Sudan: Christians condemn Islamist attacks on churches

The All Africa Conference of Churches and the World Conference of Churches condemned the demolition of the Episcopal Church of St John, Haj Yousif in the diocese of Khartoum, Sudan, by government authorities on June 18. The WCC and AACC have perceived this action as a “series of calculated attacks” on civilians, minority groups, and especially Christians. A similar incident occurred when the Sudan Evangelical Church Bible School was destroyed. A copy of the Bible was burned on the April 21 in the full view of the police, in Gerief West, Khartoum.

In a joint statement, the general secretary of the WCC, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, and the general secretary of AACC, Rev Dr André Karamaga, called for investigations to be carried out over the actions of the authorities and appealed to Christians to pray for their fellow believers and people to be able to freely practice their religion. “We once again regret that despite repeated rhetoric about freedom of religion and the protection of the minorities in the Republic of Sudan, the government policy seems to be bent on threatening and discriminating against Christians in Khartoum”, they said.