Catholic bishops in South Sudan have volunteered to mediate between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar in an effort to prevent further national conflict.
Tensions began to escalate last month when the White Army militia overran the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces in Nasir County. President Kiir accused Machar of supporting the militia, and on 7th March, a UN helicopter was shot down, killing a South Sudanese general and 27 soldiers.
In response, President Kiir placed Machar under house arrest last week, a move that threatens the 2018 peace agreement that ended their civil war. Machar’s allies have claimed that the arrest is a violation of the agreement.
In light of this, Catholic bishops have called on all leaders to honour their responsibility to the people and avoid resorting to armed conflict.
Bishop Christian Carlassare of Bentiu urged daily prayers for peace.
“We caution our leaders: if South Sudan returns to full-scale violence, the consequences will be catastrophic,” said the leaders of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference in a statement. “We stand ready to mediate dialogue.”
The government has also arrested opposition leaders and, with Ugandan support, bombarded Nasir County, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread displacement. Several embassies have evacuated personnel as the violence continues to intensify.
“The arrest of opposition leaders and foreign military involvement have exacerbated fear and mistrust,” said Cardinal Mulla. “The people of South Sudan have suffered for tool long.”