African religious leaders urge end to South Sudan violence

September 16, 2019 (NAIROBI) – Members of the African Council of Religious Leaders have called for quick implementation of the September 2018 revitalized peace agreement on South Sudan.

The Council, in a joint statement issued after their meeting in Nairobi, said the agreement has reduced violence in a country where a humanitarian crisis has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people with over 2 million displaced.

“We are further troubled by the increasing criminal acts, human rights violations and political intolerance in several locations in South Sudan,” partly reads the statement.

According to the Council of religious leaders, South Sudan’s humanitarian crisis can be resolved only if political leaders embrace true peace and love their people and the nation.

“South Sudanese leaders have a moral obligation to their citizens to end the violence and ensure continued progress toward peace, stability and justice,” it stressed.

In September last year, South Sudan’s warring factions signed a revitalized peace agreement to end the country’s bloody civil war.

The power-sharing arrangements under the deal were supposed to take effect in May, but the process was delayed by six months until November as both sides disagreed on security arrangements.

November 12 is the deadline for the implementation of the pact, but religious leaders said they fear the target may not be met.

“The failure to implement the agreement risks the country collapsing back into war and destruction and exacerbates the misery and hopelessness of the millions of South Sudanese forced to flee their homes because of war, including the almost 3 million refugees living in neighboring countries,” the statement noted.

The Council is co-chaired by Nigerian Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyaken and Ugandan Supreme Muslim leader, Sheikh Ramadhan Shaban Mubaje.

(ST)