Author| Chuol Jany CRN| His Eminence Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin, Archbishop of Juba, has called on the government to take greater responsibility in restoring peace and stability in Malakal and across South Sudan, emphasizing that peace is a mission that must unite all citizens not just the Church.
Presiding over a solemn Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral in Malakal, where bishops from Sudan and South Sudan are holding their annual conference, Cardinal Ameyu urged political leaders to end the suffering of citizens who continue to endure both natural and man-made disasters in Upper Nile State.
“My dear government officials, it is your authority and duty to bring peace to the people of Malakal,” said Cardinal Ameyu. “Many say bishops and priests should bring peace, but I tell you, it is not the clergy who bring peace. We are already at peace within ourselves—it is the government and the people who must create the opportunity for dialogue and reconciliation.”
The Cardinal stressed that true peace in South Sudan can only be achieved when citizens overcome tribal divisions and embrace unity.
“Let us accept one another as Shilluk, as Dinka, as Nuer, as people from Maban—all these communities share Malakal,” he said. “Let us work together for peace.”
During the Mass, the bishops launched the Small Christian Communities (SCC) initiative, reinforcing the Church’s commitment to communion, participation, and mission at the grassroots level. The initiative encourages Christians to live in fellowship and take active roles in building peace within their communities.
Cardinal Ameyu also prayed for God to remove the “spirit of disunity” among South Sudanese people, affirming that the Church will continue to accompany the nation through prayer and moral guidance.
In his remarks to the congregation, Governor Jacob Dollar Ruot of Upper Nile State pledged to work for peace and urged internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the UN camp to return home. He also called on the youth to support positive leadership and reject violence.
The ten bishops present at the Mass blessed Governor Ruot and encouraged him to lead efforts toward reconciliation and unity in Upper Nile.
“Peace begins with each of us,” Cardinal Ameyu concluded. “When we walk together in communion and mission, South Sudan will find the peace it longs for.”