By Bida Elly David
The Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Juba and the Apostolic Administrator of Torit has cautioned politicians for instigating conflicts among communities that would result into division and hatred among them.
The Metropolitan Archbishop made the remarks during the inaugural ceremony of additional classrooms constructed by the Catholic Church for ‘Our lady of Holy Rosary Nursery and Primary school’ in Torit.
Bishop Ameyu said that the church has been executing many efforts through reconciliation programmes in the States and the country at large but politicians wiped off the efforts.
“The church has tried to reconcile communities but politicians have watered down the peace efforts in the States and the Country at large. The church has also executed reconciliation programmes in the State that included various tribes among the 64 ethnic groups in the Country but all have been jeopardised,’’ Bishop Ameyo said.
Ameyo termed the instigation of violence by some politicians among communities as a mechanism to serve their own interest leaving the divine concept of uniting them as people of the living God.
In addition, the catholic bishop called for unity among ethnic communities in order to boost developmental activities in the Country.
“As a man of God before you here today, I kindly call upon forgiveness among the various ethnic groups in the Country. You should peacefully settle your differences with humble and forgiving hearts in order to restore the lost peace that you people missed for a long period of time. Killing is a sin before God and a loss to the Community. We look at ourselves as one people before God the creator. We should be united in order for development to take place in the region especially our States,’’ Ameyo said
Nevertheless, Ameyo also urged community leaders such as the chiefs, sub-chiefs and Youth leaders to work hard to embrace peace among members of the community through dialogue and love.
He echoed that the Church would continue praying for the entire communities in South Sudan especially the war affecting areas that peace should prevail among them such that they could be able to solve their differences amicably.
He finally called on State governors to partake healing and reconciliation programmes by bringing in religious leaders for proclamation of the word of the Lord.