A BRISBANE priest fearing Southern Sudan could face similar violence to East Timor in the lead-up to a referendum for unity or secession in 2011 has backed a prayer campaign for a peaceful process.
Fr Gerry Hefferan, who was in East Timor as a representative of Brisbane archdiocese’s Justice and Peace Com-mission during the 1999 referendum for independence from Indonesia and the violent aftermath, said his concerns for Southern Sudan had led him to support the 101 Days of Prayer for a Peaceful Referendum.
Head of Brisbane’s Sudanese Catholic community Gabriel Ukuno, supporting the campaign, said the 4000-strong South Sudanese Catholic communities of Brisbane and Toowoomba have “big hopes” the referendum will lead to secession and more self-respect for their countrymen.
Voting for the referendum will take place on January 9, 2011.
Campaigns have begun, organisations are being mobilised, the referendum committee has been formed and many different opinions are being expressed through newspapers, TV, and national and local radio.
The prayer campaign, being co-ordinated in Rome, started on Tuesday (September 21, United Nations International Day of Peace) and will run until the World Day of Prayer on January 1.
Director of Solidarity with Southern Sudan’s Pastoral Services Sr Cathy Arata noted the time span between those two important dates was 101 days.
Sr Arata approached Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC) to propose this period of time should be dedicated to a campaign of prayer and activities for peace for all of Sudan.
Fr Hefferan said the unstable situation existing in the lead-up to the vote in Southern Sudan had brought back memories of East Timor’s perilous path to democracy.
“I was in East Timor after the first church massacre in 1999 and returned to dangerous times after the election,” he said.
“In some ways the situation in South-ern Sudan is even more volatile.
“The referendum is about whether Southern Sudan stays as part of Sudan or becomes a new country.
“And while this is going on, several other border regions will also be considering whether they go with the north or the south of Sudan.”
Catholic bishops in the region and elsewhere “are very concerned about the lack of facilities and security to enable people to vote safely”, Fr Hefferan said.
“There is an enormous potential for disaster if the process is not worked out properly.
“This is why the prayer campaign has started.
“Now I’m encouraging everyone throughout Queensland to take part.”
Mr Ukuno asked all Catholics to join in praying for a peaceful outcome to the referendum.
“Sudan was at war with itself for 50 years and you never know what can happen at such times,” he said.
“The Southern Sudanese in Brisbane and Toowoomba have big hopes for a good outcome.
“They believe if the referendum allows the south to be separate this will be best – they will then be part of their own country.
“At the moment the people of South-ern Sudan are classed as third or fourth-class citizens.”
The 101 Days campaign has an official prayer and poster and is already having an impact.
The website for the prayer campaign is www.solidarityssudan.org
