Cleric’s remarks on Wau event draws mixed reactions

June 28, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese from different regions have reacted a top religious leader’s remarks that the young nation was being “ruled by monkeys and devils”.

While preaching at a church in Juba last Sunday, Apostolic Administrator Rocco Taban criticized the government for allegedly mishandling the clashes that occurred in Wau.

The cleric, in his sermon, also described newly appointed governor of Wau, Andrea Mayar Achor as a “madman”.

Achor, however, dismissed the cleric’s claims, saying whatever the religious leader said was “exhibition of anger”.

A number of government officials equally disagreed with the Taban’s statement, seen as a politically motivated one.

The minister in the office of the president, Mayiik Ayii Deng said the remarks were “inappropriate” and “unfortunate”, but stressed that government was doing everything possible to restore law and order in the area.

The minister appealed to people with different views about the events in Wau to exercise patience and respect.

Agany Chan, a South Sudanese, said what the religious leader told his congregation was an insult to people.

“Calling the rulers monkey is a big insult to the people of South Sudan because it never happened that a monkey rules a human person. It has never happened and is not in the objectives of Catholic priests to go viral like that in undermining the mandates given to them by the Vatican”; Chan wrote on Facebook page on Tuesday.

He urged Taban to focus on uniting people than engaging in activities likely to cause divisions among people.

“What we knew of Catholicism was a universal mission. If they have turned tribal like this, then we will rethink about this issue”, wrote Chan.

“This shows that the priest is not a believer. If he was a believer, he could have respected God and call a human person a human person. Monkey a monkey. This is part of respect to God because that’s how God has created them”, he stressed.

(ST)