A bishop from the African Inland Church called on the Government of South Sudan to back church-led peace initiatives instead of coming with its own.
James Lagos Alexander made the appeal at the People to People Peace Symposium that started today in Juba to mark 40 years of the Norwegian Church Aid presence in South Sudan.Bishop Lagos commented that there were too many and uncoordinated peace initiatives in the country that almost brought conflict among the peacemakers themselves.
He said the government initiated the Jonglei Peace Committee and picked a church leader to head the initiative, undermining the Sudan Council of Churches peace process due to lack of funds.
Bishop Lagos asked the government to back church-led peace processes.
He said they were more effective and active than political interventions.
The AIC bishop warned that people at the grassroots might not fully respond to initiatives because the committee looks more political than neutral.
Bishop Lagos was commenting on a presentation by Presidential Legal Advisor Telar Ring on the People to People Peace Process History in South Sudan.