wfn.org | Churches appeal to UN Security Council for peace for Sudan

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All Africa Conference of Churches
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Churches appeal to UN Security Council to help find lasting peace for Sudan
By Mitch Odero

NAIROBI - November 18, 2004:  An historic meeting of United Nations 
Security Council started today in Nairobi, Kenya with an agenda focusing on 
the protracted war in Sudan.

The Church in Africa and the World Council of Churches (WCC) presented a 
four-point proposal to the Security Council for meeting's 
deliberations.	They were:

1.	That it is in the interest of the people of the Sudan, the
International 
Community and the Church in Africa that the Security Council puts her 
utmost and unequivocal pressure on all the parties of the peace process in 
the Sudan to find a lasting solution to the conflicts in Sudan and to 
achieve a just and sustainable peace.
2.	That the final comprehensive peace agreement be signed and its 
implementation be witnessed and guaranteed by the International Community.
3.	That good governance be established throughout the Sudan to allow
groups 
of the Civil Society to play their full part in building a Culture for Peace.
4.	That the International Community through the United Nations and
African 
Union be mandated to provide mechanism for peace keeping and to ensure the 
smooth Implementations of the Peace Agreement in the South and the Darfur 
Regions.

Their concerns were expressed in a letter to the Security Council members 
written by Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala, General Secretary, All Africa Conference 
of Churches and Dr. Agnes Abuom, World Council of Churches Africa President.

The Security Council meeting in Nairobi is expected to sharpen global 
attention on the plight of the Sudanese who have never known peace since 
their country gained political independence in 1956.  The only time they 
enjoyed some peace interlude was from 1972 to 1983 as a result of Addis 
Ababa peace pact brokered by AACC and WCC.

In their letter Rev. Dandala and Dr. Abuom pointed out that the Church 
continues to stand with the oppressed people of Sudan as individual 
institutions or through WCC, AACC, northern Ecumenical Partners, Sudan 
Ecumenical Forum, Sudanese Christian Councils and the Fellowship of 
Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa 
(FECCLAHA).

Kenya has been the host of the Sudan Peace talks under the auspices of 
Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).  To date, six peace 
protocols have been agreed upon during the talks between Sudan People's 
Liberation Movement / Army (SPLM/A) and the Sudanese government.  The talks 
adjourned in May this year and were due to be resumed in July when Darfur 
region was plunged into widespread massacres consequently stalling the 
peace talks.

The Security Council will also deliberate on the Darfur crisis and its 
humanitarian catastrophe.  Rev. Dandala and Dr. Abuom noted "this conflict 
has led to the deaths of over 2 million Southern Sudanese with many more 
living in intolerable and inhuman conditions as Uprooted People.  Whereas, 
many others are languishing inside the Sudan as Internally Displaced 
Persons (IDPs)

The effects of conflicts have now extended to Darfur Region.  It is 
estimated that about one million people have so far fled their homes into 
neighbouring country - Chad.  Whereas, over 50,000 have been killed.  Their 
homes and sources of livelihood have also been destroyed"

Russia and China who are members of the Security Council are major 
suppliers of arms to Khartoum government.  Russia is currently also 
reconditioning Khartoum's' mig-jet fighters, according to various informed 
sources.

As Khartoum enjoy's a fortune from oil exports valued at US$ 30 billion a 
year, it is reported to be spending US$ one million a day to finance the war.

Among the protocols agreed upon are on wealth sharing, power sharing and 
cessation of hostilities. The parties are due to deliberate on two 
remaining protocols one on comprehensive peace agreement and the other on 
modalities for the implementation of all the protocols.

One of the snags to be tackled relate to the new security arrangement 
protocol in which it was agreed that SPLA would be transformed to become 
part of the national army based in southern Sudan.

Khartoum insists that it will be the responsibility of SPLM to meet the 
remuneration costs as well as its transformation and services.	SPLM/A 
contents that since SPLA will be part of the national army, its costs 
should be met by the national vault.  They (SPLM/A) further contend that 
since South Sudan is one of the most under-developed parts of the world and 
its natural resources having been exploited by others, it cannot afford the 
cost of transformation of its army as well as costs of other urgent needs 
for human development.

The Security Council meeting in Nairobi is the first ever in Africa and 
also the first ever outside New York for the last 14 years.  Soon after the 
council's meeting, technical committees of SPLM/A and Khartoum government 
are due to meet to thrash out contentious issues in preparation for the 
final round of peace talks.