wfn.org | ACNS Sudanese Church Leaders' statement on the current situation in Sudan

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ACNS 3879     |     SUDAN     |     3 SEPTEMBER 2004

The Sudanese Church Leaders' statement on the current situation in Sudan

We, the Sudanese church leaders of the Sudan Council of Churches (SCC)
met at the SCC Headquarters in Khartoum on 30 August 2004 to reflect on
the current political situation in the country, in particular the issue
of war and peace. We met at the time by which a full peace accord was
due to have been signed by the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the SPLM/A,
and when the UN Representative was to report to the UN Security Council
on the situation in Darfur. We shared and discussed information that
seems to indicate that the road to a just and comprehensive peace in the
Sudan is still long.

We are deeply concerned that the progress in the Sudan IGAD Peace
Process is slowing down. The parties to the IGAD peace process have been
out of session since the last adjournment in July and despite the
shuttle diplomacy being carried out by the IGAD Secretariat, the parties
are no longer experiencing the sustained pressure from the international
community, in particular the IGAD Partners, due to the new and equally
devastating conflict that emerged in Western Sudan, the Darfur region
early last year.

While the Sudanese people have been and are still earnestly waiting for
the completion of the IGAD peace process, the situation on the ground is
discouraging. The Government of Sudan seems to be preparing for war as
indicated in the Upper Nile region. Early this year, the government
militias in Upper Nile, assisted by the Sudanese regular forces attacked
and burned down over 22 Shilluk villages. This resulted in killings,
loss of property and the displacement of about 26,000 civilians to
Malakal town.

Last month, in Western Upper Nile, the same militias attacked the SPLA,
and during the combat the area was also devastated. Further, other
activities such as the digging of trenches in towns like Juba and the
instigation of the southern militias by the GoS to claim inclusion in
the ongoing IGAD peace process as an independent force, show clearly
that there is lack of commitment by the GoS to the IGAD peace process
which has already dealt with the most contentious issues between the
Sudanese warring parties.

In Darfur the GoS is involved in a brutal war that knows no ethics and
international regulations of war. Although humanitarian access to the
needy in the region has improved, the situation on the ground leaves a
lot to be desired. The government intransigence has led to the continued
insecurity. Government backed militias known as Janjaweed are still
operational. The influx of civilians to the displaced camps continues.
The number of the displaced has recently risen to over one million and
is expected to rise in the period ahead unless the Janjaweed who are
still posing a security threat to the civilian population are contained
and the hostilities by both sides brought to end.

The Sudanese Church leaders therefore call upon the international
community to exert sustained pressure on the Sudanese warring parties,
and in particular the GoS to commit itself to the ongoing peace
initiatives in Naivasha (Kenya) and Abuja (Nigeria) that aim at ending
the armed conflicts in the Sudan peacefully as soon as possible so that
the Sudanese people live a dignified life. The Naivasha Protocols have
raised the hope of the Sudanese people and provided a unique opportunity
for the achievement of peace. We call upon the Sudanese people and the
international community to ensure that this opportunity is not lost. We
further call for intensified efforts to restore security and bring
humanitarian assistance to the people in urgent need in both Darfur and
Upper Nile region.

Signed

The Rt Revd Daniel Deng Bul
Bishop of Renk
The Episcopal Church of Sudan

The Revd James Par Tap
Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church

The Revd Fermo Ogilla Utong
Sudan Pentecostal Church

The Revd Mahgoub Kago Artloke
Sudanese Church of Christ

The Revd Daniel Oballa Okony
Presbyterian Church of Sudan

Fr Antonious Fakious
Coptic Orthodox Church Omdurman

The Revd Samuel G El Sadik
Ethiopian Orthodox Church

The Revd James Lagos Alexander
Africa Inland Church

The Revd John El Sir
Sudan Interior Church

The Revd John Tong Puk
SCC Chairman

The Revd Paul Chol Deng
SCC General Secretary

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