The Presidents of Caritas in the region of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) have issued an urgent message about the ongoing violence in Sudan.
Fighting broke out in April between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. So far hundreds of people have been killed and more than 700,000 displaced.
In their message the Bishops call for an immediate halt to the fighting and action by the international community to facilitate negotiations. They also appeal for an increase in humanitarian support and the prayers of all Catholics for peace and reconciliation.
The message of the Bishop Presidents of Caritas in AMECEA Zone in communion with Bishop Presidents of Caritas Africa Memnber “Organizations on the War in Sudan
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God: I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
We, the Eminences, Archbishops and Bishop Presidents Caritas in AMECEA Zone namely: Eritrea, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda, and their representatives from Ethiopia, Malawi and Zambia in communion with Eminences, Archbishops and Bishop Presidents of Caritas Africa Member Organizations are meeting in Rome as part of the delegates in the 10th Regional General Assembly of Caritas Africa on the 7-10 May 2023. We are compelled to write this solidarity message with the Catholic Church and the people of the Sudan who are in a challenging situation as a result of the war which erupted in the Sudan, particularly in Khartoum, the Capital City, and Other parts of the state since the 15 of April 2023, between the Sudan Army Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
The war has caused and continues to cause: many deaths, injuries, displacement among the civil population, the destruction of properties and infrastructure in the country, including healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, making provision of life saving support extremely difficult and very costly. We, therefore, would like to urge the warring parties to immediately cease the fighting and seek for peaceful means to resolve the problem.
Consequently, we urge the regional and international bodies such as the UN, AU, IGAD, and all countries and people of goodwill to redouble their efforts and convince the warring parties and bring them to the negotiation table.
We further appeal to all Caritas Member Organizations operating in the region, Caritas Internationalis, UN Organizations and other NGOs to urgently step up on humanitarian support and rescue the people of the Sudan who are affected by this crisis inside the country and those who have fled to the neighboring countries.
We finally urge all catholic faithful and all people of other faiths to continue praying for the people of the Sudan and for peace and reconciliation in the Sudan.
Sign: by the Bishop Presidents of Caritas AMECEA Zone
St. Josephine Bakhita of Sudan Pray for us!
