Physical Assault of Catholic Bishop in Sudan “not healthy”, South Sudanese Bishop Urges Respect for Faith Leaders

“I just arrived in El Obeid together with Deacon Joseph. This time, I was badly treated,” Bishop Tombe Trille wrote to Bishop Hiiboro in a message the latter shared with ACI Africa.

In the message, Bishop Tombe Trille narrated how SAF members confiscated “some little cash in USD” under the “pretext” that it was forbidden for him to be “carrying hard currency”.

“On the side of Rapid Forces, I was given countless heavy blows on the neck, forehead, on my face and two sides of my head,” the Local Ordinary of El-Obeid told Bishop Hiiboro, adding, “I can't bite food.”

He recalled the harrowing experience in the hands of the RSF, saying, “Worse of together with deacon, we missed narrowly martyrdom when one leader said that is enough.”

In the December 5 interview with ACI Africa, Bishop Hiiboro challenged the RSF and SAF to have respect for “the liberty and the dignity of human beings and their religious freedom.”

The Local Ordinary of CDTY since his Episcopal Consecration in June 2008 urged the armed forces in the Sudan war that broke out in April 2023 to “pay attention also to individuals who are not part of their conflict, but who, like the Bishop (Tombe Trille), are religious figures, are not controversial and are for the good of the nation.”

Bishop Hiiboro also appealed for prayers for Bishop Tombe Trille’s full recovery and safety, and for the entire Sudanese people who continue to suffer amid the ongoing civil war. 

“I'm asking the entire Diocese of Tombura-Yambio and the people of South Sudan, the Catholic community, and the Christian community, to pray for peace in Sudan, to pray for the safety of religious people, and to pray for the health of Bishop Tombe Trille, and also the other Bishops, the Archbishop of Khartoum, Michael Didi Adgum Mangoria, and Bishop Daniel Marco Kur Adwok,” he said.

On 15 April 2023, fighting erupted between the RSF, the paramilitary force under General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and army units of the SAF that are loyal to the head of Sudan's transitional governing Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The conflict, which started in Sudan’s capital city, Khartoum, and became a full-fledged civil war in the entire Northeastern African nation has reportedly led to 61,202 deaths according to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s Sudan Research Group, which also reports that 26,024 of those killed died from direct injuries inflicted owing to the conflict.

For Reuters, the deaths are “much higher than recorded”. The number of people displaced by conflict since the war broke out inside and outside of Sudan has reached 14 million – about 30 percent of Sudan's 48 million population.

On 20 April 2023, just five days after fighting between SAF and RSF had erupted, Bishop Tombe Trille and some Clergy narrowly escaped death when rockets hit the premises of his Cathedral, destroying the main gate of Mary Queen of Africa Cathedral and the Priests’ residence.

The incident is said to have occurred when the Bishop of El-Obeid and the Priests were praying. Thankfully this time, no one was injured.

The Sudanese Catholic Bishop, who will turn 61 on January 1 has been vocal about the war in the Northeastern African nation, questioning the willingness of the warrying parties to lay down their weapons.

In an interview with ACI Africa in May, Bishop Tombe Trille lamented that dialogue between the two opposing forces had been given a wide berth.

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“So far there is not even a clue to the light of peace dialogue that can bring hope for the Sudanese,” he told ACI Africa on May 28, and lamented, “I believe that our leaders are not ready for peace. Fighting and conflict have the upper hand as we hear them say ‘unless we defeat the other group we won’t put down weapons.’”

The immediate former President of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC) cautioned that “the more the fighting, the more people get scattered” and “the more hatred grows among various Sudanese ethnic groups.”

In the May 28 interview, Bishop Tombe Trille appealed for prayers, noting that the humanitarian situation in the country was dire.

He further appealed to the people of neighboring South Sudan to share the little that they have with the Sudanese who were fleeing the violent conflict, and to make the refugees feel at home.