The Catholic Bishops’ Conference for England and Wales has expressed its concern at the continuing conflict in Sudan.
Sudan has been independent for nearly 70 years, but in that point it has had three major civil wars which, combined, account for over 4 many years of Sudanese history since 1956.
The current civil war has been occurring since 2023 and is basically a conflict between rival warlords. Both sides, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), have been accused of crimes against civilians and each are backed to various degrees by external powers.
The conflict gained global attention at the top of October when town of el-Fasher fell to the RSF, following an 18-month siege. RSF forces have been accused of massacring 1000’s of civilians following town’s capture.
Bishop Paul Swarbrick, Bishop of Lancaster and the Catholic Church’s Lead Bishop for Africa, said of the situation, “The reports from town of el-Fasher are deeply troubling and call for immediate international attention.
“The situation has grow to be much more dire and there’s no evidence of it moving towards a resolution. From a worldwide perspective, it stays almost a sideshow to other conflicts, and yet the lack of life, widespread suffering, and the variety of displaced people is colossal.”
He added, “My overriding sense once I visited the Tigray region of Ethiopia earlier this yr is that the consequences of Sudan’s tragedy are spreading across international borders within the region and further afield. This is a worrying development.”
The bishop added that Catholic aid agencies, corresponding to CAFOD and Trócaire are doing all they will to alleviate suffering within the region.
“While I’m deeply grateful that faith communities proceed to work on the bottom despite risks, words must now be matched by motion – the international community can not turn away from the immense human cost of this conflict.
“The Lord doesn’t abandon his people or turn a deaf ear to their cry. We imagine in a peace the world cannot give them, at the same time as we pray for an end to the fighting. We must proceed to wish for a time of healing.”
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