His Excellency Omer Mohammed Al Bashir
President Republic of the Sudan
KHARTOUM
Your Excellency
RE: FORCED EVICTION OF ECS FROM ITS GUEST HOUSE AT MOGRAN, KHARTOUM
As Primates of Africa, we write to congratulate your Government and the people of Sudan for the remarkable progress towards a just peace in the Sudan during the recent signing of the peace protocols in Kenya. We pray that God will help us to sustain this precious peace.
Your Excellency, we wish to bring to your attention that we have been shocked and dismayed by the news of forceful eviction of Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) from its premises in Khartoum on 20 May 2004.
The ECS is a member of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA). Therefore anything that affects a member Church affects the whole of CAPA. We are seriously expressing our concern at the forceful eviction of the ECS from the Guest House due to the following:
1. The eviction was carried out without notice and using undue police force.
2. Mr. Gabriel Roric, although lost his post as Bishop of Rumbek in May 2003, still enjoys a senior position in the ruling party and state security.
We are concerned that he misuses his position in the government against the ECS, e.g. the sale of the Guest House to a private company with approval from relevant government institutions.
In addition to the above, we would like to inform you that the Most Revd Dr Joseph Marona is recognized by the CAPA Primates as the only Archbishop of ECS. We therefore urge the government of Sudan to recognize only legitimate authorities of the Church.
Your Excellency, we believe that the speedy restoration of the Guest House to the legitimate authorities, ECS, will enable the Church to play a greater and effective role in the post-conflict situation in the Sudan together with the Government. CAPA Primates are looking forward to improved relations between the State and Church so that people of Sudan will benefit from the joint efforts of the two institutions as they work together in future. Yours sincerely, The Most Revd Peter Akinola DD; CON Chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa