Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- “The world is rightly concerned for the situation in Darfur, but that tragedy threatens to make people forget there are other crisis areas in Sudan” Bishop Macram Max Gassis, Catholic Bishop of El Obeid, in southern Sudan told Fides with regard to the latest developments in the complex situation in this African country. “It should not be forgotten that peace talks for Southern Sudan are at a standstill. My fear is that this impasse is convenient for both the government and its opponents the SPLA Sudan’s People Liberation Army. The draft agreement failed to please either the government or the SPLA. Both parties were pressed to reach a compromise, but at heart they prefer the status quo rather than signing an agreement with which no one is happy”- the Bishop said -“ But the status quo is most precarious and war could break out any moment”.
“This is a struggle for power between the government and the SPLA it has nothing to do with the poor people, the victims of this war. The people are fed up with war they want peace. It is time for our governors to start seriously thinking on how to restore peace” Bishop Gassis said voicing concern for several unsolved problems: “the draft of the peace agreement says nothing about the question of the abolition of the Mission Society Act, a law passed in 1962 which puts serious restrictions on religions other than Islam. The law makes it very difficult for Christian churches, the Catholic Church in particular, to operate in Sudan. For example we cannot build a church without special permission which is difficult to obtain. Our activities of education and social assistance are also seriously restricted.”
With regard to the political situation, Bishop Gassis said “another crisis area ignored by the international community and major media is that of Upper Nile where, as we Bishops denounced in a statement last August (see Fides 30 August 2004), civilians are being massacred by pro-government militia”.
“These various crisis in outlying areas are aggravated by the power struggle within the regime, between the military area represented by President Omar El Bashir and the ideological area incarnated by Hassan Al Turabi” Bishop Gassis told Fides. “Recent arrests of people considered to be near to Turabi on charges of an attempted coup prove the fragility of the regime”.
Turabi, former ideologist of the regime, was dismissed but he still has strong popular support and some supporters also in government.
Last week the Sudanese authorities announced they had prevented a coup. The government of Khartoum said the plan was to arrest 38 government members as they left mosques after Friday prayers. The mind behind the unsuccessful coup was said to be Al Haj Adam Yusef, general secretary of the Opposition party, Peoples Congress Party led by Turabi. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 28/9/2004 righe 40 parole 528)
