Sudan in Danger

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The situation in Sudan is critical

The message was loud and clear “The situation in Sudan is critical”! On October 14, 2010 the Sudan Ecumenical Church Leader’s Delegation, sponsored by Religions for Peace, World Council of Churches and Caritas International meet with the NGO community at the United Nations to give a first hand account of the serious situation in the Sudan.

On January 9, 2011 the country will hold a referendum, which was an important and crucial part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. This referendum will determine if North and South Sudan will become separate countries. It is more than likely that the South will vote for separation.

Daniel Deng Bul, Archbishop Episcopal Church of Sudan and Bishop of Juba said he was “afraid that Sudan is slipping back to war.” The members of the delegation expressed several concerns and warned of a “blood bath” worse than the civil war, which claimed millions of lives and left many innocent people in poverty and despair.

The Delegation was in NY and had already been to Washington DC. They were calling on delegates, political activists, governments and civil society to get behind this issue and keep pressure on the world stage about the plight of the Sudanese people.

When questioned about the reason that the South will vote for succession the ministers answered that the South is vastly different in identity, culture and religion. The South feels that there has been no movement by the North to help them be recognized for their particular values and traditions. This has led the South to want independence from the North. Although at first the two parties had agreed that they needed to work for unity this has not happened. The international community is called upon to monitor the process so that self-determination can be a fair process.

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