US embassy cable - 03VATICAN5669

C O N F I D E N T I A L  VATICAN 005669 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT: EUR/WE LEVIN; AF/SPG: SMALL AND RAAD; DRL/IRF: HUSER; 
AF/E; AF/RSA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2013 
TAGS: KIRF, PHUM, PINR, PREL, SU, VT 
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE PUSHES FOR DIALOGUE, NEW RELIEF EFFORTS 
IN SUDAN 
 
REF: A. VAT 4461 
 
     B. 02 VAT 3638 
 
Classified By: Amb. Jim Nicholson for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) Pope John Paul II challenged Sudanese 
bishops on an officialvisit to Rome to expand 
their inter-religious dialogue efforts in the 
search for peace in Sudan.  Vatican officials 
focused their attention in particular on newly- 
created Cardinal Wako of Khartoum, pressing him 
to engage in dialogue.  The Pope also proposed 
the creation of a new inter-religious agency 
for the coordination of humanitarian aid that 
could serve to increase cooperation between 
faiths, in addition to alleviating some of 
the effects of the civil war.  Finally, the 
Holy See encouraged the bishops to "rekindle 
efforts" to establish a Catholic university in 
Sudan.  With the elevation of Wako and other 
moves, the Holy See is signaling its renewed 
emphasis on Sudan and its hope of attracting 
world attention to the plight of Sudan's 
beleaguered people.  End Summary. 
 
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Pope Challenges Sudanese Bishops 
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2.  (C) Pope John Paul II challenged Sudanese 
bishops December 15, during their quinquennial 
"ad limina" visit to Rome, to expand their 
inter-religious dialogue efforts in the search 
for peace in Sudan.  The Pope applauded the 
reactivation of Sudan's Commission 
for Inter-religious Dialogue in his official 
statement, and Vatican officials reportedly 
reinforced this message in their talks with 
the bishops.  Holy See Sudan Country Director 
Lucio Sembrano told us December 11 that newly- 
created Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako of 
Khartoum was a particular focus of Vatican 
efforts.  Sembrano said that Wako had 
traditionally shown little faith in such inter- 
religious ventures, but now had the opportunity 
to make a difference -- especially given 
his new status as the first 
Sudanese Cardinal (ref a). 
 
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But Religious Tensions Will Not Die Easily 
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3.  (C) Sembrano was unsure of the effect of 
Vatican lobbying efforts with Wako.  The 
Cardinal has been quoted in the press here as 
affirming the possibility of peace, but has 
also emphasized the way in which "religious 
differences have been used almost as a weapon of 
war" in the conflict.  Our conversations with 
Sembrano lead us to believe that, like many 
in the Sudanese Church embittered by 
dehumanizing treatment of Christians by Islamic 
fundamentalists (ref b), Wako would be carrying 
a lot of baggage into inter-religious 
dialogue.  A September interview with 
Archbishop Paulino Lukudu Loro of Juba, 
Sudan (published by Rome-based Zenit Catholic 
news service, which is well read in Vatican 
circles) offered another example of this 
mindset.  Though Lukudu emphasized the need 
to "look ahead," he made it clear that it 
 
 
was necessary to "confront the injustices" 
of the past.  He acknowledged the existence 
of some variety of views towards Christianity 
within the Sudanese Islamic world, but inveighed 
against the "fanatical Islam" that is "always 
pushing further south."  Sembrano in no way 
diminished the suffering undergone by Sudanese 
Christians, but indicated that dialogue and 
cooperation were the Holy See's preferred way 
ahead at this point.   He said at this 
juncture, more strident criticism such as 
that of Bishop Macram Max Gassi, pastor-in-exile 
of El Obeid and an outspoken critic 
of the situation in Sudan, may not 
be productive. 
 
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New Inter-Religious Aid Organization Would 
Present Opportunities 
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4.  (SBU) Another piece of the Pope's message was 
a proposal for the creation of a new inter- 
religious agency for the coordination 
of humanitarian aid.  Sembrano told us the 
Holy See felt such an organization would provide 
an opportunity for trust and collaboration with 
Muslims and with the Anglican community in Sudan. 
He said the Holy See welcomed the participation 
of organizations from all faiths, many of which 
were in a good position to help, especially in 
Southern Sudan.  Sembrano did not diminish the 
work of existing aid organizations, but suggested 
that those who knew the territory would be better 
equipped to deal with the particular 
challenges Sudan poses to such work. 
 
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Catholic University in Khartoum? 
-------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Elsewhere in the address, the Pope also 
encouraged the bishops to "rekindle efforts" to 
establish a Catholic University in Khartoum. 
Sembrano emphasized to us the high priority the 
Holy See places on education as a vehicle for the 
promotion of mutual understanding and tolerance; 
he added that the Khartoum government had been 
supportive of the idea of opening a university. 
(Note: In the past, Vatican contacts have also 
touted education as the best defense against 
Islamic fundamentalism in Sudan and 
elsewhere (ref b).  End note.) 
 
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Financial Accountability 
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6.  (C) One challenge in the creation of both 
the university and new aid organization is that of 
financial accountability and efficiency.  Sembrano 
(protect) indicated that the Sudanese bishops 
had, at times in the past, not been good stewards 
of their financial resources.  Any funding of such 
projects would have to be monitored 
carefully.  The Pope also made this point in his 
address to the bishops, calling for "equity and 
transparency...[in] all financial matters...with 
every effort being made to see that contributions 
are truly used for the purposes intended." 
 
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Political Climate 
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7.  (SBU) Speaking more generally, Sembrano was 
critical of the Khartoum government, and outlined 
the struggles of the Catholic Church in Sudan. 
 
 
Among other offenses, he noted that the Church 
had not been granted a building permit since the 
1960s.  Moreover, he said, the government destroys 
existing churches, claiming that they lie in the 
path of necessary new roads.  Still, overall, 
Sembrano believed the Sudanese government to be 
"less hard" in its policies than it had been in 
the past.  He was optimistic that a peace agreement 
could be worked out before the end of the year. 
A key to a lasting peace, he said, would be the 
support of churches and other organizations 
representative of the Sudanese people. 
The Catholic Church, he maintained, was a 
stabilizing force in Sudan.  According to Sembrano, 
the bishops are not pushing for independence 
for the south, and would respect the choice of 
the population on Sudan's political future as 
long as there is freedom of religion for all. 
 
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Humanitarian Situation Grave 
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8.  (C) The humanitarian situation, especially 
in the South, is grave, Sembrano said.  Catholic 
aid agency Caritas is active, but is restricted 
to certain areas of the country.  According 
to Sembrano, this means that some Sudanese in 
remote areas ravaged by the civil war are 
essentially condemned to starvation.  Sembrano 
noted that these injustices are often the result of 
the actions of local officials rather than of 
Khartoum.  Indoctrinated with a hardline Islamist 
mindset, they have knee-jerk reactions to those 
whom they suspect of undermining their authority. 
Also of great concern to the Holy See are the 
droves of internally displaced persons who may 
return home in the wake of a peace agreement to 
find nothing to sustain them. 
 
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Comment: Vatican Increases Emphasis, 
Sees Challenges Ahead 
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9.  (C) Sembrano said the Holy See's creation 
of Khartoum Archbishop Wako as Cardinal was 
intended to draw attention to the human rights 
crisis in Sudan.  "The Holy Father wants 
to let the Sudanese people know that the Holy 
See has not abandoned them," he told us. 
According to Sembrano, the Pope also chose this 
fall to canonize Daniel Comboni, a former 
missionary in Sudan, in order to emphasize the 
Vatican's interest in the country. 
 
10.  (C) The next step is cooperation -- 
not just with Muslims, but within the Church. 
Sembrano (protect) confided to us that Cardinal 
Wako had not been overly cooperative 
with the Holy See, failing in the past even to 
call on the Apostolic Nuncio (the Vatican's 
Ambassador) to Sudan Dominique Mamberti. 
Mamberti himself has been preoccupied by the 
recent death of his mother, but now, 
according to Sembrano, is ready to reach out to 
Wako and cooperate to help promote the Holy See's 
agenda.  With his new status as Cardinal and 
increased support and prodding from the Vatican, 
Wako may be ready to contribute to 
inter-religious cooperation in Sudan.  Sembrano 
made a point of praising "all the U.S. is doing" 
to help bring a lasting peace to the country and 
would welcome USG efforts to further the 
initiatives outlined above. 
 
Nicholson 
 
 
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 2003VATICA05669 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL