The photos show some of the poor people of Southern Sudan who are hoping and praying for continuing peace. Be with them in prayer, and in any other ways you can help them. If war comes, we can leave. They have nowhere else to go.

- Br Bill

48. The Priority is Peace

In January 2011, there is to be a referendum with Southern Sudanese voting for either a unified Sudan or secession. The referendum was brokered as a key factor in reaching the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005. In the South, the feeling is running strongly in favour of secession. My sympathy is with the poor people of Southern Sudan who have suffered for centuries from violence, slave trading and oppression. The south itself, however, has no real unity other than fractured opposition to the north. Secession could quite possibly lead to more inter-tribal violence and, maybe, anarchy. The president of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Rudolph Deng has cautioned:

“Many people do not realize that more southern Sudanese were killed by other southern Sudanese than were killed by those from the north.”

I fear that there is an unreal hope in the South that a vote for secession will deliver more prosperity, more opportunity, better education and health care. The agreement for the referendum came as part of the process of ending the long war. The priority then was to find a way to bring about peace. The priority now is to maintain the peace.

Whatever the result of the referendum, be it unity or division, it is what happens after the referendum that will be critical. The south depends heavily on Muslim traders for the supply of goods. That infrastructure is very important. If the vote is for secession, the south will still need the north as a good neighbour. Is the north prepared to be a good neighbour? Will the Arab traders in the south be able to continue to deliver their services with safety and security? We simply don’t know.

There is the abundant oil in the south but the refineries are in the north, Good cooperation between north and south will be essential, at least in the short term or both north and south will suffer. The danger is that the referendum be seen as a battle between north and south over assets such as oil. At present there is real progress and improvement in many areas. Every effort must be made to preserve the peace and for a time of healing, not hurting, to ensue.

The waters of the Nile are another key issue. Egypt favours unity as it does not want there to be yet another nation to negotiate with over water rights. The waters of the Nile are a precious asset. Disputed borders, and determining who should be eligible to vote, are further problems to be dealt with. A process of peaceful conciliation and arbitration, not violent intervention, is the only positive way forward in solving such issues.

A return to the horrors of war should be unthinkable but is, unfortunately, possible. Both sides have spent the years since the CPA was implemented in re-arming and being prepared for renewed hostilities. If war breaks out it will be far worse than before. Maintaining peace is the priority. Steve Hilbert, Africa specialist on the staff of the U.S. Catholic Bishops asserted:

“There are a million ways this can go wrong, and only one it can go right. Will we witness a new peace or a return to an old war?”

Many organizations, especially the Churches, are pleading for respect for different ethnicities and religious convictions, whether or not there be one Sudan, or two. Peace, reconciliation, respect for the rights of others and freedom of choice are the kind of values that this country needs in both north and south. September 21^st is the International Day of Peace. It marks the beginning of a campaign for peace, the ‘101 Days of Prayer Towards a Peaceful Referendum in Sudan’, ending with the World Day of Peace, (January 1, 2011). Peace is the priority for the Sudan. Enduring peace is the only way there will be winners! Join us in praying for peace in all Sudan. - Br Bill