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Community leaders and politicians condemn attack on Khartoum church

A number of community leaders have expressed deep concern at the mob arson attack on Algreaf church in Khartoum over the weekend. Youssef Matar, secretary general of the Presbyterian Evangelical Church told Radio Tamazuj more than 600 people stormed the church, setting fire to the complex and burning bibles. Security and police were also said to be present joining in the chants ‘no church, no Southerners after today’. Three South Sudanese were also reportedly injured in the attack. Government blamed for incitement A spokesman for the the Sudanese Organisation for Defending Rights and Freedoms accused authorities of inciting groups of people to attack the compound. In a written statement the chair of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North Yasir Arman blamed President Bashir directly for the attack on the church: ‘As a result of Bashir’s language of religious hatred and with direct encouragement and protection from the security and police in Khartoum, who are spoon feeding the fundamentalist groups; a religious group associated with the National Congress, burned down Algreaf Church, an evangelical church, in the heart of Khartoum.’ ‘They looted the church and burned it down to ashes. This does not represent Islam and in particular the Sudanese Islam, which is a Sufi tolerant Islam. It only represents Bashir, his group and his ideology.’

April 24, 2012 Khartoum

A number of community leaders have expressed deep concern at the mob arson attack on Algreaf church in Khartoum over the weekend.

Youssef Matar, secretary general of the Presbyterian Evangelical Church told Radio Tamazuj more than 600 people stormed the church, setting fire to the complex and burning bibles.

Security and police were also said to be present joining in the chants ‘no church, no Southerners after today’.

Three South Sudanese were also reportedly injured in the attack.

Government blamed for incitement

A spokesman for the the Sudanese Organisation for Defending Rights and Freedoms accused authorities of inciting groups of people to attack the compound.

In a written statement the chair of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North Yasir Arman blamed President Bashir directly for the attack on the church:

‘As a result of Bashir’s language of religious hatred and with direct encouragement and protection from the security and police in Khartoum, who are spoon feeding the fundamentalist groups; a religious group associated with the National Congress, burned down Algreaf Church, an evangelical church, in the heart of Khartoum.’

‘They looted the church and burned it down to ashes. This does not represent Islam and in particular the Sudanese Islam, which is a Sufi tolerant Islam. It only represents Bashir, his group and his ideology.’