wfn.org | Dr. Haruun Ruun of NSCC Appointed Advisor to Sudan President

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

New Sudan Council of Churches
P.O. Box 66168 - 00800
Nairobi - Kenya
Tel: +254-20-4448141/4448142/4446966
Fax: +254-20-4447015
email: nscc@nsccnet.org

Statement  of Rev. Dr. Haruun Ruun. NSCC Executive Secretary on Appointment 
as Special Advisor to the President of Sudan

October 14, 2005

Greetings

You may have learnt by now of my appointment as one of the special 
presidential advisors to Sudan's President Omar el-Bashir.  I received the 
news while I was on overseas assignment.   The appointment, which was 
announced by the President on 21st of September 2005, came as a surprise to 
me.

The announcement of this appointment coincides with the time that I am 
winding up my final term of service to the New Sudan Council of Churches. 
It is an unsolicited and unexpected appointment, so I have spent time in 
prayer and consultation about this opportunity.  I have gotten the sense 
that this is definitely a substantive appointment and I have concluded that 
as such it constitutes arrival at a new station in my journey of faith and 
witness.  Therefore, I have accordingly accepted the appointment.  I am, 
however, aware that it will be accompanied with new challenges as I 
continue to play a part in the remaking and shaping of the Sudanese
nationhood.

Under this appointment, I will be part of a team of twelve special advisors 
based in Khartoum to serve in our respective capacities on full-time 
basis.	Thus, I am now moving to Khartoum to undertake these new 
responsibilities.

In doing so, I am filled with a deep sense of appreciation, gratitude and 
indebtedness to the ecumenical movement and the Sudanese churches for the 
opportunities accorded to me to serve up to this time.	Those opportunities 
enriched my value system and widened my scope of knowledge and 
understanding of both human and institutional relations as well as 
international relations in Africa and beyond.  My service in these 
capacities up to this time has been a humbling and rewarding experience, 
which I will treasure for all of the years ahead of me and which, in a 
practical sense, prepares me for the anticipation of the opportunities and 
challenges ahead.

As you know by now, the ecumenical movement and churches can be justified 
in taking pride of their contribution to the crucial formative period of 
our new nation. Indeed, a number of those who have served in the ecumenical 
movement and churches have been appointed as members of Parliament, 
particularly in the Government of Southern Sudan and the Senate.  Surely, 
this fact alone reflects the recognition and values attached to such 
services by our society.  This represents tribute to the significance of 
the roles we were called upon to play during the historic turning point of 
our country. Above all, we now realize in retrospection, that God in His 
divine plan picked the churches and the ecumenical movement as our training 
grounds for our new tasks.

It has been my honour and privilege to provide leadership to the New Sudan 
Council of Churches up to date.  As my term ends, I am contented that I am 
leaving NSCC in good and able hands.  The Sudanese Church is well 
established and the NSCC Member Churches, who are the founders of this 
Council, are fully committed to the organization and their ownership of the 
Council is beyond any shadow of doubt.	They will therefore ensure smooth 
succession of the Council's leadership at the Executive Secretary's level.

In the meantime, there will be a Caretaker Committee, which will 
collaborate with the Transitional Committee formed out of NSCC and SCC to 
look into the governance and administration of the councils and to explore 
steps toward integration and implementation of the planned merger of the 
two councils.

During my years of service, I have benefited from the encouragement and 
support of countless colleagues and friends.  There are, as well, others 
with differences and alternative viewpoints whom I also have learned to 
appreciate and value.  I wish to say I will continue to value all of you in 
my heart.

Please remember us all in your prayers and to encourage and support us in 
the search for peace, justice and stability for all Sudanese peoples.

Rev. Dr. Haruun Ruun.
NSCC Executive Secretary (Outgoing)