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this page Inter Faith in Action - Perspectives
Sharing of Country Perspective: SUDAN
By Revd Enock Tombe, Provincial Secretary, Episcopal Church of the Sudan, Former General Secretary SCC
Brief historical background of the Sudan:
Before colonial conquest:
The territories now called the Sudan was occupied by many people from different tribes. Each tribe lived and roamed the land under its control. Some of the tribes had developed their own political systems such as Shilluk in Southern Sudan. The Shilluk had a kingdom. In Northern Sudan here were at least three Nubian Kingdoms which became Christianized between 543 – 1503 AD.
Turkish and Egyptian Rule 1821 – 1884:
During the Ottoman empire, Turks in alliance with Egyptians invaded and ruled the territories now called the Sudan with its present borders.
Mahdists Rule 1885 – 1898
A Sudanese Muslim from Northern Sudan declared himself a Mahdi and rose against the Turks. He mobilized a rebellion and eventually chased away the Turks and their Egyptian allies. The Mahdi, actually called Mohmed Ahmed, introduced the first Islamic rule in at least Northern Sudan. His followers are known as Ansar up to today.
British and Egyptian Rule 1899 – 1956
The British in alliance with Egyptians invaded the Sudan and defeated the Mahdists. The condominium rule then governed the Sudan as a secular state.
Independent Sudan 1956 – now
The Sudan became an independent state on 1.1.1956 sharing borders with Egypt and Libya in the North; Eritrea and Ethiopia in the East; Kenya and Uganda in the South; and Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa Republic and Chad in the West.
Population and Religion:
Total population is currently estimated around 35 million people. The first census was conducted in 1956. The composition of the people based on ethnic identity were as follows: 61% of African stock, 30% of Arab stock and % of other racial groups (Non-Sudanese). No other proper census was carried out due to the instability in the Sudan. However, the next census is planned for November 2007 in order to prepare the country for elections in 2008 and a referendum in Southern Sudan in 2011 as agreed in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) 2005.
The previous Census of 1956 did not include the question of religious composition of the population. However other impartial censuses especially that of 1983 attempted to address the question of religious affiliation. Generally, it accepted that Muslims form the majority of 70% of the population, Christians are estimated around 25% and the rest (5%) are considered followers of African Traditional beliefs. Muslims are found mostly in Northern Sudan and identity with Arab culture whereas Christians are found mostly in Southern Sudan and identify with African culture in terms of languages and customs.
Civil Wars between North and South Sudan
First Civil War 1955 – 1972 (17years)
Southern soldiers mutinied in Torit, a small town in Southern Sudan in August 1955, just a few months before independence of the Sudan was declared on1.1.1956. The soldiers refused transfer to the Northern Sudan. The Torit mutiny provided a spark for a total rebellion of the Southern Corps that were stationed in the then three Southern Provinces collectively known as Southern Sudan.
Southerners in general resented the re-colonization of the Southern Sudan by Arab-Muslim Northerners following the departure of the British from the Sudan in 1955.
Southern freedom fighters, organized under different labels fought for separation of the Southern Sudan from Northern Sudan from 1955 up to 1972. Through the mediation efforts of the WCC and AACC under the Emperor Haile-Selassie of Ethiopia. Thus the peace agreement was known as Addis Ababa Peace Agreement 1972.
Southern Sudan then enjoyed regional autonomy from 1972 – 82. In September 1983, the President of the Sudan, General Jaafar Mohmed Numeri, decreed Islamic laws (Shari’a) all over the country in order to protect his power against both Southern and Northern opposition groups. Hudud sentences were carried out in Khartoum. Thieves had their hands chopped off, adulterers were lashed as well as drunkards. The declaration of Shari’a just fueled a second rebellion in another small Southern town, Bar, on 16th May 1983 by Anya-nya forces that were absorbed into the national army from the first rebellion.
Second Civil War 1983 – 2005
The Southern-based second rebel movement this time called for the creation of a New Sudan of justice, equality and prosperity for all Sudanese regardless of tribe, race, religion or any other label of discrimination. The rebel movement is called Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SDLM) with an armed wing called Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA). The civil war spread this time beyond Southern Sudan to include Northern Sudan territories of Nub Mountains, Funj and Beja areas in Central and Eastern Sudan respectively as well as the Abyei area.
Through the mediation of IGAD countries led by Kenya under President Daniel Arap Moi and later President Mai Kibaki, with support from USA, UK, Norway and Italy, so-called friends of IGAD, a comprehensive peace agreement (CDA) was signed on 9th January 2005 in Kenya. The CPA gives the Southern Sudan an interim period of six and half years to remain part of the Sudan. At the end of the interim period in 2011, the Southern Sudan people will decide whether to remain part of the Sudan or become an independent state through a referendum.
Three other areas that had joined the rebellion in the Southern Sudan have been granted self-administration status. These area are Nuba Mountains, Funj (South Blue Nile) an Abyei, with each of them having a separate peace Protocol.
Darfur Rebellion 2003 – now
In February 200, another rebellion broke out in Darfur region of Western Sudan. Nigeria then offered mediation and there is now a precarious peace agreement reached since May 2006 in Abuja, Nigeria.
However, the was in Darfur is still continuing despite the peace agreement signed. African Peace-keepers have been sent to Darfur by the African Union (AU) but only as monitors - The forces have no mandate to protect civilians caught in the cross-fire between the Western Sudan rebels and Sudan government forces in alliance with Arab Militias known as Janjawed (Devils on Camel Backs, armed with GM3 rifles).
There is a call for UN Peace-keepers but President Bashir has consistently rejected them on the pretext that they will re-colonize the Sudan.
Another civil war almost broke out in Eastern Sudan between Beja Congress and the Sudan Government forces. Thanks to the mediation efforts of Eritrea, there is now a peace agreement between the Beja Congress and Sudan Government.
Root Causes of Civil Wars in the Sudan
The root cause of the civil wars are mainly injustices in power and wealth distribution between the central government in Khartoum and the regions: South, Nuba Mountains, Funj, Eastern Sudan and now Darfur in Western Sudan. The rebellion started in the Southern because it felt marginalization from the centre in terms of power , wealth and identity.
Northern Sudanese elite from riverian Arabized Nubian tribes had been dominating political and economic powers in Khartoum and neglected the different regions of the country. The elite used Islamic religion and Arab Culture as tolls for assimilation of the country under the guise of uniting the nation. However, the Sudan
Is inhabited by over 500 ethnic groups speaking different languages. The unification policies under Islam and Arabism clashed with the reality of diversity in the Sudan apart from the under-lying exploitation economically and socially of the peoples from the regions.
Christian – Muslim Relations
It is important to note at the out-set that Christians and Muslims have never been in conflict at the community level or even as individuals. However, relations between Christians and Muslims have been characterized by State hostility and persecution against the Church.
In 1962, a Missionary Act was passed by the government of General Ibrahim Abud. In 1964, the Abud regime used the 1962 missionary Act to expel foreign Missionaries from Southern Sudan on pretext that they were involved in inciting the first rebellion led by the Anya-nya forces. In 1983, General Jaafar Mohmed Numeri decreed Shari’a all over the Sudan despite the existing diversity in religions. Between 1900 – 2000 the government under General Hassan Ahmed El Bashir carried out systematic demolition or confiscation of Church property especially in Khartoum under the pretext of town planning. The government also restricted freedom of religion and Christians especially in Northern Sudan. For example, Christian children are required to enter a pre-school before being admitted in primary schools; a pre-school in Northern Sudan means a Koranic School. The Church did not have a capacity to open many Christian pre-schools. Therefore Christian children had no option than to attend a Koranic school in order to qualify for entrance into a primary school.
In the face of state persecution since independence, different Christian denominations came together in January 1965 and formed the Sudan Council of Churches (SCC). The SCC was meant for Christian fellowship, solidarity and ecumenical witness by the member churches. In fact, the SCC initiated the peace process that led to the Addis Ababa Peace agreement of 1972. After the second civil war broke out in 1983, another Council of Churches was created by the Churches in Nairobi to take care of the people under SPCM?A controlled areas while SCC was restricted to operating in government controlled areas during the second civil war. Now the two sister Councils of Churches are in the process of merging this year.
During the war, the SCC through the encouragement of partner Churches abroad and PROCMURA was encouraged to promote inter-religious dialogue with Muslims. The papal visit to Khartoum in 1993 and the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1995 to Khartoum added to that encouragement. However, it was the effort of the US Centre for Religion and Diplomacy based in Washington that provided the much needed funds to organise an International Conference on Christian- Muslim relations at national level. Amongst its recommendations was the need to establish an independent Council to promote inter-religious dialogue and peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims in Sudan. In 2003, Sudan Inter-Religious Council (SIRC) was launched in Khartoum and has been in operation up to now.
At denominational level, the Episcopal Church of the Sudan (ECS) has approved the establishment of a Commission for Ecumenical and Inter-faith Relations during the Provincial Synod held in January 2006 in Juba.
Bishop Andudu Elnail has been appointed to lead the Commission. There is an urgent need for funding to enable the Commission get off the ground to build the capacity in each ECS Diocese for inter-religious dialogue and to promote the same at national level together with other churches in the Sudan.
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