your investment portfolio to our Sudanese partners.
Supporters and friends,
We take great care to ensure you have the simplest and most fulfilling paths to engage with our mission. In fact, when it comes to elevating your experience, we’ve always been several steps ahead of most of the nonprofit sector:
We were an early adaptor of online peer-to-peer fundraising, directly empowering our supporters to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for our Sudanese partners.
Our monthly giving program is so successful that it has been the subject of several case studies, including this one by fundraising giant Classy. Recurring giving is the new thing many nonprofits are chasing today.
We are an early adaptor of cryptocurrency philanthropy, opening up the doors of our mission to a new type of donor and bringing a safe and reliable giving experience to the crypto ecosystem.
Operation Broken Silence even won an award in 2021 for donor excellence from the world’s top fundraising platform. These are just a few of several examples illustrating what we mean when we say we take you and all of our supporters seriously.
Introducing Simplified Stock Giving
Our relentless pursuit of simple and fulfilling ways for you to engage with our mission is taking another step forward today. You can now donate stock from your investment portfolio quickly and safely through our new widget!
Enter the ticker symbol and your gift amount.
Type in your information. Then, add your broker’s information.
Make your gift!
You will receive a tax receipt at the email address you provide. This confirmation will help you close the loop when calculating your taxes.
Stock charitable donations are processed quickly and safely by our friends at The Giving Block. Please note that all stock donations are nonrefundable. Now let’s look at some reasons why stock giving is a preferred way to donate.
Why Donate Stock?
There are three primary reasons why donating stock is preferred to giving cash.
1. Because your awesomeness makes our Sudanese partners even more awesome. Let’s be real: you are here because you care about our Sudanese partners and the critical work they do. That’s why you give. We know you’re awesome, which is why we work so hard to make giving easier and more impactful for you.
Generosity shouldn’t be hard when so much is on the line in Sudan. Your stock giving helps our Sudanese partners bring education and healthcare to more people who have long been denied both. Double awesome!
Photo by Operation Broken Silence
2. You’re able to give more thanks to tax incentives. When you donate a long-term investment that has increased in value for more than one year, you’re able to donate the entire amount of its current market value and avoid paying capital gains tax.
Say you purchased some stocks more than one year ago. The original fair market value of those stocks was $30,000 but has risen to $50,000 today (great job, btw!) Capital gains incurred is $20,000 with a federal long term capital gains tax rate at 20% and Medicare surtax at 3.8%. If you decide to sell the stock first and donate the proceeds, you’ll owe $4,760 in taxes, leaving $45,240 to donate.
However, donating the stock directly to Operation Broken Silence allows you to give the entire present day value of $50,000. And it really does make a difference. In this example, that extra $4,760 can support 4 teachers at the schools in Yida for an entire year!
3. An opportunity for a portfolio review. Donating stocks gives you the chance to assess your investment portfolio. Markets change and investment strategies with them. Preparing to make a stock donation is a great time to chat with your financial advisor about all the things. If one of the reasons you are donating is for tax benefits, we strongly encourage you to consult with a financial advisor before giving.
The last month of the year is the perfect time to check with your financial advisor about your portfolio and ask a few questions about stock donations. Feel free to share this page with them as a reference. Moving forward, stock giving can always be found here in the Donate dropdown menu at the top of our website.
We appreciate the opportunity to bring another easy and fulfilling form of generosity to you. As we enter these final days of the year, I hope you will take advantage of this unique giving opportunity.
Onward,
Mark C. Hackett
Executive Director
Operation Broken Silence
Military junta and pro-democracy group sign agreement, but crisis far from over
Earlier today, Sudan's coup plotters and civilian leaders signed a framework agreement in an attempt to end the junta’s illegal rule.
Sudanese demonstrators in Khartoum demand the return to civilian rule. AP Photo/Marwan Ali.
Supporters and friends,
Earlier today Sudan's coup plotters and civilian leaders signed a framework agreement in an attempt to end the junta’s illegal rule that has pushed the country to the brink of collapse. Signatories include the military, the Forces of Freedom and Change umbrella civilian movement, and a smattering of political parties, rebel groups, and tribal leaders.
The agreement signed today paves the way toward a supposed two-year transitional period that begins with civilian groups appointing a new prime minister. The military’s formal role is set to become a defense council headed by whomever the new prime minister is. Elections are supposed to occur at the end of the two year period.
Critical issues such as transitional justice, security sector reform, and plans to uproot and end corruption and state violence —all of which are critical to securing the buy-in of protesters in the streets— were not included in the agreement. Many pro-democracy Resistance Committee leaders, who have been critical in organizing protests over the last year, are already calling for demonstrations against this agreement. Some protesters are back in the streets as a result.
As we have said for years, agreements such as these are only ink on paper. They neither guarantee sustained progress nor ensure the safety of the Sudanese people. The military has a three decades-long history of breaching and destroying agreements just like these when they feel their power is even marginally threatened. At today’s signing ceremony, Sudan’s defacto dictator General Burhan warned that this dynamic has not changed:
“The army will go back to its barracks but the political parties have to aim for the elections, instead of ruling in the moment. We are committed to exit from politics and stop interfering in the political life and we expect the politicians to stop interfering with the army.”
So, what does all this mean?
Sudan has been ruled at gunpoint by the military and a plethora of brutal security and paramilitary forces since the generals overthrew a fragile transitional government in October 2021. As we mentioned several weeks ago, the abuses of the resurgent junta over the past year have been horrifying. Over 7,000 peaceful protesters have been seriously wounded by junta forces. Regime-backed violence continues to surge in the country’s oppressed hinterlands. The economy is in tatters and a third of Sudanese children cannot even attend school.
While we sincerely hope that this is a more permanent turning point to a better Sudan, we have serious doubts about this arrangement because many of the Sudanese people have serious doubts. Operation Broken Silence has always acted on the belief that it is up to the Sudanese people to determine the future of their country. Our secondary role as their determined ally and helper remains unchanged. There are now so many unresolved and worsening issues in Sudan that no single agreement can set the stage for fixing everything.
But any agreement worth serious consideration should address at least some of the core issues so there is more buy-in from the people. This one appears to have not gone far enough.
There is of course a real chance that a future agreement will address more issues. But that will require civilian leaders “interfering” with the army. Military and security sector reform is required for Sudan to move in the direction the people want and the head of the military is already shooting that idea down. It doesn’t bode well for the future.
But the courage of the Sudanese people remains unfazed, which means we must remain unfazed. They are still protesting. Their voices are relentless in the face of the junta’s intransigence. They are proof that a different Sudan is possible in our lifetime. And it falls to us to deliver the support they need to reach their aspirations.
Get Involved
Operation Broken Silence has been working next to our Sudanese partners on the ground for over a decade. Our mission has always been focused on the long run, which is why empowering local solutions in the oppressed Nuba Mountains region is our top priority.
Building clean water infrastructure goes beyond ensuring basic health needs. Clean water improves security by keeping people closer to the safety of their communities. It empowers women by putting time back into their day. And clean water means children can go to school instead of spending hours searching for dirty water.
We’re taking on this water project because we listened to the people living here and because no one else will serve them. The fastest way to help is to make a quick one-time donation online or setup a monthly gift. Your gift will be matched by a private donor!
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
Start a fundraising page and ask friends and family to give! These last few months of the year are the perfect time to fundraise.
Join The Renewal, our monthly giving family that never stops fighting for change.
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence, write Water in the memo line, and mail to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900
Thank you again for being a part of this movement. As we enter these final days of the year, I hope you will join us as we wrap up fundraising for this critical clean water project.
Onward,
Mark C. Hackett
Executive Director
Giving Tuesday 2022
Another Giving Tuesday is in the bag! Thank you for joining us on this global day of generosity.
Friends and supporters,
Thank you for participating in Giving Tuesday this year. Like many nonprofits, we’ve faced some serious fundraising headwinds this year from inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the cultural sorting underway in the United States. We went into Giving Tuesday with low expectations for these reasons.
But you surprised us! Your generosity and fundraising on Giving Tuesday brought in $8,300 for our Sudanese partners. Donations are still trickling in, including from many new faces in our movement. These are much needed funds that will be put to good use in the clean water, education, and healthcare programs we support in Sudan.
This was also an encouraging day for our team. 2022 has been one of the oddest years of fundraising and movement building we’ve experienced. The usually quiet Summer months were incredibly productive and the always busy Spring and Fall months were much more difficult to find progress in. Needless to say, being surprised with a mostly normal Giving Tuesday was refreshing. Thank you.
The Giving Season
In this final month of the year, we have an incredible opportunity to help bring clean water to 7,000 people in the Nuba Mountains. Our goal is to wrap up fundraising for their clean water project by December 31. That means we need to raise $23,000 in the next 31 days!
A generous private donor is still matching gifts to help us make progress quickly. When you give, they give.
Reaching this goal will provide the missing building block needed to make progress after years of war. Clean water is the gift that keeps on giving, helping to get their schools, markets, and places of worship back up and running.
Join us by giving once or through The Renewal, our family of monthly givers. You can find additional key dates and ways to pitch in during this season of generosity below.
Dec 1- Dec 31: Friends & Family Fundraising
It’s not only the best time to give, but also the best time to invite loved ones to pitch in! You can start a fundraising page and send the link to friends and family asking them to donate.
Your page comes with the campaign video and information about the project. And with donations being matched the hard work is already done!
Dec 7: Holiday Brews at Wiseacre on Broad
For our supporters in the Memphis area, you are invited to this free gathering. It’s a great time to connect with fellow movement members and our team!
The event is free but registration is required as spots are limited. Your ticket includes a free beer, good conversation, and a 50% discount code to our Soirée For Sudan event in 2023!
Dec 26-31: Year End Gifts
Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of US law.
All online gifts must be made by midnight on December 31.
Personal checks must be dated and postmarked by December 31. Make payable to Operation Broken Silence and mail to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.
Checks from donor-advised funds must be dated and postmarked by December 31 and can be sent to our PO Box as well. If the manager of your donor-advised fund prefers electronic transfers, they can contact us for wiring instructions.
Dec 26-31: Year End Investment Gifts
Stock donations must be processed by close of market on Friday, December 30. Crypto gifts must be processed by midnight on December 31.
We strongly encourage you to make investment gifts before these deadlines to ensure brokers and blockchains have time to process your donation.
Select the type of gift.
Enter the specific investment and amount.
Type in your information and complete the form.
Confirm your gift and complete the instructions!
You will receive a tax receipt at the email address you provide. Stock and crypto charitable donations are processed by The Giving Block and are nonrefundable.
To donate a mutual fund, download our Investment Fund Transfer Form and complete the process. Your broker will help with the electronic transfer.
If you have questions about giving or would like to direct your gift toward a different project, please contact us for assistance.
Thank you again for bringing some much needed stability to our mission and Sudanese partners this Giving Tuesday. As we enter these final days of the year, I hope you will join us as we wrap up fundraising for this critical clean water project.
Onward,
Mark C. Hackett
Executive Director