Stop Humiliating South Sudanese Christians
By Watts Roba Gibia Nyirigwa*
Oct 23, 2005 — Since the introduction of Sharia Law in northern Sudan in 1991 by National Islamic Front (NIF) currently National Congress Party (NCP), South Sudanese Christians and particularly women and girls were forced to veil and cover their heads, and it was made pre-requisites for any school girl or otherwise will not be admitted in any school. The distribution of food items to the internally displaced people of south Sudan in various camps around Khartoum had been preconditioned that unless if a person converts to Islam will not have food, and some Southerners were forced to convert to Islam in order to have access to the food items for survival, before taking over the distributions of food items by Christian organizations in the various IDP camps around Khartoum.
This monstrous behavior of Khartoum government in the name of Islamic religion is totally contradicting to the teachings and ethics of the great Islamic religion. The Islam is calling for peace, love, unity, equality and tolerance among all the mankind. Thus Khartoum government should not claim her evil deeds under the cover of Islam, as the Islam as religion is utterly innocent from all these acts.
The Holy month of Ramadan is a religious rite’s imposition on all Muslims and its morals are always intact. The fasting is not just merely matter of fasting and to exhibit to the others that one is fasting without understanding its true values and ethics. After all fasting is a temptation to the believers as well as wealthy people, in other words putting oneself in shoes of poor person which endures huger, thirsty and hardship in absolute silence and civility. Holy month of Ramadan is the month of forgiveness, compassion, devotion, dedication in constant prayer, reading and interpretation of Holy Koran for the spiritual attainment with the Almighty God, and humbleness and decent behavior with other fellow brothers and sisters. Thus, at the judgment day or resurrection day, everyone will be judged according to his/her own deeds and behavior in this world.
It is ridiculous for Khartoum government to force non Muslims to fast and closing schools for internally displaced persons down in Khartoum and Gezira state during the Holy month of Ramadan with pretext that those schools were offering food! This is a direct violation and abuse of human rights. As even some Muslims for one reason or another are not fasting during the month of Ramadan according to the fasting ethics, and if all the restaurants were closed down, is government forcing everyone to fast, despite the fasting morals put forward by God! God seeks the hearts of people and not falsely outside appearance and hypocrites.
Where are the fundamental bases of the principles of the interim constitution, is it not guided and based on free will of its people, equality, respect and justice for all Sudanese citizens! Is it not stated in the interim constitution that religious beliefs, customs and traditions are a source of moral strength and inspiration for the Sudanese people, and cultural and social diversity of the Sudanese people shall be the foundation of national cohesion, and shall not be used for causing division!
The role of government should be preaching of religious tolerance and its coexistence, not imposition of one religion on other, as this creates detestation and embitters religious intolerance among the Sudanese citizens. The Sudanese religious coexistence and human webbing can not be attained and cemented by creating religious friction and confrontation, particularly after signing the peace agreement between north and south. Besides that, the old wound of the two decades bitter war has not yet healed. And this provoking and igniting behavior of Khartoum government to cause sedition among the Sudanese citizens is utterly not acceptable and has to be strongly condemned by all peace loving Sudanese citizens, religious leaders and civil and social organizations.
* Watts Roba Gibia Nyirigwa, a Sudanese from Cairo – Egypt
E-mail: [email protected]