Sudanese authorities arrest Christian school teachers
Sudanese police and officials of the National Intelligence and Security Services stormed a Christian school in Madani to arrest its principal and 12 teachers last week. The school employees were accused of supporting the rebel group Sudan People's Liberation Army-North.
The accused denied the charges against them. Headmaster Samuel Suliman and the 12 teachers spent eight hours in jail before they were released on bail. Suliman said the police had a letter requesting the State Ministry of Social Welfare to turn over the Evangelical Basic School to the government.
"Over the past days, we have experienced difficult times in the school," Suliman told Morning Star News.
More than 1,000 students aged 3 to 18 attend the school which is affiliated with the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church.
Since 2012, the area has witnessed the expulsion of Christians and the bulldozing of churches. In April 2013, the Sudanese Minister of Guidance and Endowments declared that the agency will not be granting new licenses for new churches because of the population decrease in South Sudan.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has imposed a strict form of sharia which resulted in the discrimination of Christians and the Nuba people. In 1999, Sudan was flagged as a "country of particular concern" by the U.S. State Department.
Earlier this week, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and other international NGOs called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take action against human rights abuses in Sudan.
"We urge the Permanent Representatives of Members and Observer States at the United Nations Human Rights Council to take serious action in response to the deplorable human rights situation in Sudan," said Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of CSW.
Thomas noted that the reports of severe violations are valid reasons for the UNHRC to appoint a Special Rapporteur, an independent expert specializing in issues related to human rights.
"The targeting of civilians in South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur, the restrictions on civil and political rights, including on freedom of religion or belief, and the harassment of civil society, and human rights defenders are deeply concerning," Thomas said. "We call on the Council to adopt a resolution that addresses the realities on the ground," he added.
