SOUTH SUDAN: Bishop of Tombura-Yambo Calls for Compassionate Communication on International Day of Non-violence
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
On International Day of Non-violence observed October 2, a South Sudanese prelate has urged citizens to be mindful of their language when interacting with others and “choose the non-violent” way of communication.
“For all the Republic of South Sudan, let us choose today nonviolent communication,” the Local Ordinary of Tombura-Yambio diocese, Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussalla said in an audio clip sent to AMECEA online adding that “We have to choose the right vocabularies” in order to communicate non-violently.
According to the Bishop, there is so much violence “within ourselves which we communicate by hitting at somebody, by airing out insults, by using words which are inappropriate, words that do not unite and words that do not build people together.”
“We see how this violence caused by individuals has affected the community. Violence, has affected the members of the family, the couples, husband and wife. Violence has affected the children when there’s divorce and when their parents are killed. Violence affects unborn children through abortion, violence affects children when they’re abused, violence affects our family members when we don’t behave well, when we don’t act well, so we bring shame and suffering upon our own families. Violence affect our neighbours when we are violent in our houses and in our community,” the Bishop laments in the audio clip shared Tuesday, October 2.
He decries further the effects of violence in society saying, “Violence affects our communities when we go out to raid other people, to fight other communities and take their properties and ambush them on the road. When we go on fighting, blocking roads, killing people and bring war upon the nation. These acts affect the society and the peace of the nation.”
To counteract violence Bishop Hiiboro said, “Speak well of individuals even in their absence. Let us use words that are actually good to enhance coexistence.”
He adds, “Let us pray today in everything we do to stop anything that can sponsor, that can support, that can enhance the existence of violence within our community, within our country, the Republic of South Sudan and within ourselves.”
The Church leader observes that the Republic of South Sudan has unstable and incomplete government “because of violence,” which has made the nation receive inadequate basic services required.
“For years since our country was born, we have not been able to realize the beauty of our country through the most important and basic services such as roads, water, food, hospitals, health services, proper education, security, rule of law. We are lacking all the things in development and prosperity in our country because of violence,” he disclosed.
Bishop encourages those in the media to choose appropriate words when communicating; and to those who compose music, to also use words that build the people of South Sudan together.
International day of non-violence was established by the United Nations to be observed by all its members as a day to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness,” so as “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”.
The day is observed on October 2 every year, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.
