WCC Releases Statement on Sudan

The world's largest ecumenical body released its official statement regarding the atrocities occurring in Sudan
By Pauline J. Chang

The World Council of Churches executive committee released a statement deploring the genocide in Western Sudan, August 26, 2004. The Committee, which is meeting in Seoul from August 24-27, called on the African Union and the United Nations to provide an international peacekeeping force to ensure the deplorable acts do not continue in the war-torn nation.

"The ethnic cleansing which has taken place in Darfur must be reversed before it takes on the proportions of genocide," stated WCC director of International Affairs, Peter Weiderud.

According to recent figures, some 50,000 people died and over 1 million were displaced within the last 18 months in the Darfur region of Sudan under the hands of pro-government militiamen. Dozens of church groups, including the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians, urged the U.S. and the U.N. to take immediate action against such crimes. The WCC’s recent statement is a reinforcement of the international abhorrence of the militia’s inhumane acts.

The statement, which is only a draft of the final copy to be released on the 27th, states that the committee "urged the government of Sudan to protect its civilian population and to disarm the pro-government militia," and calls on all parties to work for peace and reconciliation.

Currently, the warring parties in Darfur are meeting in Nigeria to continue on peace talks.

The WCC’s full statement can be viewed at: http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/press_corner/korea-sudan.html

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