PAPAL VISIT SOUTH SUDAN: The Future of People Cannot Lie in Refugee Camps, Pope Francis to the South Sudan
Pope Francis Addressing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Juba South Sudan
Andrew Kaufa smm
In his address to over two thousand Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Pope Francis has made known his joy to be able to meet them at the Freedom Hall in Juba where, together with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the General Moderator of the Church of Scotland who are doing the ecumenical pilgrimage of peace.
Pope Francis says this was “to express his closeness and affection with the internally displaced persons “because he suffers with them and he is always with them,” adding, “That is why I want to renew my forceful and heartfelt appeal to end all conflict and to resume the peace process in a serious way, so that violence can end and people can return to living in dignity” for “the future cannot lie in refugee camps,” continued Pope Francis adding,
Pope Francis’s speech came in response to the question raised by Joseph as to why a child should suffer in a camp for the displaced persons. Concurring with him, Pope Francis used the opportunity to once again send a strong message against war mongers and perpetrators of violence arguing that that children ought to grow and go to school in an open society, not in IDP or refugee camps.
“There is no room for further delay: great numbers of children born in recent years have known only the reality of camps for displaced persons. They have no memory of what it means to have a home; they are losing their connection with their native land, their roots and traditions,” he said.
The Holy Father further lamented the inhuman conditions of the IDP as he noted that South Sudan is perhaps the country with the greatest enduring refugee crisis on the African content.
“At least four million children of this country are displaced; food insecurity and malnutrition affect two-thirds of the population, and the forecast predict a human tragedy that could be worse in the course of this year,” he said.
Pope Francis has further appealed in defense of the rights of women who he says “are the key to transforming the country.”
“I ask all the people of these lands to ensure that women are protected, respected, valued and honoured. Pease protect, respect, appreciate and honour every woman, every girl, young woman mother and grandmother. Otherwise, there will be no future,” he said as he appealed to all citizens in the country regardless of their ethnic differences to hold hands in planting a seed for a new South Sudan.
He then thanked all ecclesial communities and humanitarian organizations including the United Nations for their sacrificing to work in hardship conditions in order to serve their brothers and sisters
