AFRICA/SUDAN - "Landslide in Tarasin is not only a natural disaster but a tragedy caused by war and the world's indifference towards Sudan"

Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – "I share the grief, but also the courage and desire for justice, dignity, and healing for the survivors," wrote Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio in South Sudan in his condolences for the landslide in the village of Tarasin in Darfur, western Sudan.
On Sunday, August 31, the village in the Marrah Mountains in Central Darfur was buried by a landslide after days of heavy rains. According to initial information, all the village's inhabitants, estimated at over 1,000 people, have been killed, and there is only one survivor.
"The magnitude of this tragedy is indescribable, but it is our shared humanity, our shared faith, and our spiritual responsibility that compel us to speak of comfort, support, and hope," explains Bishop Hiiboro in his message to Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku of El Obeid and the people of the Marrah Mountains.
Bishop Hiiboro recalls the inhabitants of Tarasin, emphasizing that "many of them had already been displaced due to war and famine and had sought refuge in the Marrah Mountains." "But now they have also been struck by the violence of nature, leading them to a cycle of suffering that no people should have to endure. This memory must not be buried among the rocks. The story of these people must not disappear into silence. Tarasin must be remembered not only as a place that once existed, but as a call to conscience for all of us," he continues.
But according to the Bishop of Tombura-Yambio, "the landslide was not simply a natural disaster," but rather its causes lay in "environmental destruction, the chaos of war, and the world's indifference to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan." "We should analyze this tragedy not only with aching hearts, but also with a mind that seeks to understand, prevent, and protect," he emphasizes.
"Now, more than ever, we must encourage all people of faith to unite across religious and regional boundaries to respond to climate-related disasters, promote peace, and care for creation as custodians of God's earth," Bishop Hiiboro concludes.
Following his telegram of condolence yesterday, Pope Leo XIV spoke again today, September 3, about the tragic situation in Sudan. During today's general audience, the Holy Father recalled the dramatic situation in Al-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which has been besieged by militias of the Rapid Support Forces for over a year. "In Tarasin, a devastating mudslide has claimed many lives, leaving pain and desperation in its wake. And, as if that were not enough, the spread of cholera is threatening hundreds of thousands of already stricken people," the Pope said.
The Holy Father makes an urgent appeal to those responsible and the international community "to guarantee humanitarian corridors and implement a coordinated response to stop this humanitarian catastrophe." He also called for "a serious, sincere and inclusive dialogue between the parties to end the conflict and restore hope, dignity and peace to the people of Sudan." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/9/2025)

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