Groups Condemn Christian Church Demolition in Sudan

(Photo Credit: Episcopal Church of the Sudan)A procession of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, Diocese of Khartoum is seen in a photo included in a 2008 report by the Diocesan Bishop of Khartoum, Rt. Rev. Ezekiel Kondo.

A regional and global Christian ecumenical church body on Friday condemned this week's demolition of an Episcopal church in Khartoum, Sudan.

The all Africa Conference of Churches and the World Council of Churches spoke out in a joint statement after the demolition of the Episcopal Parish Church of Saint John, Haj Yousif in the Diocese of Khartoum by government authorities at 11 A.M. on June 18.

The statement was signed by the WCC's General Secretary Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit and AACC's General Secretary Dr Andre Karamaga.

The church bodies also mentioned two other incidents involving Christian organizations within the last two months.

The groups mentioned the occupation and confiscation of property of the Sudan Council of Churches and Sudan Aid premises in Nyala, Darfur by Security Forces on April 23, 2012 and the destruction of the Sudan Evangelical Church Bible School along with the burning of the Holy Bible on April 21, 2012 "in full view of the Police in Gerief West in Khartoum.

The groups also noted that the government of Khartoum had, for the first time in the country's history, denied its citizens the Christmas holiday in December 2011.

"We express our fears that all these events may not be isolated but rather calculated attacks on Sudanese civilians who are not of the Muslim faith and their property in Khartoum, and in particular Christians," the groups said.

They said that church leaders from the demolished Saint John, Haj Yousif "had for 25 years been pleading with government authorities to issue the church with legal recognition just as the rest of the allocations in the are," they said.

The groups criticized the government, saying its policy "seems to be bent on threatening and discriminating against Christians in Khartoum" despite repeated rhetoric about freedom of religion and the protection of minorities in the Republic of Sudan.

The groups accused the government of protecting religious fundamentalists "who wreck mayhem and havoc on innocent civilians with impunity, thereby undermining the tenets on which a multi-religious society is based.

The groups called on Christians in the Republic of Sudan to remain peaceful and for Muslims to show solidarity with them.

"We believe peaceful life together between Christians and Muslims is essential for a promising future of Sudan," they said.

The groups also called on the international community to pressure the government to observe freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and the protection of Christians and other religious minorities in Sudan.

"We call upon all believers around the world, and especially Christians, to pray for their brothers and sisters in Sudan in these difficult times when they are not able to freely practice their faith as they should," they said.

The groups said Church leaders in Sudan would organize prayers on Sunday, June 24, on the site of the demolition.

The groups also noted that the government of Khartoum had, for the first time in the country's history, denied its citizens the Christmas holiday in December 2011.

"We express our fears that all these events may not be isolated but rather calculated attacks on Sudanese civilians who are not of the Muslim faith and their property in Khartoum, and in particular Christians," the groups said.

They said that church leaders from the demolished Saint John, Haj Yousif "had for 25 years been pleading with government authorities to issue the church with legal recognition just as the rest of the allocations in the are," they said.

The groups criticized the government, saying its policy "seems to be bent on threatening and discriminating against Christians in Khartoum" despite repeated rhetoric about freedom of religion and the protection of minorities in the Republic of Sudan.

The groups accused the government of protecting religious fundamentalists "who wreck mayhem and havoc on innocent civilians with impunity, thereby undermining the tenets on which a multi-religious society is based.

The groups called on Christians in the Republic of Sudan to remain peaceful and for Muslims to show solidarity with them.

"We believe peaceful life together between Christians and Muslims is essential for a promising future of Sudan," they said.

The groups also called on the international community to pressure the government to observe freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and the protection of Christians and other religious minorities in Sudan.

"We call upon all believers around the world, and especially Christians, to pray for their brothers and sisters in Sudan in these difficult times when they are not able to freely practice their faith as they should," they said.
The groups said Church leaders in Sudan would organize prayers on Sunday, June 24, on the site of the demolition.

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