---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 6:39 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Fw: Catholic bishops on South Kordofan To: Group <[email protected]>
1. Kordofan bishop calls on Sudan army to spare civilians Fecha: 14/06/2011 AFP The Catholic bishop for Sudan's embattled border state of South Kordofan said Tuesday that the government appeared to be waging war on its indigenous Nuba peoples and urged the army to spare civilians. "As far as I know, President Omar al-Bashir has declared war against the Nuba people," Monseigneur Macram Gassis told AFP. "If they want to fight the SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army -- the southern former rebel army), let them do so. But they should not touch civilians... Why should the women, children and elderly be targeted? These are sacred and they should not be touched," the 72-year-old prelate said. He was speaking as the United Nations said Khartoum had stepped up its bombing campaign in South Kordofan, the north's sole oil-producing state which has a long border with the soon-to-be independent south, causing "huge suffering" to the civilian population. The army denied it was targeting civilians, saying that it was simply trying to quell a rebellion. The heavily-armed state has strong links to the south, especially among the non-Arab Nuba peoples who fought on the side of the SPLA during the devastating 1983-2005 civil war between north and south. The Nuba are a mixture of Muslims and Christians, unlike their Arab neighbours who are overwhelmingly Islamic. Activists in Sudan have already warned that the killings taking place in South Kordofan are of a similar nature to attacks carried out by the Sudanese army in the early 1990s, which they say indiscriminately targeted Nuba civilians, including women and children. The head of the Anglican church, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, said on Tuesday that the new Anglican cathedral in the state capital Kadugli had been burned down and warned that the unrest in central Sudan risked becoming "another Darfur." A number of churches have also reportedly been looted and a pastor from the Anglican Episcopal Church of Sudan, Nimeiri Philip, killed. Speaking from Khartoum, Gassis said he was not surprised to see those carrying out the attacks "hiding behind the message of jihad," or Muslim holy war. "Always when there are these kinds of clashes, they say it is foreigners who are helping the rebels, as well as the church. Of course the church does not carry a gun, against anyone. We only want to speak the truth and protect the innocent," he said. The diocese of El-Obeid covers North and South Kordofan, as well as Sudan's war-torn western region of Darfur, and Gassis said he had witnessed "a lot of cruelty, tyranny, suffering and tears," as the diocesan bishop since 1983. "After the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (between north and south in 2005) there was a lull in the fighting. Families were reunited and we saw development. Now we are going back to square zero," he warned. http://wires.univision.com/english/article/2011-06-14/kordofan-bishop-calls-on-sudan END1 2. Sudan bishop urges immediate end to conflict in Sudan 15 June 2011 Over 60,000 people have been forced from their homes by fighting in South Kordofan, in the border region between north Sudan and soon to be formed Republic of South Sudan. Caritas fears a humanitarian crisis is rapidly developing due to the conflict and a lack of access to the affected population by the humanitarian community. Coadjutor Bishop Michael Didi Adgum Mangoria of El Obeid, whose diocese covers the worst hit areas, says people have been fleeing from the fighting, trying to escape the conflict if they can. Bishop Didi said, “The war must end immediately. There is great suffering among the people. The international community must do all it can to support a return to a negotiated peace settlement.” More than 70 percent of the population of Kadugli has fled as the city has become engulfed in heavy fighting including aerial bombardment. Over 27,000 people from Kadugli have fled to Kauda, but aerial bombardment has been reported there too. An unknown number of people are believed to be hiding in the Nuba Mountains. Families looking after displaced people are running out of food as commercial supplies are disrupted. The onset of the rainy season will make reaching people even more difficult. The humanitarian community in Kadugli is confined to the compound of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) due to the security situation. They are unable to reach the affected communities. Reports indicate that after spending several days in the open with little or no food or water, the health of those fleeing the conflict is deteriorating. Reports of sectarian violence against civilians are inhibiting people returning to their homes. Caritas calls on all sides to protect civilians and any abuses must be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice. Bishop Didi said, “People have been running for their lives from their homes in Kadugli. Some have gone to villages, some to the UNMIS compound, some have arrived at the Sudan Aid (Caritas partner in Sudan) compound in El Obeid and those with the means have gone to more secure place, even as far as Khartoum. People have left their homes with nothing. There is an urgent need for food, medicine and shelter.” Bishop Didi made an impassioned plea for the prayers of all people of all religions. He said, “It is vital to provide humanitarian aid, but just as important, we need everyone to give Sudan their prayers for peace.” South Sudan becomes independent from Sudan on 9 July 2011. Caritas is promoting an international prayer campaign for Sudan and the future South Sudan. Please contact Patrick Nicholson at [email protected] or call 0039 334 3590700 http://www.caritas.org/newsroom/press_releases/PressRelease15_06_11.html END2 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +249 919 695 362 (Sudan mobile) +27 82 853 3556 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group. 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