A Sudan based pastor claims the Government of Sudan has declared war against Christians in the country for fear that they will lead Muslims to Jesus Christ.
Catholic priests and nuns arrive for a religious ceremony for late John Garang in New Site village in Southern Sudan
Pastor Michael Yat, who was on assignment with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Sudan, claims the reason why he thinks the Government is after Christians is because pastors are being imprisoned and churches demolished under the instructions from the predominantly Islamic Government.
"I moved to Juba with my family in 2012, after South Sudan got its independence. But in 2014, I went back to Khartoum to take up an assignment with the South Sudan Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Little did I know that Sudan had declared war against Christians," says Pastor Yat,
The pastor adds that he had earlier been arrested and jailed for nine months for preaching in a certain church in Khartoum.
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The Government, he insists, doesn't want to see Christians in Sudan, especially Christians who can speak fluent Arabic.
"They fear that these believers can easily reach out to the Muslims and convert then to Christianity," says Pastor Yat.
According to this man of God, pastors are not allowed to talk to Muslims in Sudan, Darfur and Nuba mountains, areas that are dominated by Muslims.
Church destroyed
Previous reports indicate that several pastors have indeed been arrested in Sudan over the past few months, prompting organisations like the American Centre for Law and Justice to petition the Government of Sudan for pastors' freedom.
One of the ongoing campaigns is seeking for release of Reverend Hassan Abduraheem who has reportedly been in jail for 12 years because of his faith.
Most recent was the arrest of four Christians who were charged for destroying a sign indicating Muslim ownership of a learning institution called 'Evangelical School of Sudan'.
Though the four Christians have since been released on bail, the International Christian Concern's East Africa (ICC) has raised concerns that the four Christians are still facing difficulties in reclaiming their school.
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The Government of Sudan is also being accused of demolishing churches, harassing Christians and threatening non-Muslim foreigners with deportation.
According to ICC, at least some 25 church buildings have been brought down under the instructions of the sate officials.
The Government, on its part, claims that the said churches were erected on land zones that had been set aside for other uses, though the Christians point out the mosques that had also been build in the same area and which are spared in the demolitions.
The Christians in Khartoum are hoping that the Government will listen to their plea and resolve the growing tension between Muslims and Christians in the country.
Nawa o!