|
Bishop
& Missionary Released in Sudan
12
April 2002
After
much prayer and international pressure Bishop Bullen Dolli
and Dr. Peter Hammond have been freed by the Sudanese Peoples
Liberation Army (SPLA). They had been detained in Yei, the
headquarters of the SPLA in Western Equatoria.
Intensive
investigation by the SPLA Public Security Office and Military
Intelligence revealed an intricate plot to discredit and
to murder Bishop Bullen Dolli and Rev. Peter Hammond.
The
drama began last year when short wave radios were brought
into Southern Sudan by Frontline Fellowship and handed over
as gifts to the Episcopal Church of Sudan. In December 2001
orders went out to confiscate the radios and arrest those
involved with them. Two church radio operators Joseph and
Dominic were whipped with over 75 lashes each for resisting
handing over the radios to SPLA soldiers.
Peter
Hammond and Tim Keller with a poster printed by the
Argus (a Western Cape Newspaper) after their safe return.
|
When
Frontline missionary Timothy Keller refused to hand
over the mission’s radio he was arrested and
marched off to a military base 25 miles away.
It
was later revealed that the SPLA had received information
from sources within the Khartoum government that the
National Islamic Front was going to place four short
wave radios into Western Equatoria for espionage purposes.
When Frontline Fellowship brought in the radios for
the Churches it was assumed that Bishop Bullen Dolli
and missionary Peter Hammond must be the ones in contact
with the Islamic Government. Arrest warrants were
issued for the Bishop and for the Director of Frontline
Fellowship.
It
is now thought that this was a disinformation campaign
orchestrated by the Sudan Government to cause problems
for the missionaries and for the churches as well
as to discredit the SPLA for arresting Christian Leaders.
The SPLA normally respects the Church and protects
religious freedom.
Bishop Bullen Dolli is well known for his strong public
stand against the National Islamic Front (NIF) Government.
He recently received an award for defending religious
freedom from the Institute for Religion and Democracy
in Washington DC. Throughout 35 states he testified
of the NIF’s brutal religious persecution of
Christians in Southern Sudan. Bishop Bullen’s
cathedral in Lui is still in ruins from a bombing
campaign by the Sudan Air Force. It seemed particularly
incredible that the Bishop could be accused of collaborating
with the Islamic regime as his only brother was killed
by them.
Dr. Peter Hammond’s writing and work on behalf
of the suffering Christians in Sudan is well known
internationally, particularly his Faith Under Fire
in Sudan book and Sudan the Hidden Holocaust video.
The Government of Sudan has even published articles
on their official website which states that “Peter
Hammond should expect to be bombed when he comes to
Sudan…Hammond should expect to be shot on sight…because
his writings make him an enemy of the State.”
|
After
thorough investigations, the security services of the SPLA
concluded that the Bishop and missionary were innocent of
the charges and concluded that they were victims of an elaborate
disinformation campaign, which included some foreigners
in New Sudan. The leadership of the SPLA issued orders that
Bishop Bullen Dolli and Dr. Peter Hammond were cleared of
all
charges and were free to travel anywhere in the New Sudan.
SPLA commanders were also instructed to provide them with
every protection.
On
Thursday 11th of April, they were released and Bishop Bullen
Dolli immediately began a synod for the Diocese of Lui.
Peter Hammond returned to Cape Town in time for the 20th
Anniversary celebrations of Frontline Fellowship and to
launch a new film on Sudan – “Terrorism and Persecution.”
For
interview arrangements contact Charmaine Baker: Telephone
+ 27-21-689-4480
|
