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PROVINCE OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE SUDAN – Sudanese Church leaders have decried the slow implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in January 2005. Grave concern has been expressed at the prevalence of violent conflicts and ethnic clashes in many parts of Southern Sudan, and at the lack of development and services to the people. More than eighteen months after peace was signed, critical elements of the agreement have yet to be implemented. Among these are the determining of North/South boundaries and the boundary to the disputed area of Abyei, and the repealing of important laws affecting human rights which are contrary to the peace agreement. Speaking after a meeting of Sudanese church leaders in Nairobi, Bishop Daniel Deng, Chairman of the Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Commission of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, warned that a failure to implement the agreement could endanger the peace. "International involvement is needed to see that peace is implemented," warned Bishop Daniel Deng. "We are very concerned at the delay in implementing the Abyei Commission report. We appeal to the international community to see that the issue of borders is settled very soon. This is urgent for safeguarding the CPA." Church leaders have pledged themselves to support the Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan in implementing the CPA and in assisting with the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs). "We have called upon the Governments and the international community to expedite their return," explained Bishop Daniel Deng. "As churches we are ready to work with international organizations to open the way. Urgent needs include shelter, water, and schools for those arriving back in their home areas. This process needs to begin straight away if the referendum on Southern Sudan provided by the CPA is to have any meaning." Church leaders also expressed concern at the escalation of fighting in Darfur, calling on the Government of Sudan and other stakeholders to listen to the people of Darfur, to disarm the Janjaweed and to accept the UN Peace-keeping force to Darfur. "Peace in Darfur is essential for the stability of the whole country," warned Bishop Daniel Deng. "We ask all our international friends to help to achieve a genuine peace in Darfur." The meeting of Sudanese church leaders was hosted by the All Africa Conference of Churches in Nairobi from 17th – 19th August 2006 at the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Ecumenical Centre. The leaders' statement was signed by Chairmen of the Sudan Council of Churches and the New Sudan Council of Churches and by leaders of 10 churches in Sudan including the Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Coptic Orthodox churches. Statement
of The Sudanese heads of Churches Amos 5:24 – "Instead let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry." (Good News Bible) Preamble We the Sudanese Heads of Churches meeting in Nairobi, Kenya under the auspices of All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) at the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Ecumenical Centre from 17th-19th August 2006; Conscious of our roles as church leaders of the people of Sudan, in the course of our deliberations, have clustered the following issues as priority areas: 1. Unity of our people and our churches, 2. Our vision of the Sudan, 3. Sudan Council of Churches (SCC)/New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC) merger process, 4. Support to the Government of National Unity and Government of Southern Sudan, 5. Darfur/Eastern Sudan conflict, 6. Donors/partners relationship. We therefore do hereby make this statement: 1. Unity of our people and our churches The unity of our people and our churches is our strength and we commit ourselves to work towards achieving total unity of our people. 2. Our vision of Sudan The Sudanese have suffered injustice, oppression, abuse of human rights and marginalization since independence in 1956. The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is a good step to create a Sudan in which basic human freedoms are fully respected, defended and promoted, not only by law, but also in practice. This is the vision of the Sudan we must work for. 3. SCC/NSCC merger process The factor which necessitated the creation of the two councils (SCC and NSCC) is no longer present. Hence the issue of maintaining two councils is no longer important. Therefore, we the Heads of the Sudanese Churches direct that the SCC/NSCC merger process be urgently completed. 4. Support to Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan We have observed that since the establishment of the two Governments there has been prevalence of violent conflicts, ethnic clashes in many parts of Southern Sudan, corruption in the public offices, lack of development and services to the people, and slow implementation of the CPA. We note with regret the isolation of the churches in the implementation of the CPA although the churches played a major role in bringing about the agreement. We call upon the Governments to include the churches in the implementation of the CPA, and to improve their performance in the security and governance of the country. We further offer our support to use our good offices to assist the Governments to improve the livelihood of the people in Southern Sudan, Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains and the Sudan in general. 5. Darfur/Eastern Sudan We welcome the Darfur peace process under the African Union which resulted in one faction signing a peace agreement with the Government of Sudan (Darfur Peace Agreement). But we are concerned by the escalation of the fighting on the ground and call upon the Government of Sudan and the other stakeholders to: (a) Listen to the people of Darfur; (b) To disarm the Janjaweed; (c) To accept the UN Peace-keeping force to Darfur. Eastern Sudan; We welcome the signing of the Declaration of Principles (DOP) and call upon all the parties to negotiate a peaceful end of the conflict. Abyei; We are concerned by the outright rejection of the recommendations of the Abyei Boundary Commission by the National Congress Party and the absence of administration in Abyei. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS)/Refugees; The delays in the repatriating IDPs and refugees to their places of origin is of great concern to us. We call upon the Governments and the International Community to expedite their return. Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR); We note that there has been progress in the work of DDR. Inspite of all this there has been difficulties in implementation of DDR in many areas. We call upon the Commission of DDR to carry out its work as stipulated in the CPA. Lords Resistance Army; We give our support to the initiative of the Government of Southern Sudan to bring together the Lord's Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda to resolve the conflict peacefully. We call upon the two parties to end the conflict. 6. Donors/Partners Relationship We appreciate the support and solidarity shown by our donors/partners, our neighbouring countries and the international community at large during the 21 years of conflict. We also treasure the support given by AACC and WCC to the Sudanese Church Councils and to the Sudan Ecumenical Forum which was instrumental in bringing the suffering of the Sudanese to attention of the international community. We wish to continue strengthening this relationship and we also wish to renew the mandate of the Sudan Ecumenical Forum to continue to accompany the Sudanese throughout the transition period of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. In conclusion, we the Sudanese Heads of Churches commit our churches to fully support the unity of the people of Sudan and to walk together as one ecumenical family. We urge our partners/donors and the rest of the global ecumenical family to continue accompanying us in the task of rebuilding Sudan. Signed by: |
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