The organization I have worked for this semester is Lutheran Family Services, in
particular, refugee services. This organization relocates refugees, the ones I worked with are
from Sudan, Africa. A 20 year civil war has been raging in Sudan leaving families displaced and
relocated. The war is between the Northern Sudanese (mostly Arab Muslims-also in control of
the government) and the Southern Sudanese (mostly indigenous people of Nuer and Dinka
'tribes'). The Southern Sudanese do not recognize the government except when forced to.
White missionaries come to Southern Sudan to aid these people while converting them to
Christianity (and furthering their God's/or religion's own agenda). Bior (a boy I work with) told
me, "we like the white people in Sudan, they come to help us build things." The Southern
Sudanese have been cosntantly attacked and often fled to neighboring Kenya. Even in Kenya
refugee camps the Southern Sudanese have been attacked by their Arab enemies.
The Northern Sudanese are largely Arab Muslims who control the government. The
government is seen as artificial to the indigenous population. The government attempts to
collect taxes and impose laws on those in Southern Sudan. Resistance is shown to these
hegemonic (concede to our government) practices. In Sudan we see religion polarizing groups
(Muslims following Muslim law against non-Muslim Southern Sudanese, also, Christian
missionaries aiding and converting Southern Sudanese). The laws of the government are in
accordance and set up to further Islamic law. This law is pushed on non-Islamic peoples. The
Christian missionaries meanwhile attempt to get the local tribes to act according to Christian
principles (i.e. forgoing traditional animal sacrifices). Religion is a force of change dictating the
government (those with the weapons and power seize control of it) and enacted by the same
government. It is also a force ...