Agenzia Fides REPORT - “Things are going incredibly well. Most of the population has voted and the situation is very calm,” Father Chris Townsend tells Fides, a spokesperson for the SACBC, located in Juba (south Sudan), under the delegation of SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference) responsible for monitoring regular developments in the referendum of 9 January on the independence of South Sudan (see Fides 7/1/2011). The delegation is led by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, Archbishop of Durban.
“For 16 years, the members of the SACBC have been committed to expressing their solidarity to the Church in southern Sudan but also to the north, through various visits conducted by our delegation around the Country. Just in the last year there have been at least six visits to bring solid support in the construction of peace and in conflict resolution” recalled Father Townsend.
“Today Cardinal Napier had the honour to inaugurate the philosophy section of the National Seminary in Khartoum. It was a great honour for him” confirmed Father Townsend.
According to Father Townsend the South African experience of curing the wounded during Apartheid may be a help in resolving the Sudanese problems because “the Sudanese situation is very similar to that South African of Apartheid, in the sense that also here people have not enjoyed the right to vote and express their needs for many years”.
“For 16 years, the members of the SACBC have been committed to expressing their solidarity to the Church in southern Sudan but also to the north, through various visits conducted by our delegation around the Country. Just in the last year there have been at least six visits to bring solid support in the construction of peace and in conflict resolution” recalled Father Townsend.
“Today Cardinal Napier had the honour to inaugurate the philosophy section of the National Seminary in Khartoum. It was a great honour for him” confirmed Father Townsend.
According to Father Townsend the South African experience of curing the wounded during Apartheid may be a help in resolving the Sudanese problems because “the Sudanese situation is very similar to that South African of Apartheid, in the sense that also here people have not enjoyed the right to vote and express their needs for many years”.
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