Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Fides Service)- Care and resettlement of refugees, fight AIDS and guarantee efficient healthcare and education systems were the priorities identified by the Catholic Bishops of Sudan for the reconstruction of southern Sudan devastated by more than 20 years of civil war in two recent documents, ‘A message from the Catholic Bishops of Sudan to their Friends, Donors and Partners’ and a ‘Pastoral statement of the Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference (SCBC) on the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA’). The Bishops express relief for the peace agreement while highlighting the problems facing southern Sudan and the impact of these problems on the life of the Church.
“The removal of IDP status from many people, along with the loss of international sympathy and attention that goes with it, will leave many groups and individuals marginalised and unsupported. The tension and desperation that this causes forms the seedbed for further instability and conflict” the Bishops said calling for more collaboration on the part of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in the region: “While all of the Bishops acknowledge, and are deeply thankful for, the immense value of our partners in supporting much of the practical work of the Church in Sudan, we are also troubled by difficulties in our relationships with Partners that show few signs of improving. We believe that the scale of the aid intervention required over the coming months and years will serve to heighten difficulties that already exist” the Bishops affirmed in their message to friends, donors and partners.
In the pastoral statement the Bishops stressed that Forgiveness is an essential building block of reconciliation which they are committed to promoting : “Forgiveness is never humanly easy. Yet forgiveness involves primarily only one person, the one injured. It is a personal choice, by which we dispose our hearts" to go against the natural instinct to pay back evil with evil. Forgiveness basically means to give up hatred in one's heart toward the evildoer. We have the word and example of Jesus Himself to guide us. as He prayed for those putting him to death- "Father- forgive them for they know not what they are doing" . We have the examples of the early Christian martyrs like St. Stephen who prayed for those stoning him to death. Our own St. Josephine Bakhita's spirit of forgiveness was rooted in her Christ centred compassionate love for all her brothers and sisters and extended to those who had abducted her from her home as a child. Such an example challenges each of us to oppose the culture of hatred and revenge nourished by the civil war”.
On 12 April a 4.5 billion dollar aid programme for reconstruction of infrastructures, schools and hospitals was launched by the international community. According to the North-South agreement signed on January 9 by Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement led by John Garang, the funds will be distributed from July 2005 over a period of two years. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/4/2005 righe 34 parole 426)
