Clergy and Local Authorities Sign Peace Pact

JUBA, June 16, 2009 (CISA) -Church leaders, local authorities and civil societies have signed a peace agreement calling for an end to conflict in Rumbek, South Sudan.

The agreement, singed on Saturday and consisting of eleven resolutions, was the culmination of a five-week ecumenical prayer programme involving the churches in Rumbek town, according to Catholic radio, Bakhita FM.

The participants said that they believed "without doubt that our God is a God of peace and not of war" and begged for forgiveness for repeated acts of conflict and killing of the innocent. They asked for God's mercy and peace for those who were killed in the conflicts.

The leaders implored strength for the families of the victims and asked them not to revenge but to forgive. They resolved to teach children and youth that revenge and hatred come from the spirit of evil, and must be rejected with courage in order to be truly Christian.

The church leaders also promised to promote regular prayer and accept the Christian teaching and practice of forgiveness in order to break away the spirit of revenge which is prevailing in their society and culture.

"We as a Christian community resolve to take all the needed steps commended to us by God and our leaders to restore law and order and bring reconciliation in our area."

The church leaders and civil society were challenged to provide preventive measures to avoid the continued conflicts from happening in future through well trained and committed security forces and stronger strategies and stricter laws.

They also counted on the church leaders and the civil society to provide stricter measures in the control of weapons which are the instruments of violence and to work to build a God-fearing society.

Bishop Caesar Mazzolari of Rumbek said that the culture of revenge has to be replaced by the culture of forgiveness.

He was supported by Bishop Alphayo of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan who said that the roads to peace are built by different stakeholders, and the churches have an active role to play. He also emphasized the prophetic role of the church to point out the weaknesses of civil structures.

Rumbek Central County Commissioner, Abraham Makoi, promised to organize the disarmament of civilians saying armed conflicts and deaths do not favour the environment for the upcoming elections and the referendum, and insisted that peace must be cultivated.

Source:http://www.cisanewsafrica.org/story.asp?ID=3967