Stephen Ameyu Martin, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of South Sudan’s Torit State, has warned individuals and organizations against the illegal occupation of church land.
Martin made the remarks while speaking at Silver Jubilee celebrations for St. Bakhita girls boarding secondary school in Narus area of Kapoeta state on Sunday.
The bishop urged authorities in Kapoeta and Torit states to intervene in order to allow the church deliver both spiritual and social services.
“Dear governors, our lands are encroached upon by people and I would like you to put your hands into that because we will use it for developing our people, not for my own development,” said Mulla.
He added, “Let us respect wherever church land is. It belongs to you and your grandchildren. That is the common good we have”.
The bishop, during the occasion, also requested the government to allocate more land to the church, saying it will benefit communities.
“We need you to provide us with land and we are ready to expand it because it is part of our task to educate people,” he stressed.
On his part, Kapoeta State governor, Louis Lobong Lojore assured the bishop that government would support church activities.
“On the cooperation said by the bishop, my administration in Kapoeta state always supports the church. Even when I was in Eastern Equatoria State, I cooperated with the church because Torit Catholic diocese did a lot during the liberation struggle,” he said.
Lobong said churches do what is meant to be government’s work. “We need to cooperate in all fields. If it is true that there are parts of the land being grabbed by some people, let us know,” he added.
In 2017, the Catholic diocese ordered that land at Our Lady of Holy Rosary parish be evacuated, but the directive is still unimplemented.