AMECEA: “Urgently Come to Agreeable Terms for a Ceasefire,” AMECEA Chairman to Sudan’s Warring Parties
AMECEA Chairman Bishop Charles Kasonde of Solwezi diocese, Zambia
Sr. Henriette Anne FSSA
The leadership of the Association of Members Episcopal Conference in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) has expressed solidarity with the people of God in Sudan following the “fighting between the leadership of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF)”.
In the statement shared with AMECEA Online Newsletter Thursday, April 20, Bishop Charles Sampa Kasonde the Chairman of AMECEA has expressed spiritual closeness with the Catholic bishops and victims of war in Sudan.
“The entire Church in AMECEA region continues to pray for God’s intervention for the leadership of the two warring factions to urgently come to agreeable terms for a ceasefire and lasting resolution to the conflict so that the country returns to peaceful state,” the President of AMECEA has stated.
He added, “This crisis that has engulfed Sudan, unfortunately comes at unprecedented time when Christians continue to celebrate a new life in the Risen Christ and when the Muslim community marks the end of Ramadhan with the celebration of Eid ul Fitr. We sincerely sympathize with you and the people of Sudan whose well-being is affected”.
Reflecting on the Pope’s Ecumenical visit to South Sudan early this year, the Bishop of Solwezi Diocese in Zambia noted that “people of Sudan and South Sudan are tired of civil wars and conflicts. Instead, they found comfort in their faith as well as hope in the presence of the Church.”
The leadership of AMECEA is urging the people of Sudan, particularly the Christian and Muslim communities, humanitarian organization and all people of good will who are currently caught up in this difficult situation “not to lose hope but rather support one another and implement all the initiatives that will help to restore peace in the country”.
On April 15, war erupted between army units loyal to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s transitional governing Sovereign Council, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
