Finally, some good news for Sudan’s Christian population, which has suffered both racism and religious persecution for being Christian.
Sudan’s transitional government was formed last August by the military and civilian protesters after former President Omar al-Bashir was ousted. The government “pledged to build a new national army that aims to represent the country’s diversity, according to a copy of a peace agreement.”
The transitional government is now aiming to form a new army “that distances itself from the politicization and discrimination.” We shall see.
“Sudan abolishes Islamist committees formed to confiscate church properties,” by Samuel Smith, Christian Post, March 19, 2020:
Sudan’s transitional government has abolished committees formed under the Islamist regime of former President Omar al-Bashir that were used to take over church properties.
Nasreldin Mofreh, Sudan’s Minister of Religious Affairs, signed an order last Wednesday requiring the dissolution of church councils that international advocates said legitimized the former government’s confiscation of church properties.
“We are pleased by the Minister’s decree, given the role these illegitimate church councils played in the former regime’s persecution of Christians and the obstacles they continued to present to churches’ ability to represent their own interests to the government,” U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Chairman Tony Perkins, said in a statement.
Advocates are hopeful that the move will lead to the return of church oversight to rightful church leaders.
After the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Christian communities were left vulnerable to the implementation of a strict Islamic legal code under Bashir’s regime. Through the mechanism of church councils, properties were taken from organizations such as the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church and the Sudanese Church of Christ.
As undue government influence was imposed on the churches, some pastors were arrested for their refusal to give up control of their denominations.
Since the Bashir regime was ousted last April, the transitional government has made vows to improve conditions for Christians in the country.
According to Morning Star News, a nonprofit devoted to covering the persecution of Christians worldwide, more legal action will be needed to regain some church properties lost under the authority of the abolished committees….
mortimer says
Courts should return stolen properties to the rightful owners.
keith says
So, the US, Australia, New Zealand etc should return ALL the lands to the rightful owners as well?
For native peoples, the land is our “place of worship” our holy place.
Giacomo Latta says
We know. Everything that isn’t your private property is ”sacred.”
jewdog says
Sudan has also given Israel overflight rights. The less Islam, the more openness and friendship.
mortimer says
Good to know. Israel has been making friends in Africa for years.
Screw U says
So have the Chinese, which is a mixed blessing.
They hate Muslims but at the same time are a huge threat to world security.
Richard Kruse says
I am not real optomistic over this. We all know what Islam is and how it operates.
Linde Barrera says
As the great American writer, Mark Twain, said: “Loyalty to your nation, always. Loyalty to a government, when it deserves it.”
It is so true that in many countries of the world, the government tells people what to believe in terms of religious spirituality. Thank God that we in the US have “separation of church and state.” We must always remember our Founding Fathers for that concept in our US Constitution.
DazzleMe says
You are absolutely right, Linde. But if allowed democrats and moslims will take our constitution away from us. Our founding fathers were much smarter than a lot of politicians running our country in today’s world.