Now is not the time for compromise or gradual change in Sudan, a key church leader has said in the wake of last week’s regime change, but the time “to open the door for equal opportunities and better life for all”.
In a statement released following a service held at sit-ins around the country’s military and intelligence services headquarters in Khartoum on Sunday, Rafaat Sameer Masaad, head of the Evangelical Synods in Sudan, was among church leaders showing their support for change.
Top – A Catholic priest the midst of celebrations after Bashir’s removal; Middle – Church leaders including Baptist leader rev Philemon Hassan on left; Below – a flag with ‘Christ in the heart of the revolution’ written on it. PICTURES: Courtesy of CSW
“This is not a time for compromise or ‘pain killers’ or ‘gradual change’, this is a time to show a true mutual will to achieve and implement democracy,” he said in the statement which has been obtained by UK-based religious freedom advocacy CSW.
“This is a time to move away from the trenches of religious and ethnic discrimination and head towards an inclusive and unifying Sudanese national identity for all of us. This is the time to open the door for equal opportunities and better life for all. We must make a covenant that we will not withdraw or accept anything less than a new Sudan ruled by humanity and citizenship.”
Leaders of the Sudanese Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Baptist Church and the Sudanese Church of Christ were present at the service outside the headquarters where hymns were sung by Christian and Muslim demonstrators.
One local told CSW that “when the protestors saw the Christians joining the demonstrations they were very happy”. “They were extremely excited to sing with us.”
Last week President Omar al-Bashir, who has been the nation’s president since 1989, was deposed and a Military Transitional Council took power in the nation.
The change followed sustained demonstrations against his regime which the Sudanese Professional Organisation – the main body behind the protests – had invited Christians to join. While churches had not adopted an official position on the protests due to the repressive atmosphere in the nation, Christians have been participating including leaders who had previously been arrested and detained or had restrictions imposed on their places of worship.
CSW reports that among those who had been attending the demonstrations in recent weeks was student and activist Nasheed Saeed who died on 8th April after being caught in crossfire between the military and special security police.
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The organisation also reports that following the coup last Thursday, Christians had stood arm-in-arm to protect Muslim protestors from the military while they were participating in Friday prayers at the sit-in outside the military headquarters.
Mervyn Thomas, CSW’s chief executive, said the willingness of Sudanese Christians to protect Muslims as they pray and of Muslims to participate in Christian worship and prayers illustrated “the inclusive nature of this uprising”.
“We hope these acts will mark the beginning of a ‘New Sudan,’ where all people are treated as equal citizens, and where Sudan’s ethnic, religious and cultural diversity are respected both in law and in practice.”
Thomas called on the military council to transfer power to a “civilian-led transitional council that represents the diverse interests of the Sudanese people, enjoys the support of the demonstrators, and can implement the necessary reforms through meaningful, inclusive dialogue and consultations”.
“Discussions on the future of Sudan, including the criminal prosecutions of former President al Bashir and members of his administration, should be made by an independent authority, not the military, and we urge the African Union and UN member states to encourage the Sudanese military to transfer power to a civilian-led administration without further delay.”
