VATICAN: Pope Appeals for Peace in South Sudan and Sudan, Calls for Protection of Civilians
Pope-Francis- file photo
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
With deep concern over the escalating tensions in South Sudan following the arrest of political leaders in the country last week, Pope Francis has issued a renewed call for peace, urging the nation’s leaders to set aside their differences and engage in meaningful dialogue.
“I am following the situation in South Sudan with concern. I renew my heartfelt appeal to all leaders to do their utmost to lower the tension in the country,” Pope Francis said in his Sunday Angelus message published Sunday, March 30.
On Wednesday, March 26, South Sudanese security forces arrested the First Vice President and opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar and placed him under house arrest in the country’s capital Juba, raising fears of a return to civil war.
The Pope’s message comes at a critical time when political and ethnic divisions continue to fuel unrest in the world’s youngest nation. The Holy Father encouraged dialogue among the leaders saying, “We must put aside our differences and, with courage and responsibility, sit around a table and engage in constructive dialogue. Only in this way will it be possible to alleviate the suffering of the beloved South Sudanese people and to build a future of peace and stability.”
On the same breath, as the ongoing war in Sudan continues to take a devastating toll on innocent civilians, deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis, Pope Francis has urged the parties involved in the conflict to prioritize the protection of civilian lives and commit to peace efforts that can end the suffering.
“And in Sudan, the war continues to claim innocent victims,” the Pontiff said and narrated,
“I urge the parties concerned in the conflict to put the safeguarding of the lives of their civilian brothers and sisters first.”
He expressed hope for a swift resumption of negotiations and called on the international community to intensify its efforts in addressing the worsening humanitarian catastrophe, as thousands remain displaced and in desperate need of aid.
“I hope that new negotiations will begin as soon as possible, capable of securing a lasting solution to the crisis. May the international community increase its efforts to address the appalling humanitarian catastrophe,” he appealed.
Pope Francis shared his message on the the Fourth Sunday of Lent which the Church refers to us Laetare Sunday where he called on the faithful to embrace it as a time of healing, especially in light of the Jubilee year.
In a deeply personal reflection, the Hioly Father shared that he, too, is living this Lenten period as a journey of renewal both in soul and body.
He expressed heartfelt gratitude to those who serve as instruments of healing through their words, knowledge, kindness, and prayer, mirroring the compassion of Christ, and further acknowledged the universal reality of frailty and illness.
He reminded the faithful that these shared struggles unite humanity, but even more profoundly, they are bound together in the salvation offered by Christ.
