AFRICA/SUDAN - Sudanese Bishops and the rest of Africa say: keep the peace

Rumbek (Agenzia Fides) – The bishops of Africa are calling on the people of Sudan to persevere in their commitment to peace in light of the upcoming referendum on independence for the southern part of the country, in January 2011. The invitation was made by the joint delegation of the of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM/SCEAM) and the Association of Members of Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa (AMECEA) who spoke to the plenary of the Sudanese Bishops' Conference, held in Rumbek (South Sudan) from November 8 to 15.
In his speech at the Plenary, Archbishop Tarcisio Ziyayer of Blantyre (Malawi) has described the referendum for January as a “quest for peaceful navigation of the country through the final stages of implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005.” The Archbishop of Blantyre mentioned the appeal made by the Bishops of Sudan that the referendum may take place “peacefully, transparently, and on time, upholding values of honesty, integrity, tolerance, respect and compassion especially for the weak and the poor.”
Archbishop Ziyayer expressed his appreciation for the work of the Church in Sudan, citing the promotion of human dignity, peace, and integral development in the nation.
Fr. Martin Maulano, Second Vice Secretary General of SECAM, cited the example of his country, Mozambique, which in 1992 emerged from a twenty-year-long civil war, as an example to which the Sudanese people can look to build their own future. Fr. Maulano urged the Sudanese to avoid recourse to war and violence.
The Sudanese bishops have not given any indications as to whether they are for or against the independence of southern Sudan, but have urged voters to go to the polls because the future of new generations depends on the outcome of the referendum. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 10/11/2010)