South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
South Sudan People’s Defense Forces on Sunday stormed the Anglican Church of South Sudan under Awerial Diocese of Lakes State and brutally beat up 14 pastors including a 7-year-old child.
The soldiers on the directive of the Commissioner of Awerial County shut down the church, confiscated equipment and arrested Michael Jalang, Bishop of Anglican Church and Peter Adum Deng Bishop of Twic East Diocese.
Michael Jalang, Bishop of the Anglican Church in Awerial County who spoke while detention at a military facility in Mingkaman claimed that one of his pastors was tortured by SSPDF soldiers and he is said to be in critical condition at Mingkaman Primary Health Care Centre.
“In the morning at around 6 AM, soldiers came to the church with pick up, Landcruiser vehicle, and they found me standing in the compound in the church and they started asking people where is Bishop Michael and they told me the commissioner needed me to go to Mingkaman,” said Bishop Jalang in an interview with The Dawn on Thursday.
“The commander of the forces started beating up one of my pastors who came to listen to our conversation, he hit him in the back with a stick and the soldier rounded him and beat him up until blood came out of his mouth and he was thrown into the vehicle,” he added.
Bishop Jalang said that the critically injured pastor has been transferred to Juba for further medical attention.
“The soldier went rampant at believers who came to church to pray and the beat-up youth and women and youth were thrown into the vehicle,” he said.
For his part, Peter Adum Deng, Bishop of Twic East Diocese said they were humiliated by their commissioner who violated their freedom of worship.
“We are very disappointed by the commissioner of Aweriar County because he humiliated us to the extent that I don’t if our government will listen to us,” said Adum.
Philip Mawut Garang, the Commissioner of Awerial County shut down the church following a misunderstanding between the bishop and community members.
“I was given a call that there is a misunderstanding going on among the community of Malual-Tuk and if it is not controlled, it will lead to a fight tonight,” said Garang.
