Bishop warns over Machar’s exclusion from peace process
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July 29, 2017 (JUBA) - A South Sudanese Catholic Bishop said efforts
to resuscitate South Sudan’s peace process would not be successful, if
the rebel leader, currently in exiled in South Africa, was excluded.
JPEG - 108.1 kb
Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Juba, Reverend Santo Laku Pio (ST Photo)
Bishop Santo Loku of the Auxiliary Catholic Dioceses of Juba said
President Salva Kiir and his main political rival are responsible for
the more than three-year civil war in the country and must be
personally involved in resolving it.
“I hear IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] want to
revitalize the peace agreement by evaluating the whole agreement so
that they see where progress has been made and where there is a need
to conform to the provisions of the agreement, which is encouraging,”
the Bishop told Sudan Tribune Saturday.
He added, “But I also hear one of the leaders, Riek Machar will not
participate in revitalization forum. I don’t know how true this
information but if it turns out to be true, the IGAD needs to
reconsider their position because the war was not started by
civilians.”
The cleric blamed President Kiir and Machar for peoples’ suffering.
“The people are now dying behind these two people,” he stressed.
Ten of thousands of people have been killed and nearly two million
displaced in the country’s civil war, which started after disagreement
within the ruling party (SPLM).
The outspoken cleric, however, said any process that excludes one of
the parties in the conflict would undermine the objectives for which
the efforts were being made, equating attempts to deny either of the
parties to the conflict an opportunity to participate in the process
as taking sides against those with common interests.
The religious leader called on the regional leaders to step aside for
the international community to take over the process, saying some
leaders in the region have direct interests in the war to perpetuate.
“Clearly people South have lost faith in the process because some of
the leaders in the region have interests in the conflict. IGAD has
failed to stop war and bring peace in this country because some of the
leaders have interest in the war and they are benefiting from the
death of civilians,” further stated the Bishop.
He added, “I think they should now give it up to the international community”.
His comments follow a proposal by South Sudan youth leaders who
requested the African Union to take over the process, accusing
regional leaders of lacking impartiality and interest in the country.
The youth called for an all-inclusive forum through representatives of
different stakeholders would participate in contributing ideas and
make proposals aimed at ending the conflict in the country.
However, the IGAD foreign ministers said after a consultative forum in
Juba this week that they would not guarantee participation of Machar
in person, but said he was free to send representatives.
“For the time being, physically we shall not be inviting Machar,” the
Ethiopian foreign minister, Workneh Gebeyehu said, adding that their
objective was to evaluate the peace process and prepare grounds for
elections in which Machar and other leaders would participate.
The Machar-led armed opposition faction have dismissed IGAD’s
proposal, describing it as a plan to legitimize and consolidate Kiir’s
regime against the will of majority of South Sudanese.
(ST)
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29 July 21:41, by Mi diit
Bishop Santo Loku of the Auxiliary Catholic Dioceses of Juba is
one of the faithful Bishops in the world if any is there.
I have been following his remarks before and after July incident.
No peace in South Sudan without Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhur-gon.
repondre message
30 July 02:08, by Kush Natives
Mi diit,
This bishop is a rebel. Why would he always keep preaching
Riek Machar in the church? Let him Riek in South Africa period or move
his church over to South Africa. We have no room for Riek herein South
Sudan.
repondre message
30 July 03:27, by Malakal county Simon
Kush Natives
You’re primitive thinking has gone beyond frustration....
Maybe you need to define the word rebel, before you throw it Bishop
Santo.... There is an extinguish between the word rebel and
disagreement .....
repondre message
30 July 07:01, by jur_likang_a_ likan’g
Hey Native Kus,
The whole of South Sudan dpes not belong to your mother or
father. Neither does it belong to Kiir or his mother. The Bishop is
sincere and honest on the issue that is killing thousands of innocent
people and causing massive exodus of civilians to foreign countries.
Yuo should be a damn fool to criticize the noble Bishop.
repondre message
29 July 22:41, by john akeen
Who is this Bishop? Is he a politician or a preacher of god
message to the people? Because he seem like he is adding more fuel in
the fire, and wish side is he on? Government side or Rebels side or on
the citizens of south sudan side? Somebody help me understand this
bishop
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29 July 22:46, by Eastern
He is an auxiliary bishop in Juba; whatever that means, please
find out for yourself. What I know is Kiir and Taban are working
together harmoniously and implementing the ARCISS. Taban has just
called the inhabitants of Maiwut to return home..! Things are
normalising.
repondre message
30 July 06:36, by South South
Eastern,
What happened to advance weapons rebels have to bring down
any gunship, did they run away with them. By the way, this bishop is a
rebel. I have more to say about him if he open his mouth again and
says stupid things.
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29 July 23:31, by john akeen
Mr. Bishop please stop acting like Muslims imams who likes to
max religion with politics. SS problem is not about Salva Kiir and
Riek Machar, it is all the South Sudanese citizen problem, you can ask
me why? Because the citizens of our country they don’t consider
themselves as one nation, our citizens they like to talk in the name
of their tribes, spatially our brothers Nuer, Blanda and Equatorans
repondre message
29 July 23:43, by lino
Ya Akeen,
I am not sure whether you are a Muslim or a Christian, but
anyway the world of God is to tell the truth no matter what, and the
Bishop didn’t lie of anything but he said it right front without fear
from Kiir or you!!!
The Bible teaches us; the truth shall sit you free!!!
The same words of the Bible Dr. John Garang quoted in 1997
at Cairo, Egypt when he met the Sudanese People.
repondre message
29 July 23:51, by lino
God never mentioned in the Bible or Quran that clerics
should talk politics!!! I am not sure what religion are you believing
in?!! Even Jieng’s Nyalig / God never mentioned anything of that
kind!!! You guys become even more nasty than our Northern Sudanese
friends!!! What happened. Did we forgot the years of Struggle already?
Big shame on all of us.
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30 July 00:26, by john akeen
Mr. Lino
I am Christian, but I tell you, Bishops are not
supposed to preach the word of politics or the word of evils to the
people. Bishops are supposed to preach the word of god to the people
and if they want to talk about politicians or government, they should
talk about all of them people that who are in the government and also
the shouldn’t mansion anybody name, just like when Jesus>
repondre message
30 July 00:53, by john akeen
was talking about his enemy or about the
government, he didn’t mansion anybody name to the people, but he was
talking about all of them without mentioning anyone name, so Bishops
are supposed to follow jesus footsteps. On one in any government in
this world should be a friend to the man or woman of god, but Mr.
Lino; At the end. I strongly agree with you when you said SHAME ON US
SS PEOPLE
repondre message
30 July 01:09, by john akeen
Just listen to what this Bishop said; he
said" I hear IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] want to
revitalize the peace agreement by evaluating the whole agreement so
that they see where progress has been made and where there is a need
to conform to the provisions of the agreement. Now tell me, does this
sound like Bishop speaking to you or it sound like politician speaking
to you?
repondre message
29 July 23:52, by lino
Correction :The words of God!!
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30 July 07:09, by jur_likang_a_ likan’g
John A Kin,
If anyone who speaks out the truth in South Sudan is a rebel
then if you are a truth teller you are one. This Bishop is a man of
God who is not happy with the way your system is obliterating innocent
people on their ancestral lands. Those people are made in the image of
God. So as a servant of God he must speak out against the the killing
of people. He is 100% right.
repondre message
29 July 23:20, by lino
Very brave his holiness Bishop Santo!!! Let these IGAD barks day
and night; the Almighty God has it’s own way!!!
Kiir and Taban can’t make or implement peace because they are
friends. Peace and implementation need enemies to execute. Let IGAD do
it their own way; next year they will be talking the same shit.
Where in the world you can plan for elections for 2018 while
people are dying every day??
repondre message
29 July 23:52, by Dak tak
It is only in church where trust is being preached, you laid the
line. All The countries bordering us only wish to see as remain in the
present situation for life, for to them it means a great economic
improvement in term of bribed and refugee money. Peace will either
come from within the country or from the international community and
not poor IGAD.
repondre message
30 July 00:01, by Gai Cikom
He should have just avoid Church and join politics, what a bishop?
repondre message
30 July 01:55, by garrak1520
You are a reel moron, without Machar no peace in South Sudan,
and FYI, I am not a south Sudanese. The bishop is just telling it as
it is.
Kiir and team failed the country, the people. I am not for
Machar nor Kiir. There are very capable technocrats in Juba. Time for
Kiir and cronies to fed away.
repondre message
30 July 02:39, by john akeen
Mr. Garrak1520
I don’t want to know where you from, but according to you said,
you said you are not a South Sudanese, but if you are from Africa that
mean you are fuck ta up and I belive your country is on fire, so
please step away from are problems, because we didn’t invite you to
talk about our problems, just to let you that, we are one nation, but
if we are not now, then we will be oneday
repondre message
30 July 02:45, by DHARCHEP
I believe he must have drink liquor. Riek Machar at the first
place he should not be in an exile if he needs peace. Even if he comes
to Juba today, he will still go back to exile. What is being funished
from Riek Machar was not his physical appearance, but was his
characters. If Bishop needs Riek Machar to be in peace, let him do
peace with Thomas Cirilo first and leave Salva Kiir alone. Salva Kii
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