Sudan News Agency

 Khartoum, Oct. 28 (SUNA) - Former Congressman and Member of the Islamic Christian forum held in Khartoum Mark Siljander, on Wednesday commended the meeting that was held in Khartoum under the patronage of the Ministry of Religious Orientation and Endowment in collaboration with the Jusur Tawasul Organization and the

 council for Religious coexistence and the Council of Churches, saying that this was one of the most interesting events he has witnessed

In an exclusive interview with the Sudan News Agency, Siljander has said Sudanese should be proud with the coexistence they have in a country that suffer from many problems but still people talk and discuss religious question and separate without any enmity, hinting that this was an example to be followed of religious coexistence

H stressed that Muslims and Christians have many things in common which they have to realize through going to the text of the bible in the original Aramaic language where they would see that what they consider points of differences were actually non existent and that they were language problems

He said his meeting with Sudanese political and religious leaders were wonderful and that he has told the religious and political leaders that he met in Khartoum to look at what they have in common and that they should respect each others practices. He said no prophet would accept crusades war or terrorist attacks, stressing that politicians try to manipulate religion to serve their own vested interests

Siljanjder is the author of the " Deadly misunderstanding: a congressman's Quest to bridge the Muslim Christian Divide", a book that looks into what were the misunderstanings and how they could be explained, and what were the common things between the two religions

He thanked the organizers who provided him with the opportunity to take part in this forum

MA/MA