The Catholic bishops of Sudan published yesterday a statement appealing for collaboration and peace between Khartoum and Juba and urging the referenda to be transparent and held on time.
The Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference (SCBC) concluded yesterday its week-long plenary assembly in Rumbek issuing a message of hope and healing under the title “Peace be with you, do not be afraid.”The Sudanese bishops wrote in their statement that “the outcome of the referenda should not be seen as a threat to either side, but an opportunity”. They added that cooperation and collaboration must continue in a spirit of good neighborliness.
The bishops said the referenda “were intended to bring healing to the nation, to resolve the longstanding differences which have led to so many decades of tragic conflict.”
However, they noted that “as the Interim Period of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) draws to a close, we are acutely aware of the uncertainty, fear and even despair that burden the people of Sudan.”
The bishops denounced the military build-up north and south of the borders and the intimidation of Southerners living in the North.
They concluded their message with a call for peace that includes an invitation for prayer and personal transformation; a demand that the referenda are on time, free, fair and transparent; and a call on the international community to mediate disputes over the final outcome of the referenda.
The SCBC also appealed for calm especially to the youth, the media and the governments; and a call to the authorities to respect the rights of the minorities in either side of the border and negotiate post-referendum issues.