South Sudan bishop calls on rival leaders to avert economic collapse

April 15, 2015 (JUBA) – A top South Sudanese religious leader on Wednesday called on rival leaders in the 15-month-long conflict in the country to take bold decisions to end the ongoing conflict and avert a looming economic collapse.

Assistant archbishop of the Juba diocese, Santo Laku, said there were signs South Sudan was imploding as a nation unless the rival leaders, president Salva Kiir and opposition leader, Riek Machar, chose to reverse the situation by bringing peace.

“We call on our leaders to take bold decision. We ask them that country must not fall back into divisions, clashes or war,” he said.

He said it was time to act to avoid what he said was danger coming that had already passed alarming stage.

“The warning signs we are seeing now is that this house is collapsing on us. Should we allow our own house to collapse on us and destroy us all, or can we act now?” he said.

The religious leader further stressed that economic downturn in the country had reached unprecedented situation, saying the country was led by its sons and daughters who should act to save it.

The war has resulted to reduction of oil production in the oil producing states of Unity and Upper Nile, coupled with drop in global oil prices. South Sudan depends on oil by 98% of its overall revenues.

The dollar exchange this week has risen to 8.50 South Sudanese pounds (SSP) on the black market due to a scarcity of hard currency in the country.

(ST)