Christian leaders demand intervention

South Sudanese bishops are calling for urgent international intervention to end the new fighting in their country, which has killed at least 1,000 and displaced nearly 200,000 people, writes Fredrick Nzwili.

The leaders’ call came as peace talks aimed at ending the three weeks of conflict opened in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, against a background of fierce army and rebel fighting near the strategic town of Bor.

“We are seeking peace and ceasefire urgently. We welcome the world to intervene and put to an end the rampant killing of the innocent,” said the bishops from Catholic, Protestant and Evangelical Churches.

The latest conflict has pitted the national army of President Salva Kiir against renegade soldiers aligned to the sacked deputy president Riek Machar. The President accuses Machar of attempting to overthrow his Government. The Christian leaders urged the two to “put lives first and address political differences later”.

Catholic Archbishop Paulino Lukudu Loro and his Anglican counterpart Daniel Deng Bul have offered to mediate.