Cardinal calls on leaders to fully implement peace agreement

By Awan Achiek

The Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin has called on the government to fully implement the 2018 revitalized peace agreement to end the suffering of the people.

Speaking during the media briefing at the Vatican on Friday, Archbishop of the Juba Archdiocese, Stephen Ameyu Martin said the bishops insist on implementation of the revitalized peace agreement in letter and spirit.

“And so we are affected by this because there is corruption, there is mismanagement of the resources. It is a country that came out and it had the potential of being a good and prosperous country,” Ameyu said at a synod in the Vatican, Italy.

Ameyu said the delayed implementation of the 2018 peace deal has resulted in continued instability, corruption, and the mismanagement of resources.

“But because of mismanagement, a lot of problems have happened, and so many people are suffering,” he said.

Ameyu said the synod will help the bishops to dialogue with politicians to find ways to resolve the social and political problems facing the country.

“Even in South Sudan, we are still outlining issues of revitalized peace agreement, which, in a way, the leadership in South Sudan is unable to implement by letter,” he said.

 Ameyu said despite Pope Francis pleading with President Salva Kiir and his first deputy, Dr. Riek Machar to restore peace, both are yet to fully implement the peace pact.

“And as they came here to the Holy Father, and many of you witnessed how the Holy Father was very touched by the situation and had a retreat with them here in 2018,” he said.

“But after they left, they did not implement the revitalized peace agreement. So as a result, the country is still unstable,” Ameyu added.