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SCOTLAND/SUDAN: Cardinal calls for action in Sudan
By John Pontifex and Val Morgan
Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh
Scotland’s most senior Catholic, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, has written to the UK Foreign Secretary to warn of “the potential for widespread violence” in Southern Sudan ahead of the region’s forthcoming referendum on independence from the north.
In an open letter to the Right Honourable William Hague MP, Cardinal O’Brien, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, calls on the British government to act amid growing concerns ahead of the referendum scheduled for January 9th 2011.
Read Cardinal O’Brien’s letter
Closely reflecting a joint statement last month by Sudan’s bishops, the Cardinal’s letter calls for international initiatives led by the UN to ensure that the referendum is conducted properly and that its results are implemented fairly and without delay.
Requesting that the UK makes conflict resolution in Southern Sudan a top priority, the Cardinal states: “I write to share my concerns regarding the potential for widespread violence in Southern Sudan if the referendum is not conducted in accordance with internationally recognised standards.”
Noting the “extreme lack of progress in preparation for the referendum”, the Cardinal nonetheless acknowledges steps forward have been made including voter registration and strong evidence showing the Sudanese people’s widespread desire for peace.
The Cardinal’s letter echoes worrying developments spelled out in the 14th November statement by the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference . That statement noted the build-up of troops in border areas, political “manipulation” of the referendum and severe delays putting the plans for the vote “far behind schedule”.
The bishops’ statement also warned of threats to southern Sudanese living in the north of the country. This concern was highlighted in October by Sudan’s Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala during his trip to the UK hosted by Catholic charities Aid to the Church in Need, SCIAF (Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund) and CAFOD.
Cardinal O’Brien, who visited Sudan in spring 2006, states in his letter to Mr Hague: “Echoing the calls of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, I am calling on you to do everything you can to prevent the outbreak of further conflict in Southern Sudan.”
The Cardinal’s letter reflects widespread fears of a return to conflict in a country where a 21-year civil war ended in 2005 with 2.5 million dead and up to five million displaced.
Stressing the increasingly delicate political situation in Southern Sudan, Neville Kyrke-Smith, UK Director of Aid to the Church in Need, said: “This is a crucial watershed in Sudan’s history.
“The millions of Sudanese Christians living in Sudan join with countless others in the country in a continuous act of prayer for a lasting peace. What Cardinal O’Brien is doing is giving voice to their deeply held hope that war is averted.”
“Aid to the Church in Need remains committed to supporting priests, Sisters and the young people of Sudan. We are united in prayer and solidarity with the faithful as we sustain them in hope.”
Paul Chitnis, Chief Executive of SCIAF, who has recently returned from Southern Sudan, said: “If war comes, it will wreck Southern Sudan’s chances of laying the foundations for desperately needed development.
“Cardinal O’Brien is to be praised for speaking out in a way that attempts to break the cycle that always seems to end up with violence and tragedy where the innocent suffer the most.
“SCIAF is working tirelessly to improve the lives of thousands of people by providing education and skills training to the most vulnerable. Establishing peace, whatever the outcome of the referendum, is key to being able to continue our work and Southern Sudan having a brighter future.”
January’s referendum was a central element of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed by the Khartoum-based national government of President Omar al-Bashir and rebels in the south – the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army/Movement.
The CPA instituted a six-year power sharing deal between Bashir’s government and the SPLA/M which was given semi-autonomous authority in the south.
Despite the CPA, urgently needed redevelopment in Southern Sudan has been hampered by continued tensions and sporadic fighting, with political controversy over access to key resources including oil.
Read Cardinal O’Brien’s letter