SOUTH SUDAN: Archbishop Lukudu joins President Kiir, Machar meeting in Addis Ababa

Catholic
Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Juba Most Rev. Paulino Lukudu Loro on Thursday
8th May left Juba for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to join face to face
peace talks between President Kiir and SPLM/A leader in opposition Dr Machar.
The meeting is expected to take place on Friday.

Archbishop
Paolino was chairing a week long bishops’ conference on pastoral development
and peacemaking, which was supposed to be concluded on Friday 9th when
he abruptly received call to witness the expected rare meeting of President
Salva Kiir Mayardit and opposition leader Dr Riek Machar Teny.

Speaking to AMECEA Online News over the phone, Fr.
Jacob Odwa, Secretary General to the Bishops Conference said that from long
ago, the Catholic Church has always been part of the peace talk. Being a voice
that the ordinary people listen to, the Catholic Church needs to be involved in
the talks.

Fr. Jacob
said that the Archbishop was accompanied by two lay people from the Justice and
Peace Commission.

Archbishop
Lukudu reportedly opened SPLM National Liberation Council, NLC meeting December
2013 in Juba with prayers of peace and reconciliation, only to hatch mid
December crisis ironically.

Source: CRN and AMECEA Social Communications