9th May 2017
Urgent Action
DEMOLITION OF THE REMAINING CHURCH IN SOBA ARADI, SUDAN
On Sunday 7th May 2017, personnel from Jebel Aulia locality together with officials from land authority, NISS and the combat riot police in Khartoum state of Sudan demolished the remaining church in Suba Aradi, citing infringement on government land as a reason. Suba Aradi is a neighborhood in Jebel Aulia locality which is part of Khartoum state. Suba is an area of displaced people from conflict areas particularly from Nuba Mountains and South Sudan before cessation. Since 1980, the Christians among IDPs established a number of churches and this was one of them. This church is one of Sudanese Christ Churches and it was established in 1989. Different Christian sects worshiped from here especially after the cessation of South Sudan when twelve other churches were demolished. The twelve churches were demolished between the years 2011 and 2015. A group of policemen from combat riot department accompanied by officials from land authority and NISS officers came to the church followed by a bulldozer. On arrival, they started by destroying the fence of the church entirely. After, they pulled down the youth and women offices at the church building as well as the shelter for children’s Sunday learning/fellowship. From there, they went for the main worship building and destroyed part of its walls. As demolition exercise went on, two people (Eng. Polos Salah and Mr. Nagi Abdalla) were arrested for taking photos/pictures. The police ordered them to break the locks of the church but they refused. They were later released after spending hours at the police cell. This church was demolished when there is a pending (ongoing) case about it before the administration court concerning the demolish order which was challenged. There is also a recommendation by the Supreme Council for Guidance (under ministry of religious affair) to the land authority to offer this church the land where it was located. HUDO is highly concerned about Christian rights of worship and targeting of their churches, calling on
· The Sudanese community to support the Sudanese Christians and to conduct strong campaign in protecting the remaining churches.
· The international community and embassies in Sudan to put pressure on Sudan government to stop targeting Christians and their churches, HUDO Centre More Information There are many churches that were warned to be demolished. Recently a government order was disclosed which included twenty-five churches that government plans to demolish using the land authority to conduct the order backed by NISS. The church authorities challenged the orders but, the land authority does not consider the court decisions.