PAPAL VISIT SOUTH SUDAN: The Hope for Peace in the Lives of Refugees
Section of IDPs during the meeting with Pope Francis in the Freedom Hall
Fr. Isaac Ojok
The South Sudanese Refugees living in the various refugee settlements in Uganda are closely following and monitoring the Ecumenical pilgrimage of Pope Francis in their country and the key messages of peace being delivered to the Authorities.
Since the arrival of the Pope in South Sudan on 3rd February 2023, the refugees are keenly following the Pope’s messages with excitement and joy and hope that the visit to the country is going to facilitate reconciliation, unity and forgiveness amongst those in the country’s top leadership, the diverse ethnic groupings.
Mr. Peter Gift a 34 year old representative of the refugees to the Comprehensive Refugee Response Frame work disclosed that the South Sudanese refugees in Uganda are following the key peace messages of the Holy Father to the country using the various social media platforms.
Leaving alone those staying in the camps, the representative of the refugees further revealed that even those in various institutions of learning in Uganda are fully in touch with people back at home in South Sudan following the events that are unfolding at the visit of the Pope.
He further informed AMECEA online correspondent, all they need at the moment is that the Holy Father Pope Francis should talk to their leaders in South Sudan to denounce war so that peace can return to their mother land, they still yearn to return one time.
“As vulnerable refugees living outside our home country, we really need the Pope to talk to our leaders to consider the road to peace so that we can return back home”, he said.
Although being hospitably accommodated in Uganda, he further went on noting that as soon as the country stabilizes, they really wish to return to their home because they now feel the pain of missing, staying away from their mother land that has been devastated by the endless war.
He added, “We miss home so much but we have no other choice apart from adopting to the new home here in Uganda, and we really appreciate the government of Uganda and the people for what they have done to us the refugees, and we will remain grateful for that”.
In the line of faith as they wait for the peace processes to take shape, the refugees are as well grateful to the church in particular Arua diocese and Gulu Arch diocese for their efforts in facilitating and enriching their well fare spiritually.
With the closeness of the church to the refugees, the refugee representative noted that it has kept them in close union with God, through prayers for peace return in their country.
Apart from facilitating the spiritual well fare of the refugees, the church especially Arua diocese and Gulu Arch diocese through the development arm have remained in solidarity with refugees through livelihoods support, education, health and other psycho-social support services being rendered.
According to Peter Gift, at the moment as refugees, they need more closeness of the church to strengthen the faith among them in a move to restore hope and remain resilient in the face of desperation and challenges caused by the endless conflict.
As refugees, he said what they need mostly is to prioritize strengthening their livelihoods, education and health services among other needs since they are being threatened by what they see as the fatigue on donor support to their wellbeing in terms of food relief and other basic needs.
The Holy Father Pope Francis is in South Sudan in an Ecumenical pilgrimage that started on 3rd February and it will be concluded on 5th February 2023, the visit that the host communities to refugees, and other stake holders in Uganda are attentively following with the high hope that the visit will be the avenue to the end of the war and peace will materialize in the youngest country in the globe.
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