South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The South Sudan Council of Churches on Friday, urged the government to grant general amnesty to detained public figures and members of the armed opposition nationwide.
Justin Badi Arama, the chairperson of the South Sudan Council of Churches and the Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, said that the church advocates for peace and forgiveness throughout the country.
“The prophetic ministry of peace and reconciliation within the church calls for general amnesty and national forgiveness, including for those in detention and those who have taken up arms against the state,” Arama said in a statement on Friday.
He emphasised, “The church urges our political leaders to demonstrate political will and move from mere rhetoric to actionable commitments for peace and dialogue in our country.”
This statement from the South Sudan Council of Churches follows the government’s announcement to prosecute First Vice President Riek Machar and seven other opposition leaders over the Nasir incident.
Arama reiterated the church’s commitment to promoting peace and reconciliation at both subnational and national levels to facilitate peaceful coexistence among communities across the country.
“The nation stands at a perilous crossroads, where stagnation of the revitalised peace agreement threatens to undo sustained efforts towards cultivating peace in South Sudan,” he warned.
