| Sudan seems to be an independent country, however | | | | methods to protect that what people believe in: |
| under strong influence of different ethnic and religious | | | | Animism commonly refers to belief systems that |
| conflicts it is torn among different ethnic and religious | | | | attribute souls or spirits to animals, plants and other |
| groups. To certain extend we could compare situation | | | | entities, in addition to humans. In a broader sense of the |
| in Sudan to the political situation in India before Rajiv | | | | word, animism is simply the belief in souls, a belief |
| Gandhi. | | | | present in nearly all religions. |
| There was a leader needed who was able to show | | | | Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life |
| to all of different fighting groups for the local | | | | and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in |
| independence a common aim to achieve, global | | | | the New Testament. |
| independence of the whole country. All of those | | | | Its followers, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is |
| people had to learn how to respect other groups, their | | | | the son of God and the Messiah (or Christ) prophesied |
| tradition and religion. There is no possibility of uniting the | | | | in the Old Testament, the part of their scriptures they |
| nation without common understanding among all of the | | | | have in common with Judaism. To Christians, Jesus |
| groups fighting for freedom. | | | | Christ is a teacher, the model of a virtuous life, the |
| Someone could say that the political situation in Sudan | | | | revealer of God, and most importantly the saviour of |
| is stable apart form the civil war going on in the south | | | | humanity who suffered, died, and was resurrected in |
| of Sudan, between government forces and Christian | | | | order to bring about salvation from sin. Christians |
| separatist. Hence is we perceive a country as one | | | | maintain that Jesus ascended into heaven, and most |
| organism then we have to admit that the country is | | | | denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge the |
| the state of war for about fifty years. | | | | living and the dead, granting everlasting life to his |
| The question is what shall be done to heal that | | | | followers. Christians describe the New Testament |
| situation. But we cannot heal the political situation not | | | | account of Jesus' ministry as the Gospel, or "good |
| coming back to the origins of the conflict and | | | | news". |
| differences which in the course of time became more | | | | Like Judaism and Islam, Christianity is classified as an |
| and more painful for all of the groups involved. And | | | | Abrahamic religion. |
| then analyzing those differences in the light of historical | | | | Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion originating |
| aspects we may endeavor to find a platform for | | | | with the teachings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, a |
| communication. | | | | seventh century Arab religious and political figure. The |
| It should be noted that there is no democratic system | | | | word Islam means "submission", or the total surrender |
| in Sudan and the politics of that country is controlled by | | | | of oneself to God (Arabic: ????, All?h). An adherent of |
| the Muslims. As a result of such situation public media | | | | Islam is known as a Muslim, meaning "one who submits |
| are under control of government. On the other hand, | | | | [to God]". There are between 1 billion to 1.8 billion |
| large parts of Sudanese life cannot be monitored by | | | | Muslims, making Islam the second-largest religion in the |
| the officials and people can express their opinions. | | | | world, after Christianity. |
| Just a few facts to see the situation in 20th century: | | | | The Qur'an states that all Muslims must believe in God, |
| The 20th century saw the growth of Sudanese | | | | his revelations, his angels, his messengers, and in the |
| nationalism, and in 1953 Egypt and Britain granted | | | | "Day of Judgment". |
| Sudan self-government. Independence was proclaimed | | | | As presented above all three religions have one |
| on Jan. 1, 1956. Since independence, Sudan has been | | | | common ground – belief in eternal life, belief that |
| ruled by a series of unstable parliamentary | | | | there is a sole in a human being, belief that the spiritual |
| governments and military regimes. Under Maj. Gen. | | | | world exists. This is the basic platform which shall be |
| Gaafar Mohamed Nimeiri, Sudan instituted | | | | acknowledged while building the mutual understanding |
| fundamentalist Islamic law in 1983. This exacerbated | | | | and trust among all of the fighting groups. It might seem |
| the rift between the Arab north, the seat of the | | | | difficult to start uniting those nations from referring to |
| government, and the black African animists and | | | | values they fight for, however people involved in war |
| Christians in the south. Differences in language, religion, | | | | don`t think about the values but only about revenge. If |
| ethnicity, and political power erupted in an unending civil | | | | the values were thought of then there would be no |
| war between government forces, strongly influenced | | | | wars. |
| by the National Islamic Front (NIF) and the southern | | | | Following that pattern of thinking the talks at the |
| rebels, whose most influential faction is the Sudan | | | | negotiation table should start from the system, if we |
| People's Liberation Army (SPLA). Human rights | | | | could dare to call it a system, used by the pope John |
| violations, religious persecution, and allegations that | | | | Paul the II to unite all religions. Representatives of all |
| Sudan had been a safe haven for terrorists isolated | | | | religions prayed together and then talked together. |
| the country from most of the international community. | | | | Mutual understanding of the same but differently |
| In 1995, the UN imposed sanctions against it. | | | | perceived values led to unity in the world full of |
| Source: | | | | prejudice and bias. |
| Having three different religions lets look at their | | | | We believe that the conflict resolution in Sudan can be |
| definitions presented in Wikipedia and then analyze the | | | | only achieved through the same approach. There is a |
| common ground, as the peace negotiation process | | | | strong need for all involved parties to sit round the |
| shall be started from finding and understanding the | | | | negotiation table and start from acknowledging the |
| cultural values governing the norms and different | | | | values deeply engraved in spiritual world. |