Sudanese government fears Muslims will be led to Jesus, says pastor

A Christian pastor has claimed that the Sudanese government has been demolishing churches and imprisoning its pastors because of its concern that Muslims will turn to Jesus Christ.

In an interview with International Christian Concern's East Africa team, two South Sudanese pastors who were recently imprisoned in Sudan spoke about the separation of the two countries in 2011.

Pastor Michael Yat said that after South Sudan gained independence in 2011, he moved with his family to Juba in 2012. In 2014, he traveled to Khartoum on assignment with the South Sudan Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

"Little did I know that Sudan had declared war against Christians. So, I was arrested the second day after preaching in a certain church in Khartoum. That is when I was put in jail that lasted me nine months," said Yat, as reported by The Christian Post.

Yat said that the government does not want Christians in the country, especially those who can speak Arabic fluently, "because they fear that they can easily reach out to the Muslims and win them to Christ."

"They do not allow pastors to reach out to Muslims in Khartoum, Darfur and the Nuba mountains. These are strictly Muslim dominated areas," he went on to say.

Pastor Peter Yein Reith, who was imprisoned alongside Yat in 2015, said that Sudan has operated as an Islamic State since the secession of South Sudan in 2011. He suggested that persecution will continue in the country because the efforts of Christians are bearing fruit.

Several pastors have been arrested by the Sudanese government in recent months, prompting groups such as the American Center for Law and Justice to launch a petition for the pastors' freedom.

The group is calling for the release of Rev. Hassan Abduraheem and Rev. Kuwa Shamal, who were imprisoned based on trumped-up national security charges. Petr Jasek, a Czech aid worker who was imprisoned in connection with the pastors' case, was recently released after the Czech Foreign Minister visited Sudan.

Jasek revealed that he endured physical beatings and psychological torture from other prisoners who were reportedly members of the Islamic State.

Last week, four other Christians were arrested and charged with destroying a sign that indicated Muslim ownership of a school called Evangelical School of Sudan. Although they were released on bail, they are still experiencing difficulties in reclaiming the school.

Sudan has been listed as the fifth most difficult country to live as a Christian in the Open Doors 2017 World Watch List. Open Doors noted that the country has almost always been ranked in the top 20 since 1993.