Abyei Prayer Update 16-1-15
Note from Editor: we've received this prayer letter for Abyei from Tim Flatman. Published with his permission. Please PRAY for Abyei.
From: Tim Flatman
Sent: 16 January 2015 02:27 PM
Subject: Abyei Prayer Update 16-1-15
Subject: Abyei Prayer Update 16-1-15
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Greetings from Agok where it is now very pleasant after cold weather last week. We arrived here just over a week ago and have spent time in Abyei town and Mijak and Rumamer villages north of the river Kiir. Sadly it is not advisable to visit Leu, Marial Achaak or Dungop villages, where returnees are also present, without an escort from the Ethiopian peacekeepers. Security continues to be a problem in these areas as Misseriya militias attack and sometimes kill those who go to collect grass for building their homes at this time of year.
These militias continue to grow in number. The World Food Programme has been duped into providing food to them, while rations to genuine returnees are reduced despite very poor harvests last year, thanks to a dangerously misleading report of July 2014 which treats militiamen as civilians and also calls for clinics to be built and boreholes to be drilled to service them!
Despite the growing insecurity in some areas, lack of food and lack of progress in achieving recognition for the referendum of Oct 2013, thousands of people remain in both Abyei town and in many of the villages north of the Kiir. Some rebuilding work has gone on in Abyei (primary schools and a secondary school will be open in February), and Caritas are currently helping vulnerable returnees build tukuls, continuing and improving an earlier work that many of you contributed to.
Pion Tok, a women's group of volunteers, have been pouring out alcohol in Agok and Abyei wherever they find it, on the authority of the local government, and report that fights and worklessness amongst displaced youth have noticeably reduced. The Catholic, Episcopal and Pentecostal churches are present with the people in Abyei town and villages north of the Kiir, holding services, discipling and supporting people in a number of ways, work we have been able to support through teaching, provision of some resources (including copies of Bishop Poggo's book on Nehemiah) and prayer. So there is much to be thankful for.
Prayer points:
- Give thanks for the work Caritas is doing building tukuls in Abyei, and the work of Pion Tok combatting alcoholism and worklessness;
- Pray for unity within the leadership of the Ngok and for reconciliation between individuals who have fallen out;
- Ask God to protect people in outlying villages especially when they go to gather local materials for building, including perhaps by prompting UNISFA peacekeepers to change heart and agree to accompany them;
- Pray that the report which led to humanitarian agencies supporting militias in northern Abyei would be undermined and no further support would be provided to them; that they would leave Abyei and Kec, which their illegal settlements are clustered around, would be disarmed;
- Pray that the WFP would not reduce food rations to Agok and Abyei town, and would also distribute some food to villages east of Abyei including Mijak and Rumamer in the light of poor harvests due to late rains, and for better harvests this year;
- Pray that a water yard damaged due to strong winds in Mijak, and a boat allowing easy travel between Agok and Rumamer, would be repaired quickly;
- Give thanks for school rebuilding work and for training of teachers recently carried out by Solidarité, but pray for equipment to be delivered as most schools will not have exercise books or pens when term starts in February. We hope to arrange for some to be distributed in a couple of the schools in Mijak. Please contact us if you would like to contribute to this work;
Continue to pray with the Ngok people that their referendum would be recognised; pray for peace and security and for God to drive out fear from them.
Love and solidarity
Tim and Hannah