Senior church leaders in Britain have pledged their support for Christians in South Sudan as renewed violence raises fears that the country could descend into another full-scale civil war.
South Sudan became the world’s youngest independent nation in 2011, following its separation from Sudan. Since independence, it has experienced repeated conflict and political instability.
Between 2013 and 2018, the country was devastated by a civil war between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and supporters of his then Vice-President, Riek Machar. Although a peace agreement formally ended the conflict in 2018, violence continued in several areas, fuelled by intercommunal tensions and armed groups that refused to disarm.
Large-scale fighting intensified again last year, and Machar was arrested. The country is now facing growing uncertainty ahead of its first national elections since independence, scheduled for seven weeks from now. With the main opposition leader in detention and violence worsening, questions remain over whether the elections will proceed and whether their outcome will be accepted.
Against this background, Christian Aid and the Church of England organised a meeting in October involving British and South Sudanese church leaders, alongside representatives of non-governmental organisations.
In a letter to participants, the Rev Tut Kony Nyang Kon, general secretary of the South Sudan Council of Churches, appealed for international support for peace efforts.
He said church leaders wanted an end to the violence, killings and insecurity that had affected the country for years. He added that churches were working to bring communities together, encourage dialogue and build relationships across divisions.
He also urged political leaders to choose dialogue rather than confrontation during what he described as a fragile period of political transition.
In a joint response, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly, Gordon Kennedy, acknowledged the work of South Sudanese church leaders in promoting peace.
They said the churches’ efforts to unite communities could help prevent further suffering during the tense period leading up to the elections.
The three leaders pledged to stand alongside their South Sudanese counterparts through solidarity, prayer and the spirit of the Ecumenical Peace Pilgrimage.
They also stressed that holding elections alone would not be enough to secure lasting peace, expressing hope that the country’s leaders would place the values of Jesus Christ at the centre of their decisions.
Based on reports by Christian Today UK.
