Preparing the ground for a peaceful vote

The Catholic Bishops of Sudan are to hold an extraordinary Plenary Assembly in November. One of the main focuses of the assembly, which will take place in Rumbek from the 8^th to the 15^th, will be on setting the ground for a peaceful referendum. The bishops’ decision to hold two plenary assemblies this year is prompted by the present, historical situation as the Southern part of the country prepares to hold an independence referendum on whether or not it should remain as a part of Sudan.

Joseph Kanido, a press officer from the Southern Sudanese diocese of Komburo-Yambio, spoke to Linda Bordoni about the challenges his country is facing and of the Bishops’ call for a conflict-free vote on January 9th, 2011. Kanido says “Sudan will never be the same again and there is a lot of work going on now to prepare and inform people regarding their future.” One of the main concerns is making sure the referendum will be fair. Kanido says “the Bishops’ Conference has agreed that the Church in Sudan will always be one, the Bishops’ Conference will always be one, whether there is separation or unity.”

He says “the people in the south are ready to lead themselves, because there is an experience of being in power since independence since 1956”, but still the Southerners have not been able to experience and express their full rights because of Islamic Law in the North.
“The only element that unifies Sudan” – Kanido explains - is territorial. The north is Islamic, dominated by the Arabs, and the South is African. The message being conveyed is that this is the time the people can claim their right to determine their future, to solve their ethnic clashes, and to come out of tribalism and lead themselves.

He talks about the role of the bishops conference that is involved in the healing process and in justice after the war. He says much is being done to form the young generations so they will be able to become good leaders.

Kanido speaks about the upcoming plenary assembly and about the ongoing “101 days of prayer for Sudan” project.

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