Nairobi

The Episcopal and Roman Catholic churches of Sudan have called for the government and rebel groups to develop a negotiated approach rather than a military solution to achieve a just and lasting peace.

Bishops of both churches jointly appeal to the warring parties to examine the original causes of the conflict.

They issued three proposals on Sudanese civil rights: affirmation of diversity in the national identity; power sharing through a participatory system of government; and wealth-sharing through a redistribution of national resources.

The bishops said that a lasting peace could not be achieved under the Shar'ia (Islamic) law because of religious and cultural diversity in Sudan. They called for the separation of religion and state, and equal protection for all religious groups.

They committed themselves to make human rights and the dignity of all people a pastoral priority in their churches. The joint statement followed a meeting of Roman Catholic and Episcopal bishops of Sudan, in the Kenyan capital.