Politics of religion in Sudan

The Jakarta Post of April 6, 1996, published Mr. Lukman Harun's opinions on Sudanese politics. He said and I quote: "The allegations of some western countries that Sudan is a terrorist country are not evident. Sudan is in fact a peaceloving country, and rejects any form of terrorism. Syariat Islam (Islamic rule) is applicable only to Moslems, while the Christian minority is guaranteed their full right to worship."

Really, Mr. Lukman's letter seems to suggest that he knows very little about Sudanese "political" Islam or Sudanese racial politics. Unknowingly he might have been used for propaganda purposes; the following facts may help Mr. Lukman and others realize how Islam is used in order to achieve ends political and in many cases economic.

Sudan is a very heterogeneous country whose northern part is dominated by Moslems who claim to be of Arab origin and sometimes seem reluctant to participate actively in African affairs, though they have little real recognition in the Arab world.

On the other hand, Southern Sudan is dominated by Christians, Animists who truly know that they are African and are proud of their African heritage as well as their animist and Christian beliefs.

These differences create a fatal hostility between the two sides and each is trying to find support for its cause. This is why the Moslem North islamized the conflict, probably in order to attract attention in Moslem countries. Enter Mr. Lukman, from the world's most populous Moslem country. He was invited and all efforts to impress him were made, so that when he got back to Indonesia he would mobilize support for the Khartoum government. This then is exactly what he did.

Paradoxically, Mr. Lukman tried to defend the Sudanese government against western allegations of terrorism but unfortunately he forgot that Sudan was proven implicated in the recent attempt to assassinate Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during an organization of African Unity summit in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia. Is this not terrorism?

Furthermore, in paragraph four of Mr. Lukman's letter he made mention that there were 41 candidates for the presidential post but only three were Christian. This is a surprise considering that Sudan has millions of Christians. With my own eyes, I have seen Christians and Animists die of hunger and starvation due to violent aggression by a military equipped by the powerful Moslem North against the helpless Christian South? Can't we for God's sake accept this as a gross human rights violation?

I am a Moslem, and a graduate of a good Islamic university. But I abhor a "political" Islam, used for grubby political ends. It's high time we came together to reject using any religion in order to oppress any human being for his political beliefs, race or geographical location.

BUHARI ABDU

Jakarta