SOUTH SUDAN: Religious Leaders Pay Solidarity Visit to Greater Tombura, Appeal for Peace Amidst Escalating Violence
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Following the escalating violence in the greater Tombura, South Sudan, within the jurisdiction of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura –Yambio, religious leaders for Inter-church and Inter-Faith Council for Peace Initiative in Western Equatoria are in an ongoing solidarity visit appealing for peace in the region that has experienced mass destruction, killings, violence, displacement among others.
In a message shared with AMECEA Online Thursday, August 5, Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura –Yambio Diocese, highlights the intent of the religious leaders visit saying, “We make this solidarity visit to Greater Tombura to express our closeness, sympathy, love and commitment to work with all religious leaders and all peace-seeking people of Western Equatoria and South Sudan and to support their tireless efforts on the ground to secure a lasting peace and stability in Greater Tombura and Western Equatoria.”
He added, “We want to express our great concern over the current escalation of tensions, violence, inhuman atrocities which have resulted in the death of people, displacement, destruction and built up of hate and mistrust among the one people of Western Equatoria.”
According to the Prelate and the President of the State Interfaith Council for Peace Initiative, the five-day visit will see “Ecumenical and Interfaith delegation pray with the people, listen to them including community leaders, priests in the area, government officials, and humanitarian organizations.”
The solidarity visit also intends to “consolidate confidence, calm, seek understanding, uphold respect for all, invoking trust building and above all seek relief for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the vulnerable.”
The religious leaders will stopover in ten sites within the targeted region including, The Holy Land Mupoi, Tombura, Rii-Yubu, Baruguna, Ezo, Baragu, Andari, Naandi, Diabio, Ringasi and Nagero where they will “Console the badly affected especially those whose beloved ones have died as a result of the violence, invite the youth to hope for better future of peace, strengthen the frightened children, and assure the senior citizens of God’s presence in all they are undergoing.”
The delegation is headed by Archbishop Samuel Peni of Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) Internal Province and the Religious representatives ask for peace prayers for the good intentions of this “solidarity peace tour to succeed in its end results.”
