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| Fr Ferdinand Lugonzo |
The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa is appealing to the AMECEA conferences, the Regional and International Communities for urgent humanitarian support to assist the citizens of South Sudan who are internal displaced because of violence in their country.
The call comes a few days after AMECEA delegation came back from the solidarity visit to Juba, South Sudan that took place on 23 -25 January 2014. The delegation consisted of Most Rev John Baptist Odama, Archbishop of Gulu Archdiocese (Uganda); Most Rev Berhaneyesus Souraphiel, Archbishop of Addis Ababa Archdiocese (Ethiopia), Rt Rev Phillip Anyolo, Bishop of Homa Bay Diocese (Kenya) and Very Rev Fr Ferdinand Lugonzo, AMECEA Secretary General. During the visit, they delivered the message to the Bishops, and to the government of South sudan in which they appealed for a cessation of hostilities.
According to Fr. Ferdinand Lugonzo, the Secretary General of AMECEA, the experience in one of the camps they visited in Juba was very disheartening. He said that the internally displaced people (IDP), majority of them being women and children, are living under very desperate condition in the camps and without access to basic social services.
Fr. Lugonzo said that many of these people are sleeping outside because tents are not sufficient; Worse still, there is meager supply of water and medical services. “In this situation it is the women and children who suffer most. We need a collective response by all partners to assist them and the entire community of South Sudan,” he said.
During the visit, the delegation had a chance to meet the Minister of Cabinet affairs of the Republic of South Sudan, Hon Dr Martin Elia Lomuro, who received them on behalf of the President, His Excellence Salva Kiir. They appealed to the government of South Sudan to offer protection of all people, engage in cessation of hostilities and provide security to some Church premises that is housing large numbers of internally displaced people.
According to Fr. Lugonzo, some of the Church premises have been attacked and priests have been forced run away. He made specific reference to the Diocese of Malakal, (Upper Nile in the capital of South Sudan), which is situated in an area that has been affected by the crisis. In this area, the Apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Malakal, Msgr. RokoTaban Musa, was forced out of his residence and the Church premises was was subsequently looted. Fr. Lugonzo said, that from what they got there, the attacks were not related with religious fundamentalism, but rather tribal, while some of the perpetrators took advantage of the chaos to loot even Church property.
The Secretary General said that this situation in South Sudan affects the entire AMECEA family and it is high time that the Church in AMECEA region think of practical ways of expressing solidarity with these people who are suffering. First, an appeal for humanitarian aid must be extended to all AMECEA countries and to all humanitarian organisations. He, therefore, made an appeal to the Episcopal Conferences in the AMECEA region to take the issue of South Sudan seriously in order to help alleviate the situation.
Second, as AMECEA, there is need to urgently strengthen the apostolate to the nomadic communities in South Sudan. “A large population of the people in this great country are nomadic” he said adding that “AMECEA should now strategize to find out how this apostolate to the nomads can be enhanced.”
Third, is to strengthen the office of Justice and Peace in South Sudan to locally be in the forefront in promoting dialogue, peaceful co-existence and reconciliation among the rival groups.
On the issue of people from South Sudan who have taken refuge in neighboring countries, Fr Lugonzo said that the Bishops of South Sudan and Sudan made an appeal, through the AMECEA Secretariat, that the dioceses in which these refugees are should make some plans so that they may continue receiving pastoral care and services.
Speaking to the AMECEA delegates, the Bishops of South Sudan said the crisis has become a wakeup call for the Church in South Sudan to play a prophetic role in its mission while asking the people to participate in the National building activities. In addition, the bishops reiterated their call for unconditional cease fire, humanitarian aid and pastoral support in order to restore peace in South Sudan.
Meanwhile, the government of South Sudan released 7 of the 11 detainees that were taken into custody following the outbreak of clashes on December 15. The four remained were still in custody in South Sudan, facing trial for attempting to topple President Salva Kiir.
The seven who were released on Wednesday arrived in Kenya under the custody of President of Kenya His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta. The seven men appeared in apparent good health during a press conference at State House, Nairobi on Wednesday this week.
While receiving them, President Kenyatta called on the parties to respect the signed ceasefire. "Let all sides in the conflict silence their guns let those in the camps return home", he said.
The release of all the prisoners has been a key demand of the rebels.
SOURCE: AMECEA Social Communications