The Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) on Wednesday condemned attacks on the church by angry youths and chiefs at the watch of the government.
Addressing a press conference in Juba, the Primate of the ECSS, Archbishop Justin Badi Arama, said it is now over three years that the church’s leaders have continued to be humiliated, tortured, and restricted to move and worship freely by the youths and the local authorities in Bor in Jonglei State.
The Primate cited last week’s incident where Bor community leaders and the chiefs, mainly from Makuach Payam, mobilized heavily armed youths to forcefully close churches that are loyal to the ECSS administration at St. Peter’s Parish, (Langbar B) and that the church remains closed while the government is watching.
Archbishop Badi condemned the continuous torture of priests and the closure of the Church by the chiefs, community leaders, and youths in Bor while nothing was done by the government to address the matter.
“The ECSS Leadership is displeased with the failure of the government not giving equal rights and protection to ECSS like the other denominations in Bor town,” he said. “Today in the name of the Almighty God, we call upon the government to immediately give orders for our Church in Bor to be opened for worship as soon as possible and give freedom to all ECSS clergy and faithful to move and operate freely in Bor town.”
Badi called upon all ECSS members in Bor town not to repay evil with evil but to be peaceful as they wait for the government to intervene despite the intimidation and oppression.
“If nothing is done, then we may think of what to do nationally and internationally as the Anglican Communion,” the prelate added.
The crisis in the ECSS started in August 2020 when Primate Badi defrocked the then Archbishop of the Jonglei Internal Province, Ruben Akurdit Ngong, over alleged canonical disobedience.
However, in June, after a reconciliation meeting organized by President Salva Kiir’s office, Badi agreed to reinstate Bishop Akurdit on condition that the latter should immediately be retired after the lifting of his defrocking, a move Akurdit flatly rejected, saying he should be given three months to reunite the church before he retires.
When reached by Radio Tamazuj for comment, Jonglei State Police Commissioner Gen. Elia Costa said the situation in the area was now calm but that the church in Langbar church remains closed and 27 people are in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Ter Manyang Gatwech, a civil society activist, said the issue of the ECSS church in Bor had now evolved into a crisis and accused the government of just spectating. He warned that the fighting among the church’s members could escalate into inter-communal violence.
“I urge the government to call the conflicting church leaders to find an amicable solution together with the headquarters of the ECSS because it seems the government is just ignoring this crisis,” Manyang said. “I urge the government to intervene immediately because it is a serious concern to the country if religious leaders are not united.”