By Bosco Bush
Pope Francis renewed calls for intercession prayers for peace in countries that are undergoing conflicts and political instability including South Sudan.
In a statement, the Holy Father appealed for peace amid the ongoing conflicts and situations of political instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, and the Holy Land.
Addressing the pilgrims present on his Wednesday General Audience, Pope recalled the great suffering of war-torn Ukraine, urging all faithful to not forget the beleaguered nation.
“Let us not forget the martyred Ukraine,” he urged, stressing, “let us not forget Myanmar, South Sudan, North Kivu, and so many countries that are at war.”
Last year, Pope Francis visited South Sudan on his first trip to the country, he was joined by the head of the Church of England and the Church of Scotland Moderator on a pilgrimage of peace.
The pope arrived just a day after at least 27 people were reportedly killed in communal violence.
The Holy Father concluded the visit with celebration of an open-air Mass at the John Garang Mausoleum calling for peace and forgiveness in the war-torn country.
In April 2019, Pope Francis knelt and kissed the feet of President Salva Kiir, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and other political leaders, in an unprecedented act of humbleness to encourage them to strengthen the country’s faltering peace process.
2-years after gaining independence in 2011, the country plunged into a political turmoil that has disintegrated its political and socio-economic fabrics.
The conflict reportedly claimed about 400,000 lives, destroyed properties and left over 4 million displaced as refugees or Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs)
Relative calm has returned to the country after the signing of the signing and implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan.
However, the economic situation remains challenging with steep hyperinflation and depreciation of the local currency.
Through the auspices of the Tumaini Initiative for Peace in South Sudan, currently, the national unity government is negotiating with a holdout opposition group that declined to sign the 2018 peace accord in a bid to reach a consensus to bolster peace and stability across the country.