Winds of peace in South Sudan, the jubilee for the hundred years of evangelization in Juba

Winds of peace in South Sudan, the jubilee for the hundred years of evangelization in Juba

South Sudan is living days of great hope and expectation. The peace agreement, signed in Addis Ababa on 12 September last, continues to stand almost throughout the entire country. The return home of the former vice-president and head of the main armed opposition group, Riek Machar, after two years of exile under house arrest in South Africa, has brought the factions, in conflict since 2013, to more conciliatory positions. If all goes as planned, Machar could return to play the role of deputy of Salva Kiir, president of South Sudan and his bitter former - hopefully - enemy.  

To escort him on his return to Juba, there was Omar al-Bashir, President of Sudan and great sponsor of the peace process (in Khartoum the peace treaty that paved the way for the agreement, was signed on 27 June last, ed). The doubts about the agreement's validity are all in the political history of the three men mentioned above who, together, add up an impressive number of convictions for serious crimes against humanity and against human rights.  

The first two, in fact, are the main protagonists of the Sudanese civil war that broke out in December 2013, when Salva Kiir accused Machar - then his deputy - of having ordered a coup. The massacres, mass rapes, the use of child soldiers, the absolute disregard of human and civil rights of the population by both factions, are the basis of one of the most serious humanitarian crises in the world that has caused about 400 thousand deaths and forced 2 million people to flee. Omar al-Bashir, for his part, has collected as many as ten war crimes charges (three for genocide) for the conflict in the Darfur region, which cost him two international arrest warrants (never executed).  

This time, however, it seems that his hopes are more founded and despite the fact that in some areas the fighting has not yet completely stopped, South-Sudan is calming down day after day. In this context of trust, a happy anniversary finds its place. In 2019, the centenary of the evangelization of the diocese of Juba will be celebrated while last November 1, the feast of All Saints, Bishop Paulino Lukudo Loro officially opened the jubilee year that he dedicated to peace.  

Vatican insider has learned from Elena Balatti, a Combonian missionary who has been active in Juba for years, about this important event for the Christians of South Sudan, about the new, confident situation and the expectations of the population.  

"It is a very special moment for this country. Here in Juba, the Combonian missionaries arrived in 1919 and we are therefore going to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the faith at the same time as the peace process that on 31 October, with the Peace Day called by the government and the return of Machar, took a step forward. Archbishop Paulino Lukudo Loro strongly wanted the feast of All Saints, the day after the day of peace, to coincide with the opening of the centenary. In his speech he asked all the faithful to dedicate the year to reinvigorating themselves in the faith and made references to the hopes of peace.  

The Catholic Church and all the other confessions that meet under the aegis of the Ecumenical Council of the Churches (7 in total), are very active in supporting the peace process and have promoted an information campaign that includes, among other things, posters, in many places of the city, to call the faithful to forgiveness and reconciliation. A book on forgiveness inspired by phrases from Mons Taban, Bishop Emeritus of Torit and 2013 UN Peace Prize, has been published. In general, all Christian leaders have joined in the call for the immediate cessation of suffering and the mitigation of the economic crisis.  

How is the population living this delicate moment?  

"In general, everyone is anticipating April because the agreement provides for 8 months of transition in order to prepare the integration of the armed forces. People remember very well when, in 2016, precisely because of the lack of integration of the various military corps, after only a month and a half they resumed the fighting, more ferociously than before. Let's say that we are all waiting in the hope that they will really be able to welcome and integrate. Unfortunately, in some areas the shooting has never stopped: some small groups have not signed the agreement, while some members of Machar, continue to be in conflict with the government".  

This is happening despite the fact that their leader has been rehabilitated and signed the agreement?  

"Yes, because there are various fringes that are only nominally loyal to Machar. They haven't seen him for more than two years now, he is no longer able to pay the troops and the militiamen continue to fight for their livelihood, to conquer land, food, water. In short, we are only at the beginning of a process that is still very fragile and we must be very careful because it takes nothing to return to the conflict. People know this and is now waiting. This time, however, there seem to be more reasons to be confident. I believe that the presence in Juba on 31 October, on the occasion of the peace ceremony, of the presidents of Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia and Sudan, of representatives of the African Union, of the Troika for South Sudan - England, Norway and the USA -, of the UN representative David Shearer and of representatives of the European Union, is a good omen: the world observes this country, we hope that no one will want to back down".  

Are there any signs of peace?  

"Well, in the meantime, for the first time in years, navigation on the Nile has been reopened, a very important signal both for the commercial and humanitarian aspects because the NGOs there were able to resume sailing on the entire route and to distribute services and aid much more easily. Then a new terminal was opened at the airport of Juba after more than two years. These are all signs that contribute to a return to normality and rekindle the hopes of the population".  

Source http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=152F6B1B663B4D879EE99A56A7390B8D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lastampa.it%2F2018%2F11%2F09%2Fvaticaninsider%2Fwinds-of-peace-in-south-sudan-the-jubilee-for-the-hundred-years-of-evangelization-in-juba-ilBABGJvNWekiUvZO2jXtK%2Fpagina.html&c=8270521368172631477&mkt=en-ca