[Anglican Communion News Service] The Episcopal Church of South Sudan is in a country experiencing political upheaval, instability and prolonged periods of violence over many years, even after South Sudan became an independent nation in 2011.
Despite ongoing reconciliation dialogues being encouraged by international bodies, a sustainable and peaceful remedy has not yet been reached in South Sudan. At this time of “political deadlock,” the South Sudan Council of Churches, an ecumenical group of South Sudanese church leaders, including Catholic, Episcopal, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Presbyterian and Reformed churches, has released a statement advocating for dialogue in pursuit of peace.
Representatives from the 10 member churches of the SSCC met Sept. 9-13 in Kenya to discuss the ongoing situation in the country. A statement was then shared as a result of those discussions, signed by representatives of several South Sudanese Christian traditions, including the Most Rev. Justin Badi Arama, archbishop and primate of the Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and bishop of Juba.
Statement on the situation in South Sudan and the proposed way forward
Quoting Isaiah 1:18, the statement begins: “Let us dialogue and live in Peace!”
“We, the Heads of Churches, come to you with a message of hope, encouragement and peace. As a body committed to the spiritual and moral guidance of our nation, we remain steadfast in our support for a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan.
“Cognizant that South Sudan continues to grapple with a profound political and humanitarian crisis, persistent delays in the implementation of R-ARCSS, ongoing sub-national violence, severe economic hardships and deep erosion of public trust. All these have left the peace process fragile and the population in a state of enduring suffering.”
The statement goes on to acknowledge the “need for a critical and timely intervention aimed at breaking the political deadlock that threatens the fragile peace in South Sudan” and highlight the need for “safe spaces for country-wide genuine dialogue and … a tangible pathway to lasting peace for conflict-fatigued South Sudanese.”
The statement notes “that the nation stands at a perilous crossroads where stagnation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement risks undoing sustained efforts towards cultivating peace in South Sudan” and goes on to say that after reflection and prayer and inspired by the church’s calling and prophetic ministry of peace and reconciliation, the Council agrees to the following:
- The church shall assert its divine mandate to minister peace and reconciliation as urged by the South Sudanese people.
- Articulate the voice of the suffering South Sudanese people and serve as the independent conscience of the nation.
- Act as a trusted, neutral bridge between conflicting South Sudanese parties and as an instrument of transformation/reconstruction of South Sudan.
- Establish a mechanism for dialogue through a Church Initiative for National Healing and Reconciliation (CINHR).
- Urge political leaders to move from mere rhetoric to actionable commitments for peace and dialogue.
- Call for general amnesty and national forgiveness, including those in detention, and those who have taken up arms against the state.
- Exert considerable moral and spiritual influence over South Sudanese leaders to encourage compliance and good-faith negotiation.
- Commit to advocating against proxy interferences and present a coherent, unified regional stance on South Sudan.
- Champion the Church Initiative for National Healing and Reconciliation (CINHR) process at the local and national level. Urge regional and international forums, like the All Africa Conference of Churches, World Council of Churches, East African Community, African Union, Peace and Security Council, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the United Nations to support the church-led initiative.
- Encourage respective allies within South Sudan to engage constructively with the Church-led process.
See the full statement from the South Sudan Council of Churches here.