Leaders of the Christian churches of South Sudan have condemned the bloodshed that spread across parts of the country since last week and called for peace and reconciliation.

Clergy spoke before overcrowded churches in Juba on Christmas day, but in Bor and Malakal nobody went to church services because of ongoing or very recent fighting.

Yei churches joined in celebrations at the army barracks and municipality offices. Two bulls were slaughtered for the celebration by the Presybterian Bishop Elias Taban, who said that the town should serve as a role model for the country for having maintained peace amid turmoil elsewhere, Gurtong website reported.

In the refugee camps of Yida (Unity Sate) and Doro (Upper Nile) the people had joyful celebrations, Radio Tamazuj recorded. “I am very happy and I thank our Lord because he protected me and he protected the people celebrating the Christmas of 2013. We are now celebrating in the camps because we know our Lord is with us,” said Koja Tutu Angalo, a refugee in Yida Camp, where aid workers were evacuated just days ago leaving behind the refugees.

Silla Musa, coordinator of the Doro Camp for Blue Nile refugees said, “We are praying that tomorrow there will be peace and all the problems of Sudan and of South Sudan will be resolved. God willing the people will remain at peace.”

Bishops condemn violence

Fr Ukelo, former vicar general of the Torit Catholic Diocese, termed the ongoing events in the country an ‘evil war,’ reported Emmanuel, a radio belonging to the Catholic Church. Religious leaders in Eastern Equatoria last Friday held a meeting with the governor and agreed to support peace efforts while denouncing the violence.  

Episcopal Church Bishop of Kajo-Keji Anthony Poggo called on Christians to pray for people involved in peace efforts to succeed in bringing together the two conflicting sides to dialogue and negotiations.

He also asked Christians to pray for South Sudanese injured and are in hospitals to speedily recover and pray that God to comfort people who lost relatives. He invited all people to pray for an end to the spirit of revenge and for all leaders in government, churches and communities preach peace.

Bishop Paride Taban said if all accepted that they were wrong and forgive one another, lasting peace would prevail, Bakhita Radio reported. He said those who planned for wrong in the country did not think twice of the consequences.

Archbishop Paolino Lukudu said it was the duty of all churches to pray for the nation during this difficult moment.

In Western Equatoria State church leaders in called for an immediate Christmas ceasefire in all troubled and affected areas in South Sudan. The leaders calling for this measure included Catholic Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, Episocopal Bishop Samuel Peni, Lutheran Bishop Wilson Noah and the Seven Days Adventist Church Pastor.

The bishops in their joint statement said a ceasefire will enable all concerned to suspend all offensive military operations for the entire duration of the Christmas season to pave the way for dialogue and peace. The church leaders reasoned that ceasefire would stop all war of words, inflammatory statements and use of abusive language at this time. They expressed readiness to offer assistance to bring about peace and reconciliation and.

Samaritan’s Purse, one of the largest Christian international aid organizations in the country, said that Christians were celebrating the birth of the ‘Prince of Peace’ saying people should pray that God give “wisdom and humility to the leaders of the various political factions.”

‘No Christmas spirit’

Not all felt that there was a ‘Christmas spirit’ in Juba, including one group that threatened preachers and others still mourning the loss of their loved ones or taking refuge for fear of their lives.

“There is no Christmas spirit here in Juba today for obvious reasons,” says Jok Madut Jok, a researcher of the Sudd Institute. He visited his Nuer colleagues: “My Nuer friends are very scared and will not even fathom returning to their homes, given what they saw during the fighting in Juba. But their present circumstance is humiliating to them, big army officers, senior government officials and university students who feel they cannot be safe in their own capital city in which they have lived for many years. That surely did not make a proud South Sudanese”.

Lori Lobo in Juba told Radio Tamazuj of sadness in the eyes of the faithful: “Christmas was this year not the same as in other years. There have been so many killings and people who are wounded and still in the hospitals. Nearly all families in Juba are affected by what has happened last week.”

“I saw mothers still looking for their children, they have not been found back. There are thousands of people displaced from their homes and many of them hiding in UN compounds. There is still war in many states, so people in Juba are constantly worried about what is happening to them. While we are going to church in Juba the people there are under fire or even killed. We all prayed today that it will become peace everywhere in south Sudan,” she added.

Another report suggests hostility toward those giving a Christmas message. During prayers and preaching held on Monday and Tuesday at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) compound in Tongping in Juba, where thousands of displaced are still sheltering, religious leaders urged South Sudanese politicians, activists and media to preach for peace across South Sudan.

A group of displaced inside the UN base, however, threatened the clergy who gave a message on Tuesday. Some of the displaced said they did not need a message from the clergy, who were reportedly moved into an armored vehicle to get away.

Pope appoints special envoy to South Sudan

Pope Francis, the bishop of Rome and leader of the worldwide Catholic Church, offered a prayer for South Sudan in his morning Christmas address: “Lord… Foster social harmony in South Sudan, where current tensions have already caused numerous victims and are threatening peaceful coexistence in that young state.” 

“Prince of Peace, in every place turn hearts aside from violence and inspire them to lay down arms and undertake the path of dialogue,” he continued.

Radio Vatican reported that the Pope has also appointed an envoy (‘apostolic nuncio’) to South Sudan. The priest, Msgr. Charles Daniel Balvo, is already also serving as apostolic nuncio in Kenya.

File photo: St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral in Kator, Juba