Black Catholic Spotlight ~ { Print Version }
The National Black Catholic Congress
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Of Peace and Hope
Travels Through Sudan
By Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ

I traveled again to Sudan this summer, a visit that included time in both Khartoum, the nation's newly active capital, and Darfur, where humanitarian concerns are still stark. On this visit, two things stood out in stark contrast: the fragility of peace, and the resilient optimism of those working toward it.

As brief background, Sudan, one of the largest nations in Africa, has been plagued by conflict for years. The brutal fight in Darfur started in 2003, and has received massive media attention in recent years. It followed on the heals of a two-decade civil war between North and South that ended with the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) reached in 2005. Though South Sudan is often overlooked in the press now, the two conflicts are integrally linked - without peace across the country, peace anywhere in the country may be in jeopardy.

Khartoum, a sleepy town when I last visited in 2004, is a now burgeoning place marked by traffic and construction cranes. Though southerners once came to Khartoum to escape conflict in their region, many are now staying or making the journey to take advantage of growing employment opportunities. In this city, Bishop Patrick Cooney, my traveling partner, and I witnessed one of the first plenary meetings of northern and southern bishops in nearly 20 years. Long divided by war, the Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference is now coming together joyously.

On the day Bishop Cooney and I arrived in Khartoum, the bishops held an open-air Mass in St. Matthew's Cathedral. On the grounds outside, nearly 5,000 people - many who had taken time off work to be there - gathered to receive the bishops, shaking and kissing their hands and thanking them for standing firm during the long-running war. A celebration that followed, featuring young dancers and drummers from nearly every major tribe in South Sudan, inspired onlookers - including priests, nuns and a bishop - to leap up and join the dancing. The festivities felt like a real turning point, as if people were removing the last restraints of war and freely expressing their faith and joy.

This is an example of the hope felt during our travels. But in that freedom comes new responsibilities. The Sudanese bishops are deeply concerned for their country, anxious to help solve the problems in Darfur and to aid displaced southerners who want to return home. In addition, there are concerns that pressures on the CPA will create cracks in it. International attention has centered on Darfur in recent years, but it is one large piece in a complicated puzzle. If the CPA breaks, Sudan could tumble again into civil war, snuffing out Darfur's hope for peace. And without attention to the smaller, less notorious conflicts in other parts of the region, the chance of sustainable peace diminishes.

Following our time in Khartoum, Bishop Cooney and I spent three days in Darfur, my second visit to that part of the country. The last time I was in Darfur was a year into the conflict that has overturned the lives of millions of people. Traveling with Ken Hackett, president of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), I heard about whole desert communities forced from their villages; those who survived the violence made their way, shell-shocked, to meager camps where agencies like CRS scrambled to meet their basic needs.

Three years later, the conflict has not ended and the needs have only increased. More than two thirds of Darfur's 6 million people are affected by the crisis and now depend on humanitarian aid. Groups like CRS have learned to work within alarming constraints. Aid convoys are attacked on a regular basis. Banditry is common. Violence is a prevailing concern, and the delivery of basic humanitarian assistance often depends on the daily security report.

Though we were unable to travel beyond El Geneina, the provincial capital of West Darfur and base of CRS' field operations in Darfur, we saw the incredible humanitarian assistance the agency offers. Some 750 families recently received new shelters, protection from the heavy rains that were about to start. An enormous water tower beside the camp bears the CRS logo and serves the needs of thousands of people. CRS also helped build classrooms to give children a place to learn and a sense of normalcy. Beyond El Geneina, the agency delivers food to communities along a 40-mile stretch, reaching some 150,000 people.

We spent time talking with a local wali, some sheiks and an imam, who represent the civic and religious authority in the town. They expressed gratitude for CRS' work, and the engagement and response of American Catholics and the American people. In those conversations, and the ones I had in Khartoum, I sense a different mood in Sudan. I believe civic and religious leaders - along with the Sudanese people - are demonstrating a new confidence in their ability to move toward peace. I hope that American Catholics, who have responded generously to the conflicts in Sudan throughout the years, continue to provide financial contributions to support ongoing emergency interventions. And I pray that these are matched by a serious diplomatic effort by American leaders in Washington. For the Sudanese people to realize their whole human potential, they must be able to live in peace.

Pope Paul VI said in his magnificent encyclical letter Populorum Progressio that development brings about peace, and peace is synonymous with development. It is my hope that both peace and development will cross Sudan.

How to Help: Pray for the people of Darfur. Educate yourself and your communities about the situation. Become an advocate for Sudan. Donate to CRS. More information about donating to CRS' is available here: http://crs.org and more information about how to help the people of Darfur is available here: http://sudan.crs.org/help.htm.