SOUTH SUDAN: Bishop Emeritus of Sudan Condemns Violence in Abyei Region, Calls for Dialogue

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

Following the Intercommunal clashes in the Northeastern Africa country, Bishop Emeritus of Sudan’s El Obeid Catholic Diocese Rt. Rev. Macram Max Gassis has called on parties involved on the clashes to seek for dialogue and cease hostilities.

There has been an ongoing fight along the border region of the Abyei Special Administrative Area and Twic County which reports say has led to destruction of properties and displacement of people.

In a statement dated Monday, March 14, Bishop Gassis a member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) asked the Dinka people of Twic County and Abyei together with their political leaders “to set an example to the nation and the world by breaking the cycle of violence and agreeing to resolve their differences through nonviolent means and to live together peacefully as sisters and brothers.”

“While there are local issues at stake, this conflict is also being fueled by national dynamics,” the Prelate who is the founder and chair of Bishop Gassis Relief and Rescue Foundation said in the statement and continued: “In particular I call on politicians,, both local and national to refrain from exacerbating the situation and to work for peace and justice for all communities.”

Borrowing from Pope Francis’ 2017 message of peace he said, “Violence is not the cure for our broken world. Countering violence with violence leads at best to forced migrations and enormous suffering, because vast amounts of resources are diverted to military ends and away from the everyday needs of young people, families experiencing hardship, the elderly, the infirm and the great majority of people in our world.”

Additionally, he referenced Pope’s message on his Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti on fraternity and social friendship, “Every act of violence committed against a human being is a wound; every violent death diminishes us as people… Violence leads to more violence… We must break this cycle which seems inescapable.”

He condemned a recent attack on Church and humanitarian vehicles and personnel which occurred on March 7, narrating how the incident occurred that, “a convoy of clearly marked vehicles from a Church humanitarian organization traveling from Abyei to Turalei was stopped twice by armed men, and the occupants, including Priests, were threatened at gunpoint.”

According to Bishop Emeritus, “The Church and the humanitarian organizations are there to help the people – young people, families experiencing hardship, the elderly, the infirm and others.”

He noted that these people are “not involved in the conflict,” and urged “all parties to respect them and facilitate their work.”