Sudan’s Forgotten War: A Church leader cries out for peace
Sudan's civil war, now in its third year, has killed at least 150,000 people and displaced over 12 million, yet remains largely ignored internationally. The conflict began in April 2023 after a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces commander Gen. Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces leader Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who had previously united to oust Omar al‑Bashir. Father John Gbemboyo of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference describes how ethnic militias, mistrust, and failed peace talks have worsened the violence, while the Church acts as a field hospital, offering shelter and unity amid shortages and sexual violence. The interview highlights ongoing food shortages, sexual violence, and the Church’s role in providing aid as other international groups withdraw.
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Sudan’s three‑year civil war, sparked by a power struggle between Sudanese Armed Forces chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan and Rapid Support Forces leader Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”), has resulted in at least 150,000 deaths and displaced over 12 million people, creating a humanitarian catastrophe that has received limited global attention1.
The fighting began in April 2023 after the two commanders, who together ousted longtime dictator Omar El Bashir in 2019, failed to reach a post‑Bashir power‑sharing deal.
Ethnic militias have multiplied, deepening fragmentation and mistrust across the country1.
Food and medical supplies are critically scarce, and movement between regions remains heavily restricted.
Malnutrition and disease are rising among populations trapped in conflict zones, while refugees continue to flee to neighboring East African nations, straining host communities1.
Reports of sexual violence, ethnic targeting, and other atrocities have emerged, leaving lasting psychological trauma among survivors1.
The Catholic Church has stayed active as a “field hospital,” providing shelter, food, medical care, and a sense of communal prayer in the dioceses of Khartoum and El‑Obeid.
Priests and catechists remain on the front lines, though they are overwhelmed by the scale of need1.
Multiple peace talks have stalled, partly because international focus has shifted to crises in Ukraine and Iran.
There is no effective intermediary body mediating between the warring factions, and external actors may be profiting from the prolonged conflict1.
The African Union, IGAD, and humanitarian agencies have called for greater attention and assistance, but the response remains limited and under‑prioritized by the global community1.
Catholic Church’s peace role in Sudan’s civil war
The Catholic Church’s “peace role” in Sudan’s civil war is not primarily a military or partisan role. In Catholic teaching and practice, it is a moral, pastoral, and humanitarian mission—promoting reconciliation through dialogue and non-violence, while serving victims and urging governments and international actors to protect civilians and restore justice.
From the Holy See’s perspective, peace is linked to truth, justice, and the dignity of every human person. For example, Pope John Paul II repeatedly connects peace efforts with overcoming hostility through negotiation and the protection of human rights, especially where conflict makes relief difficult.
This approach appears clearly in Pope John Paul II’s encouragement of “open and frank negotiations aimed at reaching a just settlement,” taking into account “social, cultural and religious differences.”
Pope John Paul II emphasizes that the Church does not wish “to impose judgments or precepts,” but to give witness of a view of humanity and history rooted in divine revelation—while continuing cooperation for peace.
That same posture shows up in how Catholic leaders frame their advocacy: they call for dialogue and humane action, while still maintaining religious and humanitarian freedom of mission.
A key way the Church acts in Sudan’s crisis is publicly urging dialogue and condemning violence against civilians. The South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ message regarding the April 15, 2023 outbreak describes “loss of many human lives,” “massive displacement,” “the destruction of property, including Church’s property,” and resulting humanitarian crises.
In a related message to the U.S. State Department, the South Sudan bishops describe ongoing atrocities in strong terms: “killing, looting and raping,” destruction of hospitals, and denial of essential services like food and water. They explicitly call these actions “unacceptable” and urge warring parties to choose dialogue.
The bishops do not treat peace as only a negotiation among armed actors; they also highlight the political wishes of civilians. They refer to non-violent protests that expressed demands for “a democratic civilian government” and for the armed forces to be brought under civilian control.
This reflects a broader Catholic peace logic: peace requires not only stopping fighting, but also ordering society toward justice—including governance that is accountable to the people rather than captured by armed power.
Catholic leaders also press outside actors. The 2023 bishops’ letter calls on the “international community” to “prevail” upon the warring parties to “choose dialogue.”
Similarly, their appeal urges concrete political steps—military restraint, negotiations, and humane access for relief.
Another major peace role is humanitarian care. In 1991, Pope John Paul II renews Holy See support for the UN “Operation Sudan” and appeals for humanitarian aid for displaced persons and refugees.
He also states that the Catholic community offers help to the homeless and famine-stricken “regardless of religious differences.” In Catholic terms, this is a corporal work of mercy translated into concrete relief, which both alleviates suffering and strengthens social solidarity.
In the 2023 bishops’ letter, the Church in South Sudan states it will continue its “main role… humanitarian” work, especially through Caritas South Sudan and other development and humanitarian agencies, supporting refugees fleeing from Sudan.
This is important for understanding Sudan’s civil war “peace impact”: even when the Church cannot directly end hostilities, it can reduce violence’s downstream effects—hunger, disease, displacement, and despair—by maintaining relief networks and advocacy for access.
The Church’s peace work is not only at the level of official statements. The U.S. Catholic Bishops’ background on South Sudan describes how Church actors—often through ecumenical structures like the South Sudan Council of Churches—condemn violence and implement a peace plan.
In that same backgrounder, the Church’s peacebuilding is described as multi-level:
While this source is framed around South Sudan, it is directly relevant to Sudan’s civil war because it shows how Catholic peacebuilding systems respond to displacement, spillover conflict, and shared regional instability.
The Holy See also links peace to moral transformation. In 2023, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia (Holy See) notes Pope Francis’ teaching that Christianity is “a force for peace,” encouraging “conversion and the exercise of virtue.”
He also emphasizes governance factors that sustain peace: transparency, democratic norms, the rule of law, and ensuring natural-resource revenues serve basic needs.
In the 2023 bishops’ letter, the same theme appears as an explicit call for constant need for “conversion,” with bishops, priests, and religious urged to be “at the forefront” of serving people along the path of peace.
The Catholic Church’s peace involvement in Sudan has a longer historical pattern—especially through the Holy See’s encouragement of negotiation and relief cooperation.
This continuity matters: today’s Catholic advocacy during Sudan’s crisis is not an improvisation—it is a sustained approach grounded in the Church’s understanding of peace, reconciliation, and humanitarian duty.
Taken together, the Catholic sources show a coherent “peace role” in Sudan’s civil war built on four pillars:
In short: the Church’s peace work is both prophetic and practical—speaking out against injustice while also serving those whose lives are shattered by war.
Sudan’s civil war shows how quickly violence destroys social life; therefore the Catholic Church’s contribution to peace centers on stopping the moral logic of war (through condemnation and dialogue advocacy) and strengthening the conditions of life (through humanitarian relief, reconciliation, and appeals for accountable governance).