KAUDA

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6 May

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The Catholic Bishop Macram Max Gassis appealed to President Omar Al Bashir to protect his hospital in the Nuba Mountains from being bombed again by the Sudanese Air Force. He considers the targeting of the Catholic hospital as a ‘continuation of the religious oppression of the Catholic Church in Sudan”.

May 1andnbsp;and the following day, Sukhoi Jet bombers and Antonovs of theandnbsp;Sudanese Air Forceandnbsp;dropped 11 bombs in the compound of the Mother of Mercy Catholic Hospital in Gidel near Kauda, located in the rebel-controlled areas of South Kordofan.

“The bombing is an outrage against innocent civilians protected by international law from direct targeting by military forces. It is a violation of the sacredness of all human life, which we must protect at all costs”, as the emeritus bishop of the Diocese of El Obeid writes in his appeal. South Kordofan is part of catholic diocese of El Obeid.

“I wish to appeal to President Omar Al Bashir, to ensure that our hospital is protected from further bombing. The Mother of Mercy hospital is a Cathlic Church health institution what offers life-saving services without distinction based on religion, tribe or poloitical affiliation. By targeting our hospital, you are targeting Moslems and Christan brothers and sisters, as well as continuing the religious oppression of the Catholic Church in Sudan”, says bishop Macram.

Onandnbsp;Monday, Radio Dabanga reported that the Khartoum State authorities had decided to remove the Christian Comboni basic school in the Umbadda district in Omdurman, the twin-city of Khartoum. In 2013 tens of foreign families allegedly involved in church work of working for Christian NGOs were forced to leave Sudan. Several churches were closed, compounds were confiscated. A Catholic vocational training school was closed, and a secondary school was shut down being allegedly headed by a Christian board.

The Comboni basic school, that is next to be closed, is located in Umbadda’s sub district 41 at Mashrou El Lemoun. It was established in 1981.

Bishop Macram will giveandnbsp;todayandnbsp;a press conference in Nairobi.

File photo:andnbsp;A wildfire near Kauda, Nuba Mountains, sparked by a bombing by the Sudanese Air Force, 28 December 2013

Arabic Forum