Comboni Missionary, Father Christian Carlassare, the Bishop-elect of Rumbek Catholic Diocese was attacked at his residence in Rumbek on the night of 25 April and shot and wounded in both legs.
He was flown to Nairobi, Kenya for further treatment, and is now convalescing and promises to return to work as soon as he is well enough.
Radio Tamzuj called him on phone on Monday and sounded him out about the events that occurred on the night he was shot and his next plans for the Diocese of Rumbek.
Below are edited excerpts:
Q: How are you feeling now Fr. Carlassare?
A: I am recovering. I am pretty positive. My feet are healing and I hope I can walk normally soon.
Q: How did you end up being nominated Bishop-elect for the Diocese of Rumbek?
A: My name is Christian and I am a Comboni missionary and Bishop-elect of Rumbek. I have been in South Sudan since 2005, the year of the peace agreement and I have been working mostly in the Diocese of Malakal until the new appointment to Rumbek. I am Italian by origin.
I joined the mission of Fangak in 2005, so I have mostly been working in Jonglei State among the Nuer in the Parish of Holy Trinity in Fangak and Ayod, within the Diocese of Malakal. I had a nice experience with the people there, especially the catechists and laypeople, so much so that we saw the growth of the church there. There were also some difficult times from 2013 to now.
In 2020, I was Vicar General in Malakal under Bishop Stephen Nyodho and I received my new appointment on 8 March 2020 so the Diocese of Malakal gave me a farewell on 19 March and I went to Juba where I was welcomed by the representative of the Diocese of Rumbek in Juba. I moved to Rumbek on 15 April and stayed there only ten days until the attack happened.
My days in Rumbek were very good, I was welcomed and people were happy. I started my Dinka (language) lessons and visited the different realities of Rumbek, the parishes, the activities of the Diocese and so the attack came abruptly. It was not expected at all and I am sure that people are also very much surprised and embarrassed by what happened.
Q: Did you receive any threats before the incident of your shooting?
A: No, I did not receive any threat. It was completely unexpected. It happened in the night. I was sleeping in my room when I heard some people knocking at my door, like trying to open it with some iron or key or something. So, I got up and went to the door and I was monitoring what was going on thinking that if they were thieves or lost they would have gone to another door or somewhere else. The door was a strong Chinese door with locks. I was holding the key inside and I thought nobody could enter, but after a few minutes, they started shooting at the door with their Kalashnikovs. I think there were seven shots, then they broke the lock of the door.
So, when the door was broken, I was holding the door shut to prevent them from coming in and I was calling for help. The priests were living in the next rooms. I held the door shut for a few minutes. When I heard a Father come out of his room, I thought that he might be in danger and that it was better for me to also go out. I just opened the door and got out and got closer to the Father and we were asking the two attackers what they were doing, what they wanted, or if they wanted to relent as we were priests, but they were keeping silent. They never said any word and they kept loading the gun.
It was just a matter of a minute or two, the person stood in front of me with the gun pointing at me and loaded the bullets. I looked at him and then he lowered the gun and started shooting at my legs. He shot like ten bullets but he got me only with some. As I was wounded but still strong, I ran inside the room because it was dark and I thought they would just go. Instead, they followed me in and started hitting my body and head with the butt of their guns and then I collapsed. Already blood was coming from my legs and I fell in my blood. I stayed there for a few minutes and then Father Andrea Osman came to my rescue and prayed for me and then I was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Q: Did you know any of the attackers from your brief interaction with them during the incident, or can you identify them?
A: No. I cannot recognize them. It was dark and I could not see who they were. They were just young men and I certainly never met them before and I do not have any grudge against them and certainly, they did not have anything against me. They most probably were executing some orders.
Q: How many assailants were involved in the attack?
A: The ones that I saw in front of my door were only two.
Q: What are your thoughts about this attack on you?
A: You know, my reflection goes to all people in South Sudan and the prevailing violence there due to the many weapons that have spread there in the hands of civilians, people who are not supposed to have guns, militias, and gangs. My prayer and my commitment go for the country of South Sudan so that in time of peace and unity we work for disarmament and reconciliation so that violence is dropped and people start rebuilding the country.
This violence against me came after so many others. People have suffered. There was a pregnant woman who was killed, other people have been killed on the roads, and lately, two humanitarian workers of Doctors with Africa CUAMM were killed. So, I call all the leaders and also the youth not to allow themselves to be manipulated and give in to violence but to see that the country has peace and unity.
Q: How are you feeling now?
A: I am thanking God because I am improving. It will take me time to walk like before but I will. I feel okay, God is blessing me and I hope that God will also continue to bless the community so that the wounds the communities are suffering from may heal like mine. I spent three weeks in the hospital.
Q: After recovery, will you go back to Rumbek?
A: Yes, that is my desire, to continue to work for the church in South Sudan wherever it is demanded. And certainly, Rumbek demands a lot of work from the side of the church. So I am ready, yes.
Q: One of the main suspects surrendered to the police last week. Are you aware of that?
A: I am not aware of all the investigations because of the confidentiality the government needs but I trust the government will do its part in the investigation and then in the court case and to ensure the responsibility of each person who was involved in this attack. Of course, the truth is very important because reconciliation and the way forward comes only from the truth. So, I expect the truth will be upheld, giving room to the church to initiate its process and look forward to what is coming next.
In my heart, as I said before, I forgive. There is no hatred and no desire for revenge at all. So, I look for the reconciliation of the church and the unity of all the people of the Diocese of Rumbek.
Q: What is the Church, and particularly the Diocese of Rumbek, doing to enhance peace and reconciliation?
A: I think the church has a great role and responsibility, as it is present among all the groups and clans of South Sudan generally.
So, we have a great responsibility besides evangelizing and proclaiming the gospel. We also have to promote unity among the people, especially activities done through the Department of Justice and Peace, and the center of trauma healing and counseling and reconciliation. So, I have a vision that the Diocese of Rumbek may invest much in this department, together with the education department which is already doing a great job in Rumbek with many schools and a future and new vision for the youth. So we have to invest in the youth so that they can see that they have a great role to play in the country. Not a role that will bring confusion but stability.
Q: What is your assessment of the government’s handling of the case of your shooting?
A: What I witnessed when the attack happened is that the government moved very quickly. The governor and other government officials were there around my (hospital) bed. So I have trust that the government will do all that is within their power. I am also grateful to the president of South Sudan who wrote that important letter which showed his concern and also his will that the truth be upheld and those responsible face justice.
Q: What message do you have for the church and the people of South Sudan?
A: My message is the motto that I also chose as a Bishop. That is a message of unity which comes from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians, chapter 3:28 which read, “There are no more gentiles or Jews, there are no more freemen or slaves, there are no more men or women, but we are all one in Christ.”
So, in the attitude that we have, in the work that we do, no matter where we come from, our position, or our gender, we are all in the service of unity.