World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Jerry Pillay met with the prime minister of troubled Sudan, Kamil Idris, at the council's office in Geneva, delivering a message calling for justice, peace, and reconciliation.

Sudan is the world's largest and fastest displacement crisis, with many atrocities reported, according to the United Nations and the country been embroiled in multiple crises over the years.

According to the WCC, "The situation in Sudan has been on the ecumenical agenda for over five decades. The roots of the conflict lie in its history of slavery and colonialism and date back to 1956 when the country gained independence from Great Britain.

"The situation today, however, after almost four years of brutal and destructive conflict between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, is the world's worst humanitarian catastrophe."

The paramilitary RSF carried out war crimes and a possible crime against humanity in its takeover of Sudan's western city of el-Fasher last year, the United Nations human rights office said.

In a report released on Feb. 13, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said "there are reasonable grounds to believe" the RSF and allied armed groups committed acts amounting to war crimes.

          - 'WANTON VIOLATIONS' BY RSF

"The wanton violations that were perpetrated by the RSF and allied Arab militia in the final offensive on el-Fasher underscore that persistent impunity fuels continued cycles of violence," said U.N. Human Rights Office chief Volker Türk.

The RSF and their allied Arab militias, known as Janjaweed, overran el-Fasher, the Sudanese army's only remaining stronghold in Darfur, on Oct. 26 and rampaged through the city and its surroundings after more than 18 months of siege.

More than 12 million people have been displaced since April 2023, including more than 4 million women and children, who have fled to neighbouring countries.

On February 5,the WCC's Pillay welcomed the prime minister and his delegation.

"In these difficult times of many global crises, it is imperative that people of goodwill work together for justice, peace, reconciliation, and unity of all human beings and all creation," said the WCC.

The Sudanese delegation included the Sudanese ambassador in Geneva, Nazar Abdalla, and other officials from the country, Africa's third-largest by area.

Accompanying the WCC general secretary were: Rev. Kenneth Mtata, the council's program director for Life, Justice, and Peace and other senior members of staff.

The UN Human Rights Office said that more than 6,000 people were killed in over three days when a Sudanese paramilitary group unleashed "a wave of intense violence ... shocking in its scale and brutality" in Sudan's Darfur region in late October.

The Rapid Support Forces' offensive to capture the city of el-Fasher included widespread atrocities that amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, according to the U.N. Human Rights Office.

The RSF and their allied Arab militias, known as Janjaweed, overran el-Fasher, the Sudanese army's only remaining stronghold in Darfur, on Oct. 26 and rampaged through the city and its surroundings after more than 18 months of siege.

The 29-page U.N. report detailed a set of atrocities that included mass killings and summary executions, sexual violence, abductions for ransom, torture and ill-treatment, detention and disappearances. In many cases, the attacks were ethnicity-motivated, it said.

During his visit to the WCC, the Sudanese prime minister presented his government's proposed peace initiative and invited the WCC general secretary to attend the first consultation in this process, planned during the first part of 2026.

"The Sudanese government is convening inclusive international and national conferences to reestablish community peace, reconciliation, and national healing, in cooperation with the United Nations, international and regional organizations, donors, and sisterly and friendly states, to address the impacts of war, mend the social fabric, and create a healthy societal environment," he said.

Idris said, "Sudan is facing an existential crisis as a result of the war waged by the rebel militia in blatant violation of all international laws and norms. This has led to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and has undermined regional and international stability."

           - PEACE INITIATIVE

He noted, "The peace initiative is aiming to convene Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue during the transitional period, through which political forces shall agree on how to govern and manage the state.

"This shall be followed by free and fair elections under international supervision to complete the requirements of comprehensive democratic transformation."

Idris said that the WCC can play a vital role in creating better religious tolerance and relationships in Sudan.

The WCC offered an overview of its ecumenical peacebuilding initiatives in Sudan and South Sudan over the past years, referring especially to the ecumenical delegation visit to Sudan from April 18-22, 2024, including meetings with the president and the vice president.

Mtata said: "The joint ecumenical solidarity visit signified a collective commitment to stand with the churches and people of Sudan in their time of need, offering both spiritual and moral support as they strive for peace, healing, and reconciliation."

Pillay stressed "the importance to continue the efforts to achieve peace and working together for the common good.

"As people of faith, we are called to stand together in solidarity with one another for justice and peace, upholding each other in prayers, supporting those who are made vulnerable socially and economically, the displaced persons, and those who have lost their means of livelihood due to crisis and disaster."

Turk called for "credible and impartial investigations" into what happened in el-Fasher.

"These must lead to meaningful accountability for perpetrators of exceptionally serious crimes, through all available means," said Turk, including in Sudanese courts, third states, or at the International Criminal Court or other mechanisms.

Turk also called on all parties to the conflict in Sudan to end human rights violations and on third countries "with influence" to take action to prevent further atrocities.

"This includes respecting the arms embargo already in place, and ending the supply, sale or transfer of arms or military material to the parties," he said.

Sudan has accused the United Arab Emirates of providing military and financial support to the RSF, an allegation strongly denied by Abu Dhabi.