Catholic Archbishop Urges Youth to Promote “peace, togetherness” in South Sudanese State

On March 21, local authorities in Eastern Equatoria State confirmed that seven people had been killed and hundreds of villagers displaced when rustlers clashed with cattle herders in the Owinykibul area of Magwi County.

Speaking at the fundraising program for the renovation of All Saints Parish Church of Juba Archdiocese, Archbishop Ameyu said the reported deadly conflict is the “work of the devil” who wants to divide the people of South Sudan along ethnic and regional lines.

In his April 25 address to young people at St. Theresa of the child Jesus Isohe Parish, the Catholic Archbishop urged the youth to promote peace by “refraining from criminal activities.”  

He added, “God will hold every human being accountable for the sin he or she committed.”

“I tell you my people in Lobira, Haforiere, Hiyala, Lofi, Olianga, Oguruny, and Ilieu that …don’t test God several times because he will also take and put you on fire because you killed someone,” the 58-year-old Catholic Church leader added. 

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He encouraged the population to make use of the resources in the State rather than causing conflicts that tarnish the image of their State. 

“We in Eastern Equatoria here, we don’t want to spoil our State,” Archbishop Ameyu said, adding that South Sudanese had already “shed enough blood” in previous conflicts, including during “Anyanya one war”.

He went on to pose, “Resources like gold at our mountains, who do we want to benefit from?”

“We should not kill each other, we went for peace dialogue at Lopit, Iboni, Ibahure, even up to camp 15, because we want you to stay in peace,” the South Sudanese Archbishop said April 25.

Patrick Juma Wani is a South Sudanese journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. Patrick holds a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication from Makerere Institute for Social Development (MISD) in Uganda. He has over 7 years of extensive experience in leading the development and implementation of media, advocacy, communication and multimedia strategy and operations, with an excellent track record of editorial leadership, budget management, and stakeholder outreach. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.