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Documents on SUDAN
Here are two documents :
The first from Bishops of the Catholic and Episcopal Churches of
SUDAN
The second from the FAO.
Best wishes
Paolo
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An Appeal by the Bishops of the Catholic and Episcopal Churches of Sudan
Nairobi, Kenya 17 August
2001 (sd-e-533-a)
Let There Be A Just and Durable Peace in the Sudan
We the Bishops of the Catholic and Episcopal Churches of the Sudan,
gathered in Nairobi for a seminar, Pastoral Leadership and United Action
in a Crisis Situation, from 12 - 17 August 2001, moved by our Christian
Faith and concerned by the immense suffering of all the Peoples of Sudan
because of the current civil war, appeal for an immediate end of the
hostilities and the establishment of a just and durable peace in the Sudan.
We address our appeal to the Government of Sudan, the Sudan Peoples
Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), the National Democratic Alliance (NDA),
other warring parties, all Peoples of Sudan of every tribe and religion,
the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and other
peacemakers including the IGAD Partners Forum (IPF), the United Nations,
the African Union and international partners.
We also address our appeal to his Holiness Pope John Paul II and the Most
Reverend and The Right Honorable Dr. George Carey, Archbishop of
Canterbury, and to religious leaders around the world.
State of suffering
We are deeply concerned with the appalling human suffering in both the
North and South of the country. Nearly three million people have died
because of the war. Over six million have been internally displaced and
millions more having fled the country. The economic situation has
deteriorated to the extent that over 96% of the population is living below
the poverty line. In some areas, populations are being deliberately denied
critically needed basic humanitarian assistance.
The war has adversely affected particularly the most vulnerable: women,
children and the elderly. In order to sustain the war efforts, the warring
parties conscript by force children of school age into military service,
thus exposing them to grave harm, depriving them of any chance of education
and jeopardising their futures. Women and children are harassed and abused
and the elderly are robbed of normal traditional care. Ordinary and
traditional family live has collapsed, and cultural traditions have broken
down.
Large sections of the population have become dependent for their survival
on humanitarian assistance. This assistance, though desperately needed, is
however not an effective long-term solution to the crisis.
Given these and other heinous experiences of human suffering, we appeal for
an immediate end of the war. A negotiated settlement, rather than military
means is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace.
Peace based on justice
Stopping the war is essential, but not sufficient for the establishment of
a just and lasting peace. The root causes of the conflict must also
beaddressed, so that all Sudanese can enjoy their full rights in
dignity. This could be achieved by addressing the following:
Affirmation of diversity in the national identity that ensures the
equaltreatment of all cultural, racial and religious groups in the public
media and the educational and legal systems in order to promote peaceful
coexistence.
Power sharing by a participatory system of governance that ensures the full
rights and participation of all people. Such a system should protect the
states' exclusive rights over their territories and provide for
the sharing of agreed upon powers at the national level. This balance
of powers must be configured to avoid the domination by any one group
over another and ensure the full rights of all.
Wealth sharing through an agreed upon formula between the states
and national government to ensure balanced and equitable development.
Programme for peace
Addressing the above three major concerns requires a concrete programme of
action that includes the following:
Affirmation of principles: We affirm the Declaration of Principles of
the IGAD peace process, particularly in regards to the relationship
between state and religion, the principle of self-determination, and
the comprehensive cease-fire.
Relationship between state and religion: The unity of the country
and peace with justice cannot be achieved under Sharia Law in a country
with a diversity of cultures and religions. Instead we call for
religious freedom for all religious groups and the separation of religion
and state.
Comprehensive cease-fire: Upon the achievement of a negotiated
settlement, a comprehensive cease-fire should be declared and
internationally monitored.
Advocacy for justice and peace. We call for:
a) Respect for human rights for all citizens
b) Peace building, reconciliation and forgiveness among the diverse
cultural groups of the nation, including North - South, South - South and
North - North initiatives
c) The cooperation of neighboring countries, international organizations,
and IGAD Partners Forum countries and all people of goodwill.
d) The constructive engagement of all national state
stakeholders, including civil society groups and religious communities
in particular.
Affirmation of the ongoing people-to-people reconciliation and peace
process in the South and urge all parties to the conflict to engage and
support seriously this process and any similar processes in the
North. These grassroots efforts should be linked to the higher national
political level.
Commitment to fostering genuine Christian - Muslim dialogue
particularly at the local community level.
Affirmation and support of the Sudan Ecumenical Forum and its ongoing
initiatives for peace.
Suspension of oil extraction until peace is achieved. Its
continuation fuels the war, uproots civilian populations, and reinforces
the existing imbalance in wealth sharing.
Conclusion
As believers in the one Creator, and sharing in a single humanity,
we believe and hope that God will grant the Peoples of Sudan peace if we
are willing to pray sincerely, to reconcile and bear one another's burdens.
(Sudan Focal Point - Africa - Nairobi)
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FAO GLOBAL INFORMATION AND EARLY WARNING SYSTEM ON FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
SPECIAL ALERT
No. 316
(Circulated only for countries where foodcrops
or supply situation conditions give rise to concern)
COUNTRY: SUDAN DATE: 22 August 2001
EXTENSIVE FLOODS FOLLOWING PROLONGED DROUGHT
JEOPARDISE FOOD SECURITY IN SUDAN
Following two consecutive years of serious drought, extensive floods in
northern Sudan have displaced tens of thousands of people, destroyed crops
and aggravated the already precarious food supply situation in the affected
areas. Heavy rains in the Blue Nile catchment areas in Ethiopian highlands
caused an overflow of the Nile river and submerged many villages and
settlements. Water levels in the Nile are reported to be higher than those
of 1988, when the river burst its banks causing massive destruction. Worst
affected areas are northern and eastern parts along the Nile, including
areas around the capital city Khartoum. South Darfur State has also
suffered from flash floods due to torrential rains. Large number of
inhabited islands on the Nile have been evacuated but several villages and
towns remain isolated by the floods. Access to the affected population is
difficult due to damage to main roads and bridges.
The humanitarian situation in the affected areas is reported to be critical
and there is an urgent need for international assistance to rescue the
stranded people and to provide them with food, drinking water, medicines
and other assistance. As several areas are inaccessible, airlift operations
are needed to reach the isolated population. A full assessment of crop
losses and agricultural damage is not yet available, but, preliminary
indications point to significant crop and livestock losses.
Overall prospects for the 2001 main season cereal crop, normally harvested
from October, were already poor before the damage caused by floods. A late
start of the rainy season in parts and large number of population
displacement due to escalation of conflict in southern Sudan resulted in a
decline in plantings and potential yields. The losses and yield reductions
caused by the floods are likely to worsen the already unfavourable harvest
outlook.
Over the last two years, lower harvests coupled with virtual depletion of
stocks have led to a sharp rise in cereal prices, reducing access to food
for the poorer segments of the population. The purchasing power of large
numbers of people, particularly pastoralists, has been seriously eroded.
With coping mechanisms stretched to the limit, farmers and other vulnerable
groups have migrated in search of work and food. The number of people
joining WFP's "Food for Work" programmes has increased dramatically.
Government efforts to mitigate food shortages by lifting customs duties on
food imports and financing grain purchases through the Strategic Commodity
Stock Authority have, to some extent, helped stabilise cereal markets.
However, severe malnutrition rates are on the rise reflecting acute food
shortages. The situation will worsen in the coming months unless timely and
adequate assistance is provided. The number of people in need of urgent
food assistance, estimated at some 3 million earlier in the year due to
drought and/or civil war, is set to increase with current floods. Last
year's drought has affected mainly greater Darfur and Kordofan, Bahr el
Ghazal, Bahr el Jebel, East Equatoria, Jonglei, Red Sea and Butana province
in Gezira State.
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission earlier this year
estimated a cereal import requirement of 1.44 million tonnes in marketing
year 2000/01 (November/October) of which 1.2 million tonnes were expected
to be covered commercially while the remaining was expected to be met by
food aid. International food aid pledges cover only a fraction of the
requirements so far.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, ROME
FAO and WFP will jointly field a mission to the country in
October/November 2001, to assess the outcome of this year's harvest and
food supply outlook for 2001/02 (November/October) including an estimation
of the country's food import requirements and food aid needs of the
affected population.
-------
This report is prepared on the responsibility of the FAO Secretariat with
information from official and unofficial sources. Since conditions may
change rapidly, please contact Mr. Abdur Rashid, Chief, ESCG, FAO, (Fax:
0039-06-5705-4495, E-Mail (INTERNET): GIEWS1@FAO.ORG) for further
information if required.
Please note that this Special Report is available on the Internet as part
of the FAO World Wide Web at the following URL address:
http://www.fao.org/giews/ .
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Veuillez nous excuser si vous avez deja recu ces textes - We apologise for
any cross-posting
x - Le materiel contenu dans ce document ne reflet pas forcement les points
de vue de l'expediteur. Celui-ci n'accepte aucune responsabilite' sur la
precision des sources originales. - The material contained in this
document may not be taken always to reflect the views of the sender. He
accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy of the original sources.
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x - Un homme meurt chaque fois que l'un d'entre nous se tait devant la
tyrannie (Wole Soyinka, Prix Nobel litterature) - Everytime somebody keep
silent when faced with tyranny, someone else dies (Wole Syinka, Nobel Prize
for Literature)
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