Statement by the Methodist Church in Britain on the Conflict in Sudan
18 June 2024
It has been over a year since fighting broke out between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the ‘Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF), continuing years of violence that have afflicted Sudan.
EC/ECHO/Anouk Delafortrie
During the past year alone, 15,500 civilians have been killed and 8.8 million people have been displaced, including 3 million children. These are in addition to the 3.8 million displaced by previous fighting. A third of the population of the country are food insecure. Meanwhile, civilian infrastructures are collapsing with few administrative or health services available and in large areas of the country, telecommunications, vital to lifesaving information, have been cut.
The Methodist Church in Britain is profoundly concerned by the ongoing violence and the worsening situation in Sudan. It is causing unimaginable suffering to millions of people. We join the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) in calling for:
- An immediate end to violence and the repeated disregard for international, humanitarian, human rights and criminal law.
- A resumption of dialogue with the intention of establishing and implementing strategies for a peaceful and just resolution to the conflict.
- Immediate access to all areas for humanitarian aid.
- Accountability for crimes committed.
- Churches to pray and act in solidarity with the Churches and people of Sudan.
We urge the UK government to extend its’ Fact Finding Mission (FFM) in Sudan. Cuts have seen the FFM understaffed and underfunded, but the Mission is vital for the documenting and monitoring of the humanitarian crisis, and the efficient provision of humanitarian aid where it is needed.
The Revd Gill Newton, President of the Methodist Conference and Deacon Kerry Scarlett, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference on behalf of the Methodist Church in Britain.