SOUTH SUDAN: “My Priests, the Religious are not Necessarily Violent” says Bishop of Tombura-Yambio

Ginaba Lino

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio Rt. Rev. Edwardo Hiiboro Kusala regretted the continuing conflict in Tombura County saying, priests and Religious are not necessarily violent, adding that priests, Religious, catechists, seminarians, staff, church personal and more are drawn from within those ethnic communities who now inhabit the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio.

In the orientation message received by AMECEA correspondent in Juba on Thursday, Bishop Hiiboro stated that due to the current culture of violence which has emerged within the Diocese, it has taken a direction of negative ethnicity.

“I write this note in a very personal and passionate attitude to you, due to the current culture of violence which has emerged within our diocese, the ugliest and shameful part of it is that it is taking or it has taken the direction of negative ethnicity, counting almost to 15% of our local population”.

Bishop Hiiboro reveals that the fact of the matter is that the believed Diocese is in violence as killings, hatred, mistrust, huge displacement and delusions have progressively increased the level of poverty to 97% or 100%.

Hiiboro described the 2012 centenary celebration has a Christian faith among the people of greater Western Equatoria, but now the same people have turned to each other.

“In 2012 we celebrated 100 years of the advent of Christian faith among us: what a joy it was, but now honestly what were we celebrating? How are my priests, Religious and Church personal going to behave or relate to these ambiguities”?

He said he have already heard voices, or seen some names of priests and Religious showing up in social media and some are already labelled along their ethnic lines.

“I have already heard voices, seen names of some of my priests and Religious showing up in social media, some of them already labelled along our ethnic lines. How can you preach Christ to somebody who only sees in front of him or her that ethnic group which he or she dislikes? Is this not possibly a worst scenario, if it may exist?”

He advices the priests, Religious and all Church personal in the Diocese to be true believers in God the creator.

“We need God in our lives and for sure there must be his believers and preachers in our society, which is the sole reason why the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio or (CDTY) exists. Truth is bigger than us all. We must hold unto Him as true believers. Love of God has no boundary, all are created in the beautiful image of God the creator, so please cross over to the otherness with no hesitation at all,” says Rt. Rev. Hiiboro”

He urges the priests and the Religious not engage in the social media forums which are discussing tribalism.

“Try not to be in all tribal forums and if you are there in any of them, do intervene when the atmosphere is fragile or poissonus in such a given social media forum”.

He further appeals to communities to protect and respect the priests and Religious from all dangers.

“Protect, respect, and help your priests and Religious from all dangers and so that they can help you. Do not ask the impossible from them; remember they are also human and fragile so do not become occasions”.

The bishop encourages all priests to avoid occasions that can raise eyebrow.

He raised the concern to government of South Sudan saying they have never had a situation where there they have decide what kind of South Sudan society want.

“What we want now as South Sudanese is to seize the vision of one nation. I may not wish to be the prophet of the doom here, but if things continue to stand as they are, such may give way to that same old ideology.”

On July 19, 2021, the Interfaith Council for Peace Initiative issued a joined statement urging the government to act speedily to restore peace and order in Tombura.

On June 24, 2021, the Council also called on the conflicts sides to stop the ongoing senseless violence in Tombura County, but the two sides of the community causing the violence have not given room for dialogue in order to resolve their grievances.

A report released by United Nations (UN) Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on September 23, 2021 says, “The conflict in Tambura, between the Azande and Balanda communities, is said to have been fueled by armed forces belonging to the South Sudan Peoples Defence Forces (SSPDF), and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA/IO) both of whom are supplying arms and ammunition to the Azande and Balanda tribes, respectively.

The conflict started in June 2, 2021 in the area which is about 24 miles west of Tombura County; over 300 people have lost their lives, and thousands have been displace across the neighbouring state to save their lives.