Canon Ian Woodward writes:
In Sudan, in the third year of fighting between the Government forces – the SAF, and the RSF, continue to be bitterly contested. The SAR claims to have driven the RSF forces out of Khartoum to where it is concentrated in north and west Darfur. A Sudanese coalition led by the RSF paramilitary group has announced it is establishing an alternative government in a challenge to the military led authorities in Khartoum/Port Sudan. It is calling itself the Leadership Council of the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS) under the chairmanship of Mohamed Hamden “Hemedti” Dagalo. There will be 15 members of a presidential council of the government which includes regional governors. Sudanese politician Mohammed Hassan Osman al-Ta’ishi will serve as prime minister. This could divide Sudan into two states and any assumed internal border is likely to be disputed will inevitably sustain the fighting and bring yet more misery to the region. Archbishop Ezekiel Kondo, the primate of the Episcopal Church in Sudan based in Port Sudan having been forced to flee Khartoum when the conflict started nearly three years ago continues to bravely visit his congregations in areas of conflict and his inspirational, exemplary leadership is a model for us all.
Robert Hayward, a member of our Sudans committee has recently visited Port Sudan and Khartoum/Omdurman and spent valuable time with Archbishop Ezekiel.
The future of Sudan is precarious.
In South Sudan, the country is arguably in the deepest ever economic crisis caused mainly by the reliance on oil revenues which have effectively ceased because the oil is transported and exported by pipelines in Sudan many of which have been by destroyed in the conflict. South Sudan is receiving many thousands of refugees from the North which adds to the risk of hunger across the South where heavy flooding has destroyed crops and harvests and many roads are only just passable. Civil servants and teachers have not been paid for many months. The role of the church is important in sustaining hope and morale.
Meanwhile across Sudan and South Sudan the Sudans Link is doing its best to support our health and education programmes and our humanitarian aid efforts. We continually need your support to do this and are indeed grateful for all that our parishes and deaneries and our partnership does.
