By Taban Henry
A civil society activist has on Sunday called on the South Sudanese leaders to remember the Pope Francis’ kiss for peace.
Our leaders under the Presidency were invited by His Holiness Pope Francis to Vatican for spiritual retreat with the intention of urging our leaders to get committed to making peace prevail for the citizens of South Sudan.
In an address released to the media on Sunday, the Executive Director Community Empowerment for Progress Organization [CEPO] Edmund Yakani called on the South Sudanese to recall His Holiness Pope Francis’ kiss.
He mentioned that the 11th April, 2022 marked the third anniversary of His Holiness Pope Francis’ kiss of South Sudan leaders’ feet. CEPO said it is commemorating the third anniversary of His Holiness Pope Francis through the campaign called “Remember Pope Francis’ Kiss for Peace”.
“The campaign is rolling out from 11th April, 2022 till the 9th July, 2022 across the country. The purpose of the campaign is to encourage our leaders translate Pope Francis’ Kiss into real peace for the citizens of South Sudan,” Yakani stated.
He mentioned that the 11th of April, 2022 is the official starting of “Remember Pope Francis’ Kiss for Peace”? Edmund cited that it as an offer and opportunity for calling the leaders to take primary responsibility of making peace and stability prevail in the country.
The Executive director added that the citizens of South Sudan have suffered a lot from violence. He said it is time for the citizens to feel peace and stability through the Kiss of His Holiness Pope Francis.
“The Remember Pope Francis’ Kiss for Peace campaign will be an opportunity of mobilizing the citizens for the massive reception for the joint visit of His Holiness Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury to South Sudan from 5th to 7th July, 2022. This joint visit should be a blessing to the country for realization of peace and stability,” he stated.
Yakani stressed that “our assessment of His Holiness Kiss on our leaders’ feet is that our leaders have not honored the kiss of His Holiness Pope Francis on their feet. Roma Peace is dragging and the implementation of the R-ARCSS is slow and below expectation”.
“The country will witness continuous peace events through the Remember Pope Francis’ Kiss for peace campaign. These will amplify voices for peace and success of the Roma Peace process between the government and the parties’ non-signatory to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan,” Yakani stressed.