MAIWUT, SUDAN (December 15, 2000) – Word has just reached Covenant News Service (CNS) of a brutal attack in Maiwut in late November that left 26 dead, including several members of the local Evangelical Covenant Church. No denominational or conference staff were injured, according to sketchy reports from the region.
Covenant representatives in the area were able to respond quickly, providing emergency relief funds from Covenant World Relief along with some of the proceeds from the World Relief offering received during CHIC2K this summer.
A militia engaged by the Khartoum government attacked the village around 7 a.m. on November 23 or 24, according to CNS sources in the area. One of those killed was the leader of the deaconesses in the local Covenant church.
The men of the village pursued the militia, killing 14 soldiers and recovering items stolen from the village. Although the men have returned to Maiwut, the village women and children remain in hiding in the countryside.
Maiwut is situated close to the Baro River in far eastern South Sudan. The village is one day’s travel West and North from Gambella, Ethiopia. Gambella itself is a 15-hour ride West of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Jerry Rice, Alan Bergstrom and Jim Sundholm were in Gambella on the Monday following the attack. They visited one border area and spoke with people who were close to the Maiwut massacre. It was at that meeting that the decision was made to distribute the emergency relief funds. Sundholm and his family were living in Nekemte, Ethiopia, at the time of the attack.
Covenant News Service will provide additional details as they become available.
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