Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir (C) sits among his Defence Minister Awad Ibnouf (L) and Prime Minister Mohamed Tahir Eila as the new cabinet took oath at the presidential palace in Khartoum on March 14. AFP Photo
Sudan, a country in Northeast Africa, has been ruled by the authoritarian government of President Omar al-Bashir since 1989. It is on Thursday that military officials in the country ousted and arrested the 75-year-old, ending his nearly 30-year rule.
Speaking on state TV, defence minister Awad Ibn Ouf said the country had been suffering from “poor management, corruption, and an absence of justice” and he apologised “for the killing and violence that took place”.
He said, according to the BBC, Sudan’s constitution was being suspended, border crossings were being shut until further notice and airspace was being closed for 24 hours.
Under his charge, the country has been ruled as an Islamic state with limited rights for religious minorities, Open Doors USA earlier reported.
This very year, Sudan was number 6 on the 2019 World Watch List, a comprehensive annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution, and has been in the top 10 since 2015.
Under al-Bashir’s rule, Christians have faced constant discrimination and pressure—additionally, multiple church buildings were demolished in 2017 and 2018, leaving some Christians without a place to worship.
Christians converts from Islam are especially targeted for persecution, according to Open Doors.
al-Bashir was president during a civil war caused by an effort to establish Sharia law throughout Sudan; his government also imposed laws that allowed stoning and amputations as punishments. Bashir’s military is also responsible for bombing civilians in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, a region of the country where a significant Christian minority lives.
Persecution levels extreme
The 2019 World Watch List reporting period has, according to sources, been difficult for Sudanese Christians in many ways.
“They have lost church buildings used for worship for years. And the government has arrested or intimidated many Christian leaders,” sources said.
All Christian communities in Sudan are afraid of having conversations about their faith with Sudanese Muslims because that could put them at risk for arrest or intimidation.
The level of persecution that converts and ethnic Africans face is enormous. There have been arrests; many churches have been demolished with others on an official list awaiting demolition. In areas like the Nuba Mountains where there is an ongoing conflict between government forces and rebel groups, many Christians are attacked indiscriminately.
Sudan Facts
| Score: | 87 / 100 |
| Region: | Africa |
| Persecution Type: | Islamic Oppression |
| Persecution Level: | Extreme |
| Population: | 41,512,000 |
| Christians: | 1,910,000 |
| Main Religion: | Islam |
| Government: | Presidential Republic |
| Leader: | Ousted |
Following his deposition from power yesterday, UG Christian News received reports that faith-based charity organisations believe that the Christian community in Sudan is waiting and watching along with the rest of the world.
“While Bashir was no doubt a dictator likely guilty of terrible crimes, there is no assurance that his replacement will be any better,” sources said.
The Sudanese military will take over rule of the country for at least two years, according to the New York Times. No one knows if that move will mean the protests will stop, though some sources have said the protests may continue.
