Sudan's war began in 1983 when the south rebelled against northerners' attempts to impose Islamic law and against what southerners' contend was discrimination and unfair allocation of government resources by the north. The north is largely Arab and the south mostly African. Sudan's 26 million people belong to 20 ethnic groups, with about three-fifths of the population Muslim and the rest Christian or of tribal faiths. An estimated 2 million Christians and Muslims displaced by the war or by severe drought have built squatter communities or settled in camps in the desert outside Khartoum. Priests and church officials say Christians who have migrated north face discrimination when trying to get a job, rent a house, buy land or find basic health and legal services.
Priests report problems moving freely within the country and obtaining visas to travel abroad.
The demolition of churches is the most visible sign of their plight, Christians say. Abraham Manyok, a deacon at the Episcopal B church, said he tried to get the work crew that came to wreck the church and school to wait because he and other church leaders had been assured the structures would be spared, at least until further negotiations were complete. Later, after it was demolished, I was released. After the demolition and the word went around, there was mourning. And we are still mourning.