Church shelters civilians threatened by renewed violence in South Sudan

‘We must know that war dehumanises human beings, and forces them to take refuge in places where they have no access to basic human needs,’ said Bishop Emmanuel Bernardino Lowi Napeta.

Civilians sheltered in a Catholic parish during a militia attack in the South Sudanese town of Torit.

A suspected ambush on 9 December by fighters from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement on a convey of the government’s South Sudan People’s Defence Forces killed two soldiers and wounded six others. Amid widespread fears of a return to civil war, Church leaders appealed for an end to violence.

“The people of Eastern Equatorial State have always been peace-loving people,” said Bishop Emmanuel Bernardino Lowi Napeta of Torit on 12 December.

“However, the recent attack in Torit has left a negative impact on our society, more especially on the vulnerable people such as children, women, the elderly, and those with disability.”

This followed reports last month from the United Nations’ Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) warning of the need to de-escalate conflict between government forces and militias.

“We have been working to prevent this violence. Through collaboration and engagement with all stakeholders, the situation has been managed to stop further harm,” said Guy Griffin, head of the UNMISS field office in Eastern Equatoria at the end of November after an attack left thousands of internally displaced persons. Humanitarian agencies renewed their appeal for international support following the attack in Torit.

Bishop Napeta reported that some of people in the town fled to the Church of Our Lady of Holy Rosary during the fighting.

“This incident reminds us of the devastating consequences of war that our country has experienced in its history,” he said. “We must know that war dehumanises human beings, and forces them to take refuge in places where they have no access to basic human needs to keep them surviving.”

In the north of the country, Bishop Christian Carlassare of Bentiu appealed for peace after drone strikes in the South Kordofan region of neighbouring Sudan which killed more than 100 people. A kindergarten and a hospital were among buildings hit by the strikes.

“There is no respect for human life in this war,” said Bishop Carlassare, “this should be the concern for all of us and the international community.” He called for peace talks between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to end Sudan’s civil war.

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