The Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan is rallying 200 Youth Peace Mobilisers and Campaigners to storm 8 counties and 15 cattle camps on January 7-21, 2015, in Lakes State, targeting youth with messages urging them to consider living in peace and stop revenge killings among themselves.
The Christian Youth Ministry (commonly known among the Dinka Christians as Jol-Wo-Liec or God Look Back On Us) from three clusters of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan including Upper Nile, Torit Missionary Cluster and Bhar el Gazal, under the leadership and guidance of the Archbishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan Dr. Daniel Deng Bul has initiated a massive peace mobilization and campaign process in Lakes State targeting youths from troubled counties and cattle camps.
Stressing the importance of this peace campaign, the Primate noted with great concern that the church is distressed about instability among the communities in South Sudan in general and specially with the current ongoing situation in Lakes States.
"We are troubled by the vicious revenge killings habitually rising among the communities of Lakes State. This has raised a gross concern to the church," says the Primate in a letter to local leaders calling for support.
The Most Reverend Daniel Deng Bul who also chairs South Sudan National Committee for Peace, Healing and Reconciliation, recently had a pastoral visit to the people of Lakes State and he was confronted with concern of growing revenge killing in the communities of Dinka Agaar and others.
"The leaders brought this concern to my attention. I am responding with this effort and appreciating the youths for having done greatly to consider extending their efforts to their peer group in Lakes State" he explained.
Speaking to parishioners of Emmanuel Parish in Juba on Christmas Day, the Primate declared 2015 as year of peace "We trust God that the year 2015 will be a year of PEACE and Prosperity."
In his letter (a copy of which has been obtained by TCT),addressed to local leaders in various capacities requesting support to the process, the Primate stressed that "...for a nation to realize any meaningful development, peace and security are paramount. Peace is vital, although the attainment of total peace is not an easy task. It is because of such toughness in achieving peace that the Youth of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan is proposing this important peace campaign which I believe will have impact on addressing the insecurity in the Lakes State using proactive, preventive, engaging, and involving strategies."
Rev. Bartholomew Bol Deng, the Interim Chairperson of the Provisional Executive Committee of Jol-Wo-Lieec explained that 200 Christian youthshave mobilized themselves and he called for a massive peace mobilization and campaign to take place in Lakes State in the month of January 2015. Rev. Deng emphasized that this is "part of the church's practical response and initiative to bring about dialogue, peace and reconciliation in the troubled Lakes State."
The Primate has appealed to the local churches around Juba calling for their support, requesting Christians to give special gifts on 25/12/2014 (Christmas Day) and 4th January 2015 (Sunday) towards the support of this mission.
"To achieve this process, it requires massive resources," he stressed
According to Rev. Deng, the requested donation, in addition to other support, will cover food items and transportation of the 200 peace campaigners during the two weeks of campaign and mobilization starting January 7-21, 2015. The estimated budget for the whole exercise starts a little above South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) 400,000 or USD 100,000.
The church youths in cooperation with stakeholders in Lakes State will take the peace campaign to selected 8 counties and 15 cattle camps reaching out to over 5000 youths in the state. Youths in the Rumbek East and some cattle camps have been noted notoriously engaged in the practice of assaulting and revenge killing.
According to Rev. Deng, activities planned to be undertaken include holding planning workshop in Juba with key influential leaders from Lakes State, preparation and disseminate peace messages, through print and radio media outlets, holding youth rallies and focus group meeting, and setting up or strengthening of 23 county and cattle camp youth peace mobilization committees. Rev. Deng said the emphasis for this process is to alert and aware the youths of Rumbek that they must observe peace. "This process will help in creating a sense of urgency to construct sustainable peace among themselves."
Rev. James Maker Achiek, Priest in Charge of Juba Emmanuel's Church and from the Diocese of Awelriel, speaks of how hopeful members of his Church are of the process.
"My church members have high hopes on this process. They were able to raise SSP 8044 to support the initiative," he stated.
"We are appealing to our youths both Christians and non-Christians in Lakes State to consider peacemaking in their communities and refrain from taking law in to their hands but to work hard with the aim to bring peace and unity in the State." He stressed.
Lakes state has been devastated by violence related to cattle raiding and cycle of revenge killings, practices which may date back before South Sudan voted for referendum of succession from the North Sudan.
In August this year, paramount chief Apareer Chut Dhuol, a brother to the current caretaker governor of Lakes State, was gunned down by unknown assailant in Rumbek East County, in what Police authorities at Criminal Investigation Department in Rumbek linked to retaliation for the death of late paramount chief Maker Mabor who was killed in 2002.
Early October this year, the Rt. Rev. Joseph Maker Atot, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pachong was attacked and threatened with death as part of the ongoing revenge killing in the state. He could not return in to his diocese to celebrate Christmas.
While preparing his congregation for Christmas celebration, Rev. Mading Awolnyang was reported last week to have run away from the village in East Rumbek fearing for his dear life after he was attacked, beaten and threatened to lose his life. He remains in hiding and his situation is a concern to the church.
Just after Christmas day, Sudan Tribune reported an incident of "at least 44 people killed and 31 others wounded in fresh inter-clan clashes in Rumbek East County."
According to Rev. Ben Waigo of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan in Juba, many learned people including church leaders in Rumbek areas constantly experience intimidation and threats to get kill in revenge attacks. Rev.
Waigo who has worked in the area for more than three years directing Aluakluak Women Vocational Training Center few miles away from Rumbek said,
"The situation in Lakes State is a threat to national security. People cannot travel or farm freely. This may lead to national food shortage and ineffectiveness to provide basic service to the needy people in this area," he stressed.
Rev. Waigo also said that from his experiences working in the area, many educated natives from Lakes State fear to serve among the communities due to intimidation and threat for revenge killing in the state.
"This situation requires urgent intervention from government, churches and civil societies to address issues which have repeatedly led to cycles of revenge killings." He affirmed
Following the killing of paramount chiefs, series of deliberate and indiscriminate revenge killings have taken place but the government authorities remained unsuccessful to arrest the situation. Church and government leaders have continually made calls for the people of Rumbek to refrain from revenge killing but there has never any change noted.
On the other hand, youth activists and traditional authorities in the area have repeatedly called for the removal of the caretaker governor Matur Chut Dhuol amid claims he has failed to help stop the violence. With experiences as military commander, Dhuol was appointed in January 2013 after President Salva Kiir sacked former governor Eng. Chol Tong.
The Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan is rallying 200 Youth Peace Mobilisers and Campaigners to storm 8 counties and 15 cattle camps on January 7-21, 2015, in Lakes State, targeting youth with messages urging them to consider living in peace and stop revenge killings among themselves.
The Christian Youth Ministry (commonly known among the Dinka Christians as Jol-Wo-Liec or God Look Back On Us) from three clusters of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan including Upper Nile, Torit Missionary Cluster and Bhar el Gazal, under the leadership and guidance of the Archbishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan Dr. Daniel Deng Bul has initiated a massive peace mobilization and campaign process in Lakes State targeting youths from troubled counties and cattle camps.
Stressing the importance of this peace campaign, the Primate noted with great concern that the church is distressed about instability among the communities in South Sudan in general and specially with the current ongoing situation in Lakes States.
"We are troubled by the vicious revenge killings habitually rising among the communities of Lakes State. This has raised a gross concern to the church," says the Primate in a letter to local leaders calling for support.
The Most Reverend Daniel Deng Bul who also chairs South Sudan National Committee for Peace, Healing and Reconciliation, recently had a pastoral visit to the people of Lakes State and he was confronted with concern of growing revenge killing in the communities of Dinka Agaar and others.
"The leaders brought this concern to my attention. I am responding with this effort and appreciating the youths for having done greatly to consider extending their efforts to their peer group in Lakes State" he explained.
Speaking to parishioners of Emmanuel Parish in Juba on Christmas Day, the Primate declared 2015 as year of peace "We trust God that the year 2015 will be a year of PEACE and Prosperity."
In his letter (a copy of which has been obtained by TCT),addressed to local leaders in various capacities requesting support to the process, the Primate stressed that "...for a nation to realize any meaningful development, peace and security are paramount. Peace is vital, although the attainment of total peace is not an easy task. It is because of such toughness in achieving peace that the Youth of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan is proposing this important peace campaign which I believe will have impact on addressing the insecurity in the Lakes State using proactive, preventive, engaging, and involving strategies."
Rev. Bartholomew Bol Deng, the Interim Chairperson of the Provisional Executive Committee of Jol-Wo-Lieec explained that 200 Christian youthshave mobilized themselves and he called for a massive peace mobilization and campaign to take place in Lakes State in the month of January 2015. Rev. Deng emphasized that this is "part of the church's practical response and initiative to bring about dialogue, peace and reconciliation in the troubled Lakes State."
The Primate has appealed to the local churches around Juba calling for their support, requesting Christians to give special gifts on 25/12/2014 (Christmas Day) and 4th January 2015 (Sunday) towards the support of this mission.
"To achieve this process, it requires massive resources," he stressed
According to Rev. Deng, the requested donation, in addition to other support, will cover food items and transportation of the 200 peace campaigners during the two weeks of campaign and mobilization starting January 7-21, 2015. The estimated budget for the whole exercise starts a little above South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) 400,000 or USD 100,000.
The church youths in cooperation with stakeholders in Lakes State will take the peace campaign to selected 8 counties and 15 cattle camps reaching out to over 5000 youths in the state. Youths in the Rumbek East and some cattle camps have been noted notoriously engaged in the practice of assaulting and revenge killing.
According to Rev. Deng, activities planned to be undertaken include holding planning workshop in Juba with key influential leaders from Lakes State, preparation and disseminate peace messages, through print and radio media outlets, holding youth rallies and focus group meeting, and setting up or strengthening of 23 county and cattle camp youth peace mobilization committees. Rev. Deng said the emphasis for this process is to alert and aware the youths of Rumbek that they must observe peace. "This process will help in creating a sense of urgency to construct sustainable peace among themselves."
Rev. James Maker Achiek, Priest in Charge of Juba Emmanuel's Church and from the Diocese of Awelriel, speaks of how hopeful members of his Church are of the process.
"My church members have high hopes on this process. They were able to raise SSP 8044 to support the initiative," he stated.
"We are appealing to our youths both Christians and non-Christians in Lakes State to consider peacemaking in their communities and refrain from taking law in to their hands but to work hard with the aim to bring peace and unity in the State." He stressed.
Lakes state has been devastated by violence related to cattle raiding and cycle of revenge killings, practices which may date back before South Sudan voted for referendum of succession from the North Sudan.
In August this year, paramount chief Apareer Chut Dhuol, a brother to the current caretaker governor of Lakes State, was gunned down by unknown assailant in Rumbek East County, in what Police authorities at Criminal Investigation Department in Rumbek linked to retaliation for the death of late paramount chief Maker Mabor who was killed in 2002.
Early October this year, the Rt. Rev. Joseph Maker Atot, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pachong was attacked and threatened with death as part of the ongoing revenge killing in the state. He could not return in to his diocese to celebrate Christmas.
While preparing his congregation for Christmas celebration, Rev. Mading Awolnyang was reported last week to have run away from the village in East Rumbek fearing for his dear life after he was attacked, beaten and threatened to lose his life. He remains in hiding and his situation is a concern to the church.
Just after Christmas day, Sudan Tribune reported an incident of "at least 44 people killed and 31 others wounded in fresh inter-clan clashes in Rumbek East County."
According to Rev. Ben Waigo of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan in Juba, many learned people including church leaders in Rumbek areas constantly experience intimidation and threats to get kill in revenge attacks. Rev.
Waigo who has worked in the area for more than three years directing Aluakluak Women Vocational Training Center few miles away from Rumbek said,
"The situation in Lakes State is a threat to national security. People cannot travel or farm freely. This may lead to national food shortage and ineffectiveness to provide basic service to the needy people in this area," he stressed.
Rev. Waigo also said that from his experiences working in the area, many educated natives from Lakes State fear to serve among the communities due to intimidation and threat for revenge killing in the state.
"This situation requires urgent intervention from government, churches and civil societies to address issues which have repeatedly led to cycles of revenge killings." He affirmed
Following the killing of paramount chiefs, series of deliberate and indiscriminate revenge killings have taken place but the government authorities remained unsuccessful to arrest the situation. Church and government leaders have continually made calls for the people of Rumbek to refrain from revenge killing but there has never any change noted.
On the other hand, youth activists and traditional authorities in the area have repeatedly called for the removal of the caretaker governor Matur Chut Dhuol amid claims he has failed to help stop the violence. With experiences as military commander, Dhuol was appointed in January 2013 after President Salva Kiir sacked former governor Eng. Chol Tong.