South Sudanese citizens living in the United Kingdom met in London in July to discuss achieving peace, justice, and reconciliation in their homeland.
Over 100 individuals including men and women attended the meeting at St Johns Church Waterloo, representing many tribes and all ten states. Bishop Emeritus Paride Taban, the former Bishop of Torit in South Sudan, and Bishop Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, led the discussions.
Bishop Paride, who is a member of the South Sudan Council of Churches and the Committee for National Healing, Peace and Reconciliation, stressed the need for a spirit of forgiveness, tolerance, and compassion.
He said: “I want to eradicate tribalism in South Sudan. Don’t talk about tribalism or you will end up spoiling South Sudan for ever. The ravaging effects of war could mean the next generation grows up hating.”
“The war could stop tomorrow if all sides showed love,” he added. “They must forget the past, accept their wrongdoing and be forgiving. If this is done, the war will stop.”
The attendees that the peace process needed to be inclusive of wider South Sudanese society with the most urgent priority as stopping the fighting.
A number of speakers spoke about the pain and trauma caused by the war and the need for trauma-healing. Others stressed the need to end the culture of violence and impunity and called for accountability and justice to go hand in hand with reconciliation.
According to a press statement, the conference was a “rare opportunity” for South Sudanese in the UK to express themselves freely.
“Varying views were expressed but in a great spirit of unity and tolerance,” the statement said. “At the end, people went away saying that they felt their confidence for peace and reconciliation had been restored. The meeting was seen as a positive start in bringing the community together and helping to plant a seed of hope in people’s hearts.”