By Ephraim Modi D.S
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yei Alex Lodiong Sakor Eyobo has called on leaders and citizens in the Country to stop killing each other.
He made the appeal yesterday upon his pastoral visit to Kajo-Keji County.
Dozens of people have recently been killed in violence; including beheadings and sexual attacks in a volatile county in the country. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) documented about 72 civilian deaths between February 17 and April 7 this year in Unity States, Leer County only.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper during his visit to Kajo-Keji County, of Central Equatoria State, Bishop Lodiong said it is not about extension of the transitional period but it’s about stopping killings.
“Stop killing people whether in cold blood or in war, stop; then we can focus on implementing some of the things but when we extend period and we continue killing people on daily basis like what we see everyday in this country, its just a joke in this case,” Bishop Lodiong said.
He preached that genuine peace will only come if there is political will in implementation of the revitalized Agreement.
“If within 5 years, we are not able to do what we are seeing now, and should be extended for 2 years, how is it possible to do it in the 2 years when we were unable to do it in 5 years” Bishop Lodiong questioned.
On 28 July this year, President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny agreed to extend the transitional period for more twenty-four months (two years),
Bishop Lodiong also figured unwillingness of the people for peace to return in the country.
“When peace begins to be peace of the politicians and ends in papers and it is them who benefits from that peace but the masses do not benefit then that’s not total peace,” Bishop Lodiong emphasised.
He stressed that people cannot continue to proclaim peace when only few people are expressing it, he said South Sudan is not made for politicians only but for the masses that they deserve to experience and taste it.
He urged the leaders, be it political, religious, and traditional, among others to always be practical and ensure that peace prevails.