Respond to Rev. Otwali Athar allegation against Presbyterian Church of the Sudan/ Dolieb Hill Presbytery

"Forgive them Father! They don't know what they are doing" (Luke 23: 34).

Rev Tijwok Athar Agwet is from Lelo village which is on western side of Malakal Town, with the White Nile as the bounder between the village and the Town. However, there were people who knew Rev Tijwok Athar Agwet from childhood to manhood. His real name is Otwali Athar Agwet. He was one of the two-man delegations which came from Juba to Malakal to see the fighting which happened between the forces of Olony and SPLA/M.

The fighting took place at the village of Dur area, but spread to other villages in the vicinity. The same forces of Olony attacked Malakal Town at about 4:15 on March 12, 2011.

According to Rev Otwali the delegates visited Collo villages where the fighting took place. While driving through the villages, the delegation did not find many people in those villages. However, it also visited the King of the Collo, Kwongo Dak Padiet in his residence at Alaki, Palo.

When the delegation came back to Malakal Town, they requested a meeting with all Collo people in Malakal Town. The meeting took place on Friday March 19, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. in the River Transport Hall .Many people turned up, especially youth, women and men, including Chiefs and Religious leaders. The estimated number was about 1-2 thousand people. The meeting was opened with word of prayer from Christians and Muslims. The members of the African Traditional religions were not invited to pray.

General Oyay Deng Ajak opened the meeting with long speech and then it was followed by Rev Otwali Agwet. During his speech to the audience of about 1-2 thousand people, he declared that Presbyterian Church of the Sudan/ Dolieb Hill Presbytery is the mouthpiece of Sudan People's Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC). Many members of PCOS/DHP were shocked by the accusation of Rev Otwali Agwet. He went on to say that he took out his clerical collar in order to go to the front line of war to fight the Presbyterians who are supporting Sudan People's Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC). He demonstrated his antagonism allegation by putting his right hand on his front naked neck and pulled it out again exhibiting how he pulled out his clerical collar from his neck. According to him, he had already pulled it, and he is now in the front line leading the war against Presbyterian Church of the Sudan/ Dolieb Hill Presbytery (PCOS/DHP). Indeed, his illustration of removal of clerical collar in front of the audience declared his personal intention to terrorize the PCOS/ DHP. In this juncture   Rev Otwali is no longer a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but a temporal warrior of this world.

Concerning the warriors of this temporal world, Jesus Christ has a strong word for all his followers including Rev Otwali. When Jesus was arrested one of the followers pulled a sword and strokes the servant of the High Priest and cut off his ear. But Jesus told him "put your sword away. Anyone who lives by fighting will die by fighting" (Mtt. 26:52-53 CEV).

We, the PCOS/DHP, think that this problem is going to be critical and challenging for the President of GOSS, Salva Kir Mayardit. We do not know whether the President Kir is going to retain an Advisor on Religious Affairs or not who is out for confrontation with some churches which speak with courage against evil things in the South such as corruption, torture of innocent people and children. From our rudimentary erudition of Government system, we assume that Presidential Advisor cannot make public statement on important issue like Religion without sharing the information with the President. If this is true, only if, then the President of South Sudan knew about the war his Advisor on Religious Affairs, Rev Otwali Athar Agwet  declared on Presbyterian Church of the Sudan/ Dolieb Hill Presbytery (PCOS/DHP). It is our hope that the President of GOSS will have open ears to hear from the members of PCOS/DHP the other side of the story.

Of course, the intimidation of Presidential Advisor, Mr. Otwali Athar Agwet, may not be limited to PCOS/DHP which has a stand against corruption, injustice, torture, abuse of human rights and greed for money. Other churches which may take such stance may be on the list for intimidation by Presidential Advisor for Religious Affairs, Mr. Otwali Athar Agwet. All the churches at the level of Sudan Council of Churches should pick up the issue of freedom of Speech and Press with the President of GOSS. The Council could also take up the question of the appointment of Presidential Advisor on Religious Affairs.

In any case Presbyterian Church of the Sudan/ Dolieb Hill presbytery has no case with Rev Otwali Agwet. He is forgiven. The real problem, however, will be between the President of South Sudan who appointed Rev Otwali as Presidential Advisor for Religious Affairs in South Sudan. How can the Presidential Advisor on Religious Affairs be against some churches? What advice can he give to the President less than declaring war against some churches for their stand against violation of human rights?

For sure no matter what happens, the PCOS/DHP will continue to be the voice of the voiceless. Any violation of human rights will be condemned. PCOS/DHP will continue to stand with Jesus shoulder to shoulder, step by step to the Cross on the question of violation of God's rights given to human beings. We shall be on the same platform with Prophet Amos who said "let justice and fairness flow like river that never dry"( Amos 5: 24 CEV). If "Justice and fairness" are not flowing in the South Sudan, we shall declare that let them flow even at the risk of death. We are ready to accompany Jesus to the Cross if the values for which he stands are not carried out, such as human rights.

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And the responsibility of the church is to proclaim it. The heat of the Gospel, however, is forgiveness. PCOS/DHP had already forgiven Mr. Otwali Agwet for the public statement he made that Presbyterian Church of the Sudan/ Dolieb Hill Presbytery is the supporter of SPLM/DC. We are not supporters of any political party, but supporters of social justice and human rights.

Resolutions:

In addition of aforementioned points in the introductory remarks, the PCOS/DHP congregations in Malakal and the vicinity passed the following Resolutions:

1-   The church is not a mouthpiece of SPLM/DC, and this Statement is baseless and untrue because PCOS/DHP is not a political institution, but the church which is open to all people in the society. Anybody who is a believer in Jesus Christ can become a member according to his/her faith and not according to his/her political party. Even when the President of South Sudan (GOSS) addresses the congregation, he does so as a member of his church, but not as a political leader.

2-   The church as the institution based on the teaching of Jesus Christ declares that it has forgiven H.E. Rev Tijwok Athar Agwet for his Statement against the church.

Jesus said "Father forgives them, for they do not know what they are doing'' (Luke 23:34)

Rev. Ezekiel Kutjok Akulieth, Moderator of DHP, Malakal