South Sudan religious leader: “the first step to build peace starts in our hearts”

By Ngor Arol Garang

April 24, (WAU)-The Government of South Sudan (GoSS) on Sunday called on religious leaders to continue praying for peace before, during and after the hoisting of the flag of the newly independent nation.

Sudan conducted an internationally monitored referendum on self-determination for people of South Sudan to decide whether to remain with the north or to form an independent nation.

The vote was part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed by former southern rebel movement, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the government of the Republic of Sudan to end over two decades of civil war in which an estimated 2 million were killed and 4 million displaced. Many ended up in camps in outskirts of the Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.

The January vote saw the majority of the people of South Sudan voting in support of secession and the body charged with organisation and conduct of the exercise subsequently announced 98% votes cast in favour of secession.

Under provisions of the CPA, South Sudan cannot be an independent nation until the period of the agreement expires on 9 July 2011. The period leading to official declaration of the new nation is experiencing a lot of political and military challenges.

Speaking to reporters shortly after leaving Easter celebrations in Wau, capital of Western Bahr el Ghazal state, Moris Yel Akol, state minister of finance, trade and industry, said religious leaders should continue to promote peace, especially now, as the region will soon raise the flag of an independent South Sudan.

“As we head towards the final days of our victory, religious leaders have a divine role to pray for peace, love and unity among the people of South Sudan.

“As a government we need all the religious groups to preach and talk peace in all their gatherings and celebrations. We need them to preach peace of one nation and one people. Let the church continue to preach the message of love and brotherhood among the people of this wonderful and great nation,” said Akol.

The minister said he is happy that the Catholic Church of Sudan launched a project to pray for peace in the run-up to the referendum vote and would like them do the same again for the run-op to the declaration of independence.

“I was excited when I saw Bishop Rudolph Deng Majak of the Roman Catholic church talking about praying for the peaceful conduct of last referendum vote because I knew that the giants would be awakened by his call.

“I would appreciate repetition of such efforts because religious people speak with God. They are people of God and so God hears what they say”, explained Akol. He urged the church to pray for the South Sudan President and his state governor, Rizik Hassan Zachariah.

In his Easter message, Bishop Majak said his church will continue to pray for the country’s peace and unity. He said the church and political leaders should consider peace as the supreme value for the development and growth of the nation.

“Easter teaches us that peace is the gift of the Lord, and all Christians have to pray that peace can indeed be considered as the supreme value for development and the growth of people,”

“South Sudan is growing considerable voices advocating for democratic changes across the region,” he said.

He said the Catholic Church was aware that South Sudan was going through an important period, and church leaders should underline peace as a priority so that any kind of political expectation is subordinate to the quest for peace.

“The Catholic Church stands for principles – we stand for human rights, and we should always remain on the side of the poor and of the voiceless…so we as a church cannot be linked to any political party and we will never enter the political arena,” he said.

He said true dialogue starts with removing prejudice about perceptions held by the other parties before entering into any discussion.

“Durable peace can only exist with concrete gestures of reconciliation and forgiveness and a full recognition of human rights as they are stated in the United Nations Universal Declaration of 1948.

“Peace is a gift which we cannot take for granted. Peace needs to be built day by day and a durable peace is based on dialogue. The first step to build peace starts in our hearts,” he said.

(ST)