When states divide

In October, when Scotland becomes an independent nation, anyone with a Scottish grandparent will have the right to become a citizen of Scotland. In fact England will insist that anyone with a Scottish grandparent not only becomes a Scottish citizen, but also moves north across the border within one year of independence. For security reasons Scottish citizens expelled from England will only be able to take one small car load of possessions with them. Happy independence!

Well, by now I hope you have realised I made all that up. (If Cameron is still at the station buying his ticket to Glasgow, come home - we love you in Oxford!) But my serious point is that this is exactly what is happening between Sudan and South Sudan right now. With the two countries on the brink of a bitter war (over oil of course!) Sudan has decided that anyone at all with a grandparent from South Sudan (mainly Christians) needs to get out, and get out fast. To make matters worse all barge traffic on the River Nile has been stopped so people can only take with them what they can carry overland ... and then at the border there are all sorts of difficulties with the issuing of identify papers etc. And in the skies above - war planes circle.

When it was just one country (designed by those wonderful British imperialists) Sudan was locked in 25 years of tragic civil war. Now it seems the only difference is that the war is no longer 'civil', just war.

I'm praying for a miracle in Sudan and South Sudan, and I'm hoping our seperation from Scotland (and its oil) might be a little less acrimonious.