wfn.org | WCC on Sudan peace agreement

["Miriam Reidy-Prost" <mr@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Update pu-04-29
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 28/05/2004 - 

WCC general secretary praises Sudan's peace agreement

Cf. Press Release PR-04-07 of 17 May 2004 

Calling the recent peace agreement "an important step towards national
reconciliation and healing" and "a turning point for the people of Sudan",
the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia
congratulated the parties involved and voiced the "joy and happiness" of the
WCC member churches "on this momentous and historic occasion of the signing
of the peace protocols, after 21 years of bitter conflict". 

In letters sent today to the vice-president of Sudan Ali Osman Taha and to
the chief of the Sudan People's Liberation Army / Movement (SPLA/M) John
Garang, Kobia also pointed to the fact that this is the beginning of a "long
and difficult process for reconstruction, healing and reconciliation" that
will entail "sacrifice and painstaking hard work from all parties". 

Recalling the longstanding WCC commitment to peace and reconciliation in
Sudan, which goes back to the early 60s, he assured the two parties that the
Council will continue to be in solidarity with "efforts towards the
consolidation of peace and justice in Sudan". 

In a separate letter also sent today to the Kenyan minister of Foreign
Affairs Kalonzo Musyoka, the WCC general secretary expressed deep gratitude
to the government of Kenya for the "tenacity and resilience" demonstrated
"during the delicate peace process on Sudan". 

Earlier this month, Kobia urged the president of Sudan Omar Hassan Ahmad
al-Bashir "to work for an immediate end to hostilities" and "to take steps to
put an end to human rights violations" in the Darfur region. The appeal, made
in a letter sent on 7 May, 2004, included a call for "a negotiated settlement
so that much-needed humanitarian relief is able to reach those in desperate
need of such assistance". 

For more information contact:
Media Relations Office
tel: (+41 22) 791 64 21 / (+41 22) 791 61 53
e-mail:media@wcc-coe.org
http://www.wcc-coe.org

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in more
than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian traditions.
The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works cooperatively with
the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly, which meets
approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in
Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general secretary Samuel Kobia
from the Methodist church in Kenya.