Archbishop of Episcopal Church of South Sudan, Central Equatoria Internal Province is expressing concern to parties still engaging in conflict to work for permanent peace in the country.
Archbishop Paul Yuggusuk regrets that South Sudanese people have not experienced peace for a long time and yet they are subjected to the ongoing conflict, Radio Easter reported.
He mentions there is continued killing, displacement and destruction of properties in areas of Yei, Lainya Morobo and Kajo-Keji Counties respectively.
Archbishop Yuggusuk also appeals to the conflicting parties to listen to the voices calling for peace in the country and find lasting solutions to the crisis.
“We are concerned that our people have not experienced peace for quite a long time and they are victims of what is taking place. It is not only in Yei, vehicles are burnt here, in Lainya people have been killed, displaced; houses have been burnt properties destroyed and conflict in continuing in greater parts of Yei came from that side of Rokon where people of Mongiling and others in Wonduruba, Gumbiri and many others are displaced and are suffering. So this has been recurring on and off. So it is my appeal to both parties engaging in conflict that our people have suffered. We talk on behalf of our people. They are innocent, but yet they face displacement, killing and even abduction”, the Archbishop regrets.
The ECSS prelate says it time to find amicable solutions to the ongoing crisis in greater Yei and South Sudan at large.
He applauds the president for accepting resumption of the Rome peace talks with the holdouts after consultation of St Egidio in Juba.
The religious leader pleaded for the Church to be part of the negotiations as observers in order to listen and advise the parties.
“So it is time for us to find amicable solutions to the crisis. We are privileged to have met the St Egidio who came of recent to seek for the permission of the president for the resumption of the peace talks in Rome and am happy that the president has given go ahead for the resumption and we as a Church have pleaded this time that we should be part of the negotiations as observers so that we also follow the negotiations because all along we have not been part of this negotiations, but time has come for us to be part of that to listen and advise them to reach amicable solution. The only way for this conflict is not war, there is no winner in war, but there will be winners when they sit on the table to discuss issues and reach amicable solutions”, he clarified.
Archbishop Yuggusuk called on the leaders both in government and opposition to prioritize peace for citizens to enjoy the freedom they voted for.
He regretted that difficult situations facing citizens in camps made some of them to come back voluntarily, but they are forced into refuge because of the continued crisis.