Persecution Worsens In Sudan As Another Church Is Demolished
The government in Sudan appears intent on curtailing if not completely eradicating the Christian presence in the country with the demolition of yet another church in the capital Khartoum last week.
The demolition of the Sudan Church of Christ (SCOC) building on May 17 came 10 days after another SCOC building was leveled to the ground in nearby Soba, 12 miles south of the capital, the Christian charity Middle East Concern (MEC) reported.
The destroyed church in Khartoum's Algadisia district had been in existence since 1983, according to MEC. The authorities earlier claimed that the church was illegally constructed since it sat on a land claimed by a private individual.
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Church officials denied this, even showing authorities their ownership documents. However, the authorities refused to look at the documents and proceeded to order the destruction of the church.
MEC charged that there is a government campaign to weaken the church in Sudan.
Government authorities have listed 27 churches for destruction, including the two already demolished, World Watch Monitor reported. The 27 churches belong to denominations including the Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Sudan Church of Christ, Jehovah's Witness and Pentecostal churches.
The Sudanese government claims the churches were built in areas that were not designated for them. The churches had challenged the government's contention, but their appeal was rejected in April.
In 2013, the Sudanese Minister of Guidance and Endowments announced that no new licenses would be granted to build new churches.
The government argues that there is "no need" for new church buildings in Sudan since the Christian population has gone down following the secession of South Sudan in 2011. That prompted seven former Sudanese dioceses to move to South Sudan, leaving only two dioceses for the small Christian minority in Sudan, mainly in South Kordofan and Khartoum states.
Last week, Sudan's President, Omar al-Bashir, was invited by Saudi Arabia to join other Muslim world leaders in meeting U.S. President Donald Trump on the first leg on his first overseas trip. However, Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity including "genocide," declined the invitation, according to World Watch Monitor.
Sudan is fifth on the Open Doors 2017 World Watch List of the top 50 countries in the world where Christians suffer from extreme persecution.
