Shun War, “create job opportunities”: Catholic Bishop in South Sudan to Authorities

Juba, 18 September, 2023 / 11:25 AM

The Auxiliary Bishop of South Sudan’s Juba Archdiocese has called on the government to shun civil strife, and instead engage in creating opportunities for employment in the East-Central African nation.

Speaking on Tuesday, September 12 during the visit of the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington DC in the U.S. to the Catholic University of South Sudan (CUoSS), Bishop Santo Loku Pio Doggale attributed the failed peace agreements in the world’s newest country to “greed”.

“Please don’t continue wars for us,” Bishop Loku said, and added, “Create job opportunities so that when these young people get out there, they are going to work to rebuild this country.”

According to the South Sudanese Catholic Bishop, “The violence in South Sudan is always planned and triggered by the elite gentlemen in government positions.”

“Every war that takes place after the peace agreement is clearly being a sign of greed of the leaders of South Sudan,” the 53-year-old Auxiliary Bishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in February 2011 said.

South Sudanese leaders behind violent conflicts, the Catholic Bishop said, “fight among themselves and the bullets get to these young people.”

“We cannot go on war after war created by people who are not fighting themselves but giving orders for young people to kill themselves and these young people are the ones continuing to suffer,” Bishop Loku lamented.

He continued, “The elites make sure they don’t create these opportunities for these young people. Even if they graduate and they go out there, there is no work.”

The Catholic Bishop faulted those behind violence in South Sudan for lack of charity, saying, “Most of the time, I used to say some of our leaders don’t love this country; they don’t love these young people but love their positions.”

He called upon CUoSS students to “get all this knowledge that you need so that we can transform our society and our country.”

“Be men and women of faith. Believe in yourselves, believe in your ability, believe in your capability that you can bring change in your family, community, neighborhood, and in this country,” the South Sudanese Catholic Bishop told CUoSS students on September 12.

He acknowledged with appreciation the efforts CUoSS students are making to be in the institution of higher learning, and said, “Our great hope is that our young people are coming up beautifully. They like to go to school to study.”