The bishops of the Sudan issued a statement at the end of their annual plenary assembly calling for dialogue and reconciliation among the Sudanese and urging the referendum on self-determination for Southern Sudan to be held on time.
Bishop Caesar Mazzolari of Rumbek told SCR News that in the statement still to be made public the bishops ask the oppressed not to take revenge and the oppressors to put an end to their violence.He added that the bishops wrote that war is not an option to solve the differences in the Sudanese society.
Bishop Mazzolari said that the bishops are calling on all citizens to exercise the right and duty to vote and not to allow anybody to play with it.
He explained that the Sudanese bishops manifested grave concern about the many obstacles put on the way of the referendum, the more sacrosanct issue.
The bishops ask for all difficulties to be cleared out in order for the referendum to be held in time.
Bishop Mazzolari said the bishops will not favour a postponement of the referendum to avoid a legal void.
He added that the bishops’ statement is also a call to all citizens for a change of attitudes from violence to love, from revenge to forgiveness and from violence to a peaceful attitude.
Bishop Mazzolari said the statement ends with a call to sharing in order to overcome the food gap and the threat of hunger in Southern Sudan.