The bishops of Sudan and South Sudan have called for a truth and reconciliation process to heal cycles of resentment and revenge in both countries.
The bishops and heads of diocese in Sudan and South Sudan met in Wau for a plenary assembly. The meeting started on October 19 and concluded yesterday.At the end, the bishops issued a message titled The Church God wants us to be.
They announced they remain one conference covering the two countries.
The message said the Church will continue to play a public role in both nations, holding both governments and citizens accountable to Gospel values.
The bishops rejected the talk of “protection of minorities” in the Sudan and instead insist on the rights of all citizens, calling for respect of human diversity, created by God, whether ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious.
They hope that, with time, reconciliation as opposed to mere absence of conflict will also be possible between the two republics.
The bishops denounced the wave of violence in Darfur, South Kordofan, Blue Nile, Abyei, the LRA and internal tensions in South Sudan.
They called for humanitarian corridors to allow food and medicines to reach those in need.
Finally, the bishops reaffirmed their commitment to ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue and want to play a leading role in the restructuring of the Sudan Council of Churches and Sudan Ecumenical Forum to reflect the new situation in both countries.