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Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing with the readers of The Evangelist some insights from the fascinating African trip I recently experienced in Sudan and Nigeria.

I was asked to undertake this trip to Sudan in my capacity as chair of the International Committee for Justice and Peace of our United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Sudan was chosen because it is facing some immediate opportunities and challenges.

I sought to bring an expression of support and solidarity from our U.S. bishops' conference to the bishops of Sudan and to the staff of our Catholic Relief Services (CRS) serving in North and South Sudan, as well as to share with U.S. and U.N. officials serving these nations the perspective of our USCCB.

I was privileged to be accompanied on this trip by Steve Hilbert, who serves as foreign affairs advisor to the USCCB. Prior to his present responsibilities, Steve served in Africa for 24 years, both with the Peace Corps and on the staff of Catholic Relief Services.

His love for Africa and his understanding of its history and its people with its various cultures, ethnicities, languages and religions are truly amazing.

Eight years ago, while living with his family in Cameroon as a CRS staff member, one of his three children, 13-year-old Aaron, was killed in a tragic bus accident during a school outing. So Steve's life's blood is literally invested in this continent.

Sudan is the largest nation in Africa geographically, about the size of the United States from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, having nine nations on its borders and a population of 41 million people.

The majority, 30 million people who live in the North, are mostly Arabic and Muslim. The larger cities are found in the North as well as more industrialization.

The South is largely rural, populated primarily by Christians and those adhering to traditional African religions. However, the South has huge oil and mineral resources.

Sudan was a collection of small, independent kingdoms and principalities from the beginning of the Christian era until 1920, when Egypt captured and unified the northern part of the country. Southern Sudan remained an area of fragmented tribes, subject to frequent attacks by slave traders.

In 1885, a religious leader led a revolt culminating in the fall of Khartoum in the North. In 1885, an invading Anglo-Egyptian force regained control; and, while nominally administered jointly by Egypt and Great Britain, Britain exercised control, formulated policies and supplied most of the top administrators.

In 1956, in the post-colonial period following World War II, with the consent of the British and Egyptian governments, Sudan achieved independence under a provisional constitution.

Unfortunately, the constitution was silent on two fundamental issues for Southerners: the secular or Islamic character of the state and its federal or unitary structure. These unresolved issues have led to internal wars for more than three quarters of Sudan's existence.

In this most recent civil war (1983-2005), two million people from Sudan were killed and more than four million displaced, mostly moving from the South to the North.

In 2005, the United Nations, the African Union, the United States, Norway and Great Britain helped broker a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). This resulted in a cessation of armed conflict, an interim constitution with a power-sharing arrangement known as the Government of National Unity (GNU) in Khartoum, composed of the now defunct Northern Government of Sudan (GOS) and the semi-autonomous government of Southern Sudan (GoSS).

The ruling regime in the North, the National Congress Party (NCP) is a mixture of military elite and the Islamists Party that came to power in a 1989 coup. The South is governed by the Southern Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM).

Upcoming referendum
Part of the CPA's stipulation is that on Jan. 9, 2011, there will be a referendum wherein the South will determine whether it will secede from the North or remain in unity with the North.

There will also be a determination about the affiliation of three transitional areas along the North-South border: the oil-rich Abyei, the Southern Kordofan/ Nuba Mountain State and the Southern Blue Nile.

Abyei will have a referendum in 2011 to determine its own affiliation, while the other two areas will remain with the North but will be granted more political influence through local consultations.

Implementing the CPA has been made more difficult by the conflict that broke out in 2003 between the government allied militias and rebels in the Darfur region of Sudan. Over the next few years, fighting in this region escalated, killing hundreds of thousands and creating a situation where nearly five million people, including 2.7 million internally displaced persons, needed humanitarian assistance.

In March 2009, the International Criminal Court indicted key figures of the Government of National Unity (GNU), including its president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir for masterminding genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

The referendum in the South scheduled for January 2011 has the opportunity to be the most important event in Sudan's post colonial history. The referendum can opt for the South's unity with the North or with secession from the North.

If they choose unity, how will regional interests be accepted? If secession, how will the oil and natural resources of the South be shared with the North? Will the North accept a referendum of the South's secession?

This referendum could lead to a better future for the North and the South, or it could result in a renewed civil war. The consequences for the people of Sudan and its neighboring states, as well as for the community of nations, are enormous.

Most of the meetings and discussions during our time in Sudan focused on these critical issues.

MON.-TUES., AUG. 23-24
I met with Steve the evening of Aug. 23 at JFK Airport in New York City for a 6:30 p.m. flight to Khartoum, Sudan, with a transfer in the Netherlands. Each leg of the flight was six-and-a-half hours with a two-and-a-half-hour layover in Amsterdam.

From my perspective, the trip got off on the wrong foot when the New York flight was full and the crew determined that my carry-on bag would have to be stored in the plane's cargo area and then transferred from the Amsterdam flight to the Khartoum flight.

When we arrived in Khartoum on Aug. 24 at 7 p.m., the bag with all of my clothing for the trip was missing. Those of you who have ever lost a suitcase, especially on the way to your destination, know the feeling!

We were greeted at the Khartoum airport with 97-degree weather, and by Hani El Mahdi from the CRS staff, who would accompany us during our stay in the Sudan.

We drove to the hotel just after sunset, so the streets were nearly empty: The Muslim community was observing the month of Ramadan, which requires them to fast until sunset, so most of the citizens were either in their homes or at restaurants breaking their fast.

As I would be throughout this trip, I was impressed by the fervent devotion and the adherence to religious practices manifested by the Muslim community.

After a buffet supper, we retired for the evening. It was an adventure learning how to work the lights, shower and air conditioner in the hotel. My night's sleep was rather fitful, caused by jet lag, planes taking off in the nearby airport, heavy rainfall, the barking of dogs and the call to prayer emanating from the amplified public address system of the local mosque.

WED., AUG. 25
On Wednesday morning, we met with Cardinal Gabriel Tubier Wako at his residence. He has served as the archbishop of Khartoum since 1981 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2003.

Although ailing recently, the cardinal has been instrumental in seeking the rights of Christians and other minorities in Northern Sudan. He is deeply concerned about what will happen to Christians in his archdiocese and in the North of Sudan if there is a separation between the North and the South.

The cardinal fears that if there is not strong action on the part of the international community and the guarantors of the CPA, Christians and other minorities in the North may be subject to Sharia (Islamic Law) and became further marginalized than they already are.

Further, if Christians who were displaced to the North during the Civil War should now to be returned to the South, there is the fear of the loss of education, jobs and even persecution without strong assistance from the international community.

We also had the opportunity to spend time with Bishop Rudolf Deng, president of the Sudanese Catholic Bishops' Conference; Bishop Daniel Adwok, auxiliary bishop of Khartoum; and the staff of the bishops' conference.

Bishops' letter
A month earlier, the conference had issued "A Message of Hope and a Call to Action," a stirring and insightful pastoral letter to the people of Sudan, the Sudanese leaders and all people of good will.

In this letter, the Sudanese bishops state that the root causes for conflict in the Sudan are twofold: Sudan is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious society; but, in practice, one entity (the NCP in the North) still dominates and imposes itself in an oppressive manner at every level - and this highly-centralized system of governance marginalizes those in the periphery.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the bishops note, has brought some progress. The conflict between the South and the North has moved from the military to the political arena.

Space was created, after the fighting ceased, for development projects to go ahead in the South and in the marginalized areas of Abyei, the Nuba Mountains in the Southern Kordofan State and the Blue Nile region.

There have been attempts to address the millennium development goals, particularly in the areas of health and education. Reconstruction and rehabilitation have taken place in many war or conflicted areas. A system of governance has been put in place.

Increased oil revenue has become available to both North and South. Recently, elections have been held peacefully, although not perfectly.

However, the bishops comment with sadness, war continues in Darfur. Islam remains the source of legislation in the North, which adversely effects the rights of all, particularly non-Muslims. The human rights climate is deteriorating again. The powers of the National Security organs, characterized by torture, intimidation, and detention without trial, have not been curtailed.

Humanitarian organizations in Darfur and the rest of the North are subject to restrictive regulations and kidnappings, and many staff have been expelled.

Further, weak governance in the South gives rise to corruption, nepotism, lack of respect for human rights, harassment of humanitarian agencies and power struggles. Violence still afflicts many parts of Southern Sudan. Incursions by the militia group, the Lord's Resistance Army, continue. Many people still suffer from the lack of food and other basic resources.

In their letter, the Sudanese bishops express grave reservations about the process for the forthcoming referendum in the South. They state: "We are deeply concerned that the time remaining before the due date of 9 January 2011 is painfully short and inadequate. There is fear that the CPA signatories have not prioritized the significance of this issue and that transparency and inclusiveness are lacking.

"The following have not been done or are behind schedule: The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission has barely begun its work; demarcation of the North-South borders is not complete; regulations and procedures for the referendum have not been provided; voter eligibility has not yet been clarified; registration has not even begun; and voter awareness and education have barely begun."

Impact of votes
Secession can be chosen by a simple majority of 50 percent plus one of the votes cast. However, there is also a requirement that 60 percent of registered voters from the South must cast their vote in order for secession to take place. If fewer than 60 percent cast their votes, the status quo (unity) continues.

The bishops fear that this voter turnout condition may lead to confusion and manipulation. The registration of voters residing outside Southern Sudan presents real problems in establishing voter eligibility and monitoring the legitimacy of the process.

The bishops also express grave concern about the preparedness of the referendum for the people of Abyei. The borders and voter eligibility have not been agreed upon and the Abyei Referendum Commission has not been formed.

The people of the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile State do not have the right to self-determination, either, de-spite the fact that many feel culturally and ethnically connected to the South and fought alongside Southerners in the liberation struggle. The bishops believe that the aspirations of a large section of the population of these two areas will not be met because they have no choice but to remain under Northern governance.

Consequently, the bishops lament, "we fear that dissatisfaction in all of these transitional areas may lead to violence, which could derail any peaceful future for the whole of Sudan."

In light of these concerns, the bishops have issued "A Call to Action."

"We urge our leaders in both North and South," they write, "to insure that the referendum for Southern Sudan and Abyei should take place on time in a free and fair manner and that the outcomes be recognized and respected. The referendum process must be conducted peacefully and transparently. We urge those who are leading the referendum process to redouble their efforts to insure that all outstanding measures are implemented in good time.

"We call upon the international community to assist in the technical, logistical and operational stages of the referendum, to monitor and observe the process from start to finish, to guarantee implementation of the results and to mediate in case of any disagreement.

"We call upon all citizens who register to insure that they actually cast their vote."

In the event that the people of Southern Sudan choose secession, the bishops call upon national and international leaders to insure good neighborly relations and a smooth and peaceful transition. In particular, they encourage the parties to reach amicable solutions to practical questions such as oil, citizenship and border issues - solutions which will benefit all.

North and South
The bishops also urge the authorities in Northern Sudan to respect freedom and human rights, including the freedom of religion for all inhabitants. Given the fears which exist in the hearts of Southerners living in the North, it is important to create a climate of human security and well-being and respect for basic human rights, in accordance with Sudan's obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Similarly, the bishops urge the authorities in Southern Sudan to respect the rights of Northerners in the South. They call for good governance with zero tolerance of corruption and nepotism and an increased delivery of basic services.

Finally, the bishops commit themselves "to the work of peace-building and reconciliation on a daily and practical basis, in collaboration with others and in line with Catholic social teaching." They pledge themselves to journey together with their people toward a just and lasting peace.

At our meeting, we discussed with the bishops the reaction to their pastoral letter and what, if any, further concerns have arisen. The bishops expressed their angst that preparations for the January 2011 referendum remain woefully inadequate.

They noted that the Southerners who are living in the North are divided about what to do. Their plight has not improved over the past five years since the CPA came into existence, and the Southerners fear that if the South secedes, things will get worse for them if they remain in the North.

At the same time, displaced Southerners in the North are afraid that their repatriotization in the South will fail unless the Southern government receives strong support from the international community, because currently the government in the South lacks the capacity to provide education, healthcare and infrastructure services. An influx of people will only compound the situation.

The bishops are working closely with Catholic Relief Services to build education programs for peace and reconciliation in order to prepare the Sudanese people for understanding fully the issues involved in the referendum, and what should and must happen in a post-referendum period.

Aid workers
During the afternoon, we journeyed to the U.S. offices in Khartoum to meet with Sue Mackentire, David Young and Tahar Ali, senior staff who oversee the USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) programs. Our government is doing an excellent job in providing humanitarian assistance to people both in the South and North.

Like the Catholic bishops in Sudan, these staff are concerned about preparedness for the Jan. 9 referendum and recognize that there will be need for a major international response to assist in the post-referendum transition, whether the decision be for secession or unity.

The USAID staff recognizes the need to assist the government in the South to develop its capacity for providing basic services to its people. They are very interested in hearing from Church officials the attitudes and needs of the people at the grassroots level, since the churches are the most respected institutions in the South, having stayed with their flock during the atrocities of the civil war.

The U.S. government is a leading international donor to Sudan and has contributed more than $8 billion in humanitarian, development, peacemaking and reconstruction aid for the people of Sudan and Eastern Chad since 2005, including more than $2 billion in fiscal year 2009.

Our government's humanitarian assistance to Sudan includes food aid, health care, water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as programs for nutrition, agriculture and economic recovery.

We also spent considerable time on Wednesday interacting with the staff of Catholic Relief Services. CRS is one of the largest non-governmental humanitarian agencies working in the country.

CRS has been responding to the urgent humanitarian crisis in Darfur and to the displaced people in the Khartoum area. CRS' program activities in Khartoum and West Darfur directly benefit 500,000 Sudanese, without regard to religion and ethnicity.

In May 2009, CRS expanded its operations to the Southern quarter of West Darfur to respond to the humanitarian gaps caused by the expulsion of many international non-government agencies.

This expulsion was made by the Northern government in response to the indictment by International Criminal Court of its president, al-Bashir.

CRS in Northern Sudan now has a staff of 400 people. In Khartoum, CRS works with displaced people to increase their income-earning opportunities, improve living conditions and help them prepare for emergency situations.

In West Darfur, a geographical area equivalent to France, CRS' activities include distributing food and essential household items to 450,000 people per month, improving water and sanitation systems, supporting agricultural initiatives, supporting basic education initiatives and providing health education.

This year, CRS in Northern Sudan started to integrate peace-building initiatives into its key programming areas. CRS staff are helping local partners develop skills for conflict resolution and peace building through a $4 million peace initiative that includes:

• partnering closely with Catholic dioceses and other groups to increase their ability to carry out relief and development projects, conflict management initiatives and peace-building activities;

• coordinating peace talks at various levels, from individual parishes to national ecumenical forums;

• funding community based peace projects, especially those that provide opportunities for youth to participate in peace-building and conflict resolution; and

• linking Sudanese and U.S. advocacy efforts to increase the awareness of United States Catholics on Sudanese issues.

Like other humanitarian organizations serving in Sudan, the staff of CRS are not sure what will occur after the scheduled January referendum in the South. Hence, the staff has prepared three scenarios for the future.

The first would be largely expanding humanitarian projects by providing food, water, shelter and health care for those people in both the North and the South who would need to be resettled as a result of the referendum.

The second is to develop local projects to avoid ethnic, religious and border conflicts which might erupt in the North, the South or in Darfur in the post-referendum period.

The third contingency is to react to a renewed outbreak of the civil war which so devastated the country from 1983 to 2005.

We, as Catholics, can be enormously proud of the way CRS is responding in very difficult situations to the basic human needs of the people of Sudan.

A busy Wednesday drew to a close with a pleasant dinner with the bishops and staff of the Sudan Catholic Conference, held in a delightful outdoor restaurant serving Western fare. To no one's surprise, I indulged my passion for pasta.

Even better, when I arrived back to the hotel around 10 p.m., my bag had arrived via Air Kenya. Alleluia!


(10/07/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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