World Council of Churches and All Africa Conference Churches

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article/1634/wcc-and-aacc-express-conc.html

 The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) express grave concern over the escalating armed conflict between Sudan and South Sudan and call upon both parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any further deterioration of the situation.

We call for mutual respect of the territorial integrity of each other’s state. We have followed with deep concern the developments that led to the occupation of Heglig by the armed forces of the Republic of South Sudan and advocate for a just and peaceful resolution of the conflict starting with immediate ceasefire.

The WCC and the AACC deplore loss of life caused by the escalation of the conflict. We call on both parties to resist from hardening of positions and instead agree to resolve any differences through talks as they did in the run up to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). We implore the parties to use the CPA as the framework and model for resolving the border issue and all other outstanding issues. In this regard we call upon the Government of Kenya, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU) and International Community to double their diplomatic efforts at helping Sudan and South Sudan to de-escalate the military campaigns and sit around the table to negotiate.

We wish to emphasize that war should not continue to be considered as a viable option. And any full-blown war between Sudan and South Sudan will have security implications for the whole region and precipitate a humanitarian disaster. Therefore it must be avoided at all costs.

The WCC and the AACC wish to assure the Sudanese churches and people of our prayerful support and solidarity in seeking a peaceful solution to the prevailing conflict. We are prepared at any and all times to be at the disposal of the Sudan Council of Churches and its member churches and work together to save lives and promote peace, healing and reconciliation in South Sudan and Sudan. 2

Nairobi 17 April 2012

For: World Council of Churches

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, WCC General Secretary

For: All Africa Conference of Churches

Rev. Dr André Karamaga, AACC General Secretary

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