A Message of Support to Sudanese Church from Blair

In a recent visit by the Bishop of Rambury to Sudan, a personal message of support from the British Prime Minister Tony Blair was given to the Episcopal Church in Sudan (ECS).

The Bishop of Rambury, the Rt Revd Peter Hullah, visited Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, for the first-ever ECS round-table meeting to discuss the future of the country after the first peace protocol had been signed.

“The different parties are on the verge of signing the first protocol of the peace agreement, which was drawn up in May. This would mean that the promised humanitarian aid could start coming through.”

On the other hand, Bishop Hullah worried that the troubles in the Darfur region would affect other parts of Sudan whilst peace is actually beginning to be recovered. In particular he expressed his deep concern for the displaced people from the civil war in the Darfur region. He described a longing for peace and stability.

The peace agreement signed between the Islamic government in the north and the mainly Christian Sudan People’s Liberation Army in the south in fact excludes the Darfur region.

“There is a fear that the issues about Darfur will stall the peacekeeping initiative. But the delegates at the meeting were thrilled to receive support from the Prime Minister.”

British Prime Minister Tony Blair passed on his thanks to the Archbishop of Sudan, Revd Joseph Marona, and his bishops “for their remarkable efforts under such difficult conditions”.

The UK has been a great contributor to the peace making efforts in Sudan. It has led the international community to pledge to provide the United Nations 0.07% of their Gross National Income (GNI) for overseas aid. The UK has also promised £100 million in 2005.

In addition, many UK-based Christian charities and other international aid agencies have spearheaded the forming of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which occurred in July in an attempt to raise funds for a Sudan Emergency Appeal. By the end of last month, the DEC appeal had raised £32 million.

The UN Security Council is meeting this week in Nairobi to discuss both the Sudanese conflicts. Two previous Security Council resolutions threatened Khartoum with sanctions if it failed to curb the violence.