Catholic Bishops of South Sudan Urge the Transitional Government of National Unity to Speed up the Constitutional-Making Process
Catholic Bishops of South Sudan Urge the Transitional Government of National Unity to Speed up the Constitutional-Making Process
By Sr. Henriette Anne (FSSA)
Catholic Bishops have in a collective statement urged the Transitional Government of National Unity to speed up the Constitutional making process.
In their June 30th statement shared with Rurugene Online Newsletter, they expressed, “We appeal to the Transitional Government of National Unity to expedite the finalization of the Constitutional making process, the creation of one and unified National Armed Forces and their deployment, to conduct Census and finding a quick durable solution to the return of IDPs to their places and returnees from the neighboring countries, and finally ensure fair, transparent, and credible elections are conducted on time.
Echoic the words of Pope Francis on his Ecumenical visit to South Sudan, the prelates said, “It is time to move from words to deeds, it is time to return a new page, it is time for commitment to an argent and much-needed transformation”.
They added, that the current power-sharing government needs to demonstrate political will in bringing about a just and peaceful dispensation in the country since the country is not fully at peace.
The Church leaders have condemned the R-ARCSS for creating a flawed process of creating peace, “The R-ARCSS has not resolved the root cause of the conflicts in South Sudan but has merely created a mechanism where the elite can find a way of existing in an uneasy partnership at the expense of the ordinary people. It is a flawed process, and there will never be peace in South Sudan as long as the international community insists on this type of model”.
They also appealed to the parties to implement fully the agreement they signed since the President vowed not to return the country to war but there is violence in many areas of the country which cannot simply be dismissed.
Reflecting once again on the words of Holy Father Pope Francis, that the “leaders to serve rather than rule, and to work for the good of all rather than for their own narrow interests”, the Catholic Church Leaders have urged the government to consider the issue of peace seriously so that South Sudan can be self-dependent economically.
They expressed their fear that the conflict in neighboring countries such as Sudan, D.R. Congo, and the Central African Republic may spill across the borders and have a negative impact on South Sudan’s internal conflict if the root cause of the problems is not addressed.
In conclusion, they underscored that “the year 2024 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Catholic Church in Sudan ceasing to be a “Missionary Territory” and becoming a local in its own right. As we prepare to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of our Church’s growth and the fortieth anniversary of the National Eucharistic Congress, we thank God for all those who have contributed to these great events of our faith”.
