Churches Appeal to UN Security Council for Peace for Sudan
November 11th, 2004 by sfuqua
Even as continued violence has stalled efforts to bring food aid to
desperate refugees, the U.N. has failed to enact meaningful measures to reign
in the Sudanese government. This month's breakthrough talks between the
government and southern rebels must be applauded; nevertheless, the
government's failure to disarm local militias has shown the potentially
duplicitous nature of their negotiations. While religious responses to the
warfare have been relatively few and far between, religious groups can play a
strong role in agitating for greater action, as seen in the following
article.
By Mitch Odero
NAIROBI - November 18, 2004: An historic meeting of United Nations
Security Council started today in Nairobi, Kenya with an agenda focusing on
the protracted war in Sudan.
The Church in Africa and the World Council of Churches (WCC) presented a
four-point proposal to the Security Council for meeting's deliberations.
They were:
- That it is in the interest of the people of the Sudan, the
International Community and the Church in Africa that the Security Council
puts her utmost and unequivocal pressure on all the parties of the peace
process in the Sudan to find a lasting solution to the conflicts in Sudan
and to achieve a just and sustainable peace. - That the final comprehensive peace agreement be signed and its
implementation be witnessed and guaranteed by the International
Community. - That good governance be established throughout the Sudan to allow
groups of the Civil Society to play their full part in building a Culture
for Peace. - That the International Community through the United Nations and African
Union be mandated to provide mechanism for peace keeping and to ensure the
smooth Implementations of the Peace Agreement in the South and the Darfur
Regions.
Their concerns were expressed in a letter to the Security Council members
written by Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala, General Secretary, All Africa Conference
of Churches and Dr. Agnes Abuom, World Council of Churches Africa
President.
The Security Council meeting in Nairobi is expected to sharpen global
attention on the plight of the Sudanese who have never known peace since
their country gained political independence in 1956. The only time they
enjoyed some peace interlude was from 1972 to 1983 as a result of Addis Ababa
peace pact brokered by AACC and WCC.
In their letter Rev. Dandala and Dr. Abuom pointed out that the Church
continues to stand with the oppressed people of Sudan as individual
institutions or through WCC, AACC, northern Ecumenical Partners, Sudan
Ecumenical Forum, Sudanese Christian Councils and the Fellowship of Christian
Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa
(FECCLAHA).
Kenya has been the host of the Sudan Peace talks under the auspices of
Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). To date, six peace
protocols have been agreed upon during the talks between Sudan People's
Liberation Movement / Army (SPLM/A) and the Sudanese government. The talks
adjourned in May this year and were due to be resumed in July when Darfur
region was plunged into widespread massacres consequently stalling the peace
talks.
The Security Council will also deliberate on the Darfur crisis and its
humanitarian catastrophe. Rev. Dandala and Dr. Abuom noted "this
conflict has led to the deaths of over 2 million Southern Sudanese with many
more living in intolerable and inhuman conditions as Uprooted People.
Whereas, many others are languishing inside the Sudan as Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs).
The effects of conflicts have now extended to Darfur Region. It is
estimated that about one million people have so far fled their homes into
neighbouring country - Chad. Whereas, over 50,000 have been killed. Their
homes and sources of livelihood have also been destroyed"
Russia and China who are members of the Security Council are major
suppliers of arms to Khartoum government. Russia is currently also
reconditioning Khartoum's' mig-jet fighters, according to various
informed sources.
As Khartoum enjoy's a fortune from oil exports valued at US$ 30
billion a year, it is reported to be spending US$ one million a day to
finance the war.
Among the protocols agreed upon are on wealth sharing, power sharing and
cessation of hostilities. The parties are due to deliberate on two remaining
protocols one on comprehensive peace agreement and the other on modalities
for the implementation of all the protocols.
One of the snags to be tackled relate to the new security arrangement
protocol in which it was agreed that SPLA would be transformed to become part
of the national army based in southern Sudan.
Khartoum insists that it will be the responsibility of SPLM to meet the
remuneration costs as well as its transformation and services. SPLM/A
contents that since SPLA will be part of the national army, its costs should
be met by the national vault. They (SPLM/A) further contend that since South
Sudan is one of the most under-developed parts of the world and its natural
resources having been exploited by others, it cannot afford the cost of
transformation of its army as well as costs of other urgent needs for human
development.
The Security Council meeting in Nairobi is the first ever in Africa and
also the first ever outside New York for the last 14 years. Soon after the
council's meeting, technical committees of SPLM/A and Khartoum government
are due to meet to thrash out contentious issues in preparation for the final
round of peace talks.
Source: All Africa Conference of
Churches via the Worldwide Faith News
Archive.
