Riot police were positioned yesterday by order of the Sudanese Government to enforce eviction from Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) Church properties in Khartoum by Court Order of a Sudanese Sharia Court. Police arrived at 9am yesterday at the ECS Guest House in Khartoum which houses the Office of the Archbishop of Sudan as well as diocesan and other Church offices. They ordered the eviction and threatened to use force to obtain compliance.
The ECS Guesthouse accommodated the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, during his much-acclaimed visit to Sudan and serves as an important meeting place for Christians in the predominantly Muslim capital. At the time of the police eviction, a church consultation was being conducted in the Guest House by CORAT Africa, and preparations were being made for a 4-day workshop on Peace and Reconstruction in Sudan, organised by SUDRA, the church's development and relief agency which was due to start today.
Speaking from Juba, the ECS Archbishop, the Most Revd Dr Joseph Marona, called for the Sudan Government to take decisive action to restore the property to the Church: "This is a serious day for all the people of Sudan. I call on the Government to restore the Church's property to its rightful owner - the Church." He also urged restraint in the face of provocation: "As Scripture says, it is not by might that one prevails."
The police arrived at the ECS Guest House without any prior warning, declaring that the Guest House had been sold by former Government Minister, Gabriel Roric to an Arab businessman. Roric, who had also been a bishop in ECS until dismissed in 2003, had sold the property claiming himself to be the "Archbishop of ECS". The Court Order had then been made to obtain vacant possession because of Roric's failure to hand over the property.
Many questions remain unanswered, in particular why the Court accepted Roric to be "Archbishop of ECS" in relation to the supposed "sale" when the story of his dismissal and subsequent attempts to undermine the Church is well known in Khartoum. The Church has long recognised Roric to be acting as the agent of Government security, even since losing his ministerial position in the Government in 2001. He continues to hold a senior position in the ruling Islamic party and his recent actions in consecrating rogue bishops has had the tacit support of the Khartoum Government.
The Bishop of Renk, Bishop Daniel Deng, whose diocesan office was also evicted from the Guest House compound, expressed his dismay at what had taken place:
"How can police trample through the Church's property and dismantle the Archbishop's office before our eyes? This is an attempt to humiliate the Church. This cannot be allowed to happen. The Anglican Communion and the whole international community must speak out against what is being done to the Church."
The Episcopal Church of the Sudan (ECS) is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and is the largest Church in Sudan: there are estimated to be some 5 million members. The first ECS church was founded in Omdurman in 1899. There has been a continuous Church presence in Khartoum since then which has grown significantly in recent years due to internal displacement. The present police action follows confiscation of the first ECS Cathedral in Khartoum by the Government and attempts to confiscate the headquarters of Khartoum Dioces in Omdurman.
For further information, please contact: the ECS Liaison Office: Tel +249 11 564724 or +249 9121 58563.