S. Sudan Bishop wins Roosevelt freedom award for peace
February 7, 2018 (Middelburg) – A South Sudanese Bishop has won an award in recognition for the peace village he founded as the visible embodiment of his peacemaking efforts in the young nation.
The Netherlands-based peace building entity, Pax, in a 6 February statement, described Taban, a retired Bishop of Torit, as “a rare figure in a fractured country, someone who has excellent contact with leaders on all sides and is not afraid to call them to account,”
In 2005, the 82-year-old bishop set up the Kuron peace village in Eastern Equatoria state as an avenue to unite people for peace.
The Roosevelt Foundation, in a 6 February statement, said Taban has, since the 1960s, “worked as a peacemaker, drawing on seemingly bottomless reserves of patience, optimism and strategic insight”.
The award, it said, recognizes Taban “for his lifelong and selfless dedication to the cause of bringing freedom and peace to the people of South Sudan.”
The retired Bishop’s “great wisdom and deep respect for different religions and cultures has enabled him to forge emotional bonds between otherwise battling groups,” it stressed.
The retired Bishop, according to the foundation, continues to call for an end to the human suffering and for a peaceful solution of the conflict in South Sudan in local, national and international forums,”.
“Through his life’s work he is keeping the flame of hope for peace alive, not only by preaching the word of God but by living it,” it added.
The conflict in South Sudan has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 2 million into neighbouring countries since it broke out in December 2013. Also, about 2 million are internally displaced.
“Much of the population has fled due to the fighting, agricultural land remains fallow, hunger and lawlessness prevail and scarce resources are manipulated,” the PAX statement further noted.
Kuron peace village was founded to unite the population in the area and set an example of peaceful cohabitation in South Sudan. Situated in Eastern Equatoria state, on the southeast border of South Sudan, the facility brings together different ethnic groups who live and work together.
In 2013, Taban won the prestigious 2013 Sergio Vieira de Mello Prize in recognition for his efforts in promoting peace in communities within the war-torn East African country.
(ST)