SOUTH SUDAN: Catholic Bishop of Yei discouraged division among South Sudanese refugees living neighboring Congo
Photo of Alex Lodiong the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yei South-Sudan
Ginaba Lino
The Catholic Bishop Yei diocese on 9, August 2022, urged South Sudanese refugees living in the Democratic Republic of Congo to stop dividing themselves according their tribes and Unite as one
This statement came during the Catholic prelate pastoral visit to the south Sudanese refugees in the democratic republic
Bishop Alex appealed to refugees to desist from hatred and discrimination more especially in the church, citing that it’s hatred that brought conflict to South Sudan.
“If anyone directing you to in the right way, please listen because that is the way which will lead you for good things in life, and you should cooperate among yourselves. Hatred should not be practice in the Church because hatred was the one which destroyed our Country and it should not destroy our Church because the work church does not belong to one person, we should work together.”
He called on the refugees to have one heart because God gifted person in different ways.
“People should have one heart because God gifted each and every one in different ways, you should work hard to be like your brother who is doing well. You should not say why that person is doing well while I’m not progressing.”
The religious leader dismayed the south Sudanese from inheriting the bad practices and behavior from the host community.
“I would like to tell you this, you came from South Sudan as different tribes, but here you should be one and cooperate, here you should be united because if you handle strong I think there will be no insect to inter among you.”
You should identify those who are trying to spoil your name in this Country and report him or her to your chairperson, citing that they should practice habits that portrays good image of the country, “He added.”
“They welcomed you to this Country, you should not take things bad in this Country, learn the good things which are here and leave the bad ones here. You should remember what Jesus Christ told his disciples that, go and preach the word of Good the Country which will welcome you stay, and the Country which will not welcome you, clean your feet and go out from that Country.”
Bishop Alex paid a courtesy visit to Meri and Bele refugee camps 56,000 South Sudanese refugees since the conflict erupted in 2013.
He also visited Aba parish center where he celebrated mass with the host community before living the neighboring Country.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hosts some 56,000 South Sudanese refugees. Despite border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 620 new refugee arrivals and 35 South Sudanese refugees who had already been staying for longer periods in the DRC were registered in 2021.
