Special investigation: 39 church leaders killed in South Sudan since 2013
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Elisabeth Janaina
Apr 16, 2017, 11:06:26 AM4/16/17
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Special investigation: 39 church leaders killed in South Sudan since 2013
South Sudanese sing at the first Presbyterian Church of Albert Lea
(Albert Lea Tribune)
South Sudanese sing at the first Presbyterian Church of Albert Lea
(Albert Lea Tribune)
At least 39 church leaders have been killed across South Sudan between
December 2013 and March 2017, according to investigations carried out
by Radio Tamazuj.
South Sudan descended into civil war in December 2013 after President
Salva Kiir fell out with his rival and former deputy Riek Machar.
The two rival forces and unknown criminals, besides the cattle
raiders are being accused of involvement in the killing of the church
leaders in the world’s youngest nation.
The investigations found that 32 of 39 the church leaders killed were
ordained priests, mostly of South Sudan’s Episcopal Church, while
others were from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and a Catholic
catechist.
The other seven church leaders included evangelists and lay readers
who were also brutally killed in different churches based on their
ethnicity in Western Equatoria in 2016.
Although South Sudan’s Council of Churches declined to talk about the
matter, Radio Tamazuj managed to reach several Christian leaders who
confirmed the figure of the church leaders killed either by government
soldiers or rebel fighters across the country since the outbreak of
the civil war in 2013.
Juba city
Rev. William Tut, a pastor of Sudan Sudan’s Evangelical Presbyterian
Church, said at least 10 pastors from their church were killed since
December 2013 in deferent parts of South Sudan.
He pointed out that Rev. Simon Nyang was killed on his way to the UN
camp in the capital Juba on 16 December 2013.
Former Upper Nile State
Rev. Tut said that Rev. Daniel Giel Pal, Rev. James Chuol Rual and
James Atier were killed inside a Presbyterian church in Malakal town
in January 2014 when the war broke out in Malakal town.
He further said Rev. Yohanis Bor Koang and Rev. Simon Diu Rial were
killed between Bailiet and Ulang Counties in former Upper Nile State
by government troops in May 2015.
Former Unity State
The religious leader pointed out that Rev. William Nyuon Chany and
Rev. Peter Par Thiich were killed in former Unity State in 2014 and
2015.
Tut noted that Rev. William Nyuon was killed on his way to the UN camp
in May 2014 in Bentiu town, while Peter Par Thiich was killed in
Mayendit County in 2015.
He explained that most of their priests were killed inside the
churches, while others were killed on their way to the UN camps in
Jonglei, Unity, Upper Nile and Central Equatoria States.
The Presbyterian priest accused the government troops of killing his
colleagues in different parts of South Sudan.
“What I came to realize is that people in South Sudan do not respect
church leaders, but we shall not give up, we shall continue praying
for those who do not need peace until they accept it,” said Tut.
“We need peace and we will pray for those who see the people of God as
enemies to change their hearts,” he added.
Jonglei State
Rev. Thomas Agou, Dean of St. Andrew Church, Diocese of Bor, said at
least 15 Episcopal Church pastors were killed in different areas
within the Dioceses of Bor in mid January 2014 shortly after the war
broke out in Juba.
He further said 7 out the 15 pastors were murdered inside St. Andrew
Church in Bor town allegedly by the White Army, a militia group loyal
to former Vice President Riek Machar.
The church leader noted that other two pastors from the same church
were also killed in a road ambush laid by unknown gunmen along the
Juba-Bor road in February 2015.
Agou said six pastors were also killed inside different churches in
Jalle and Wernyol areas when suspected cattle raiders from
neighbouring Boma State attacked those two villages in 2016.
“What can I say to those who do not respect the people of God like
priests? What can I say? It shows that they don’t differentiate
between people, they just kill anyhow based on ethnicity, especially
if he hails from some tribes like Dinka and Nuer, they just kill,
they do not care if he is a priest or not,”” said Agou.
“We need peace in the country so that the killing can stop, people
need to forgive each other and avoid cattle rustling and child
abductions,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rev. William Tut from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church
of South Sudan, said Rev. Alfred Majok Giek was killed on his way to
the UN camp in Bor town on 19 December 2013.
In July 2015, Tut said, Rev. Moses Mun Tiel was also killed by
government soldiers based on his ethnicity at Pajut area near Yuai
town, the headquarters of Uror County.
Yei River State
Margret Jamba, Archdeacon of South Sudan’s Episcopal Church in Yei,
said Rev. Simon Kwaje who was working as a priest at the Emmanuel
Cathedral was found brutally killed by unknown gunmen along the
Juba-Mukaya road in March 2017.
Meanwhile, Episcopal Bishop Arkangelo Wani, who is also a member of
South Sudan’s Council of Churches, said they did have statistics
concerning all priests killed in Yei since 2013.
However, he said: “I was told that some unknown people came and took
Simon Kwaje and after some days, people didn’t know exactly what
happened.”
Mama Hawa Adam, Deputy Chairperson for Yei County Women's Association,
said Rev. Francis Taban was shot and killed at his home by unknown
gunmen on 30 March 2017.
“In November 2015, another priest was reported killed in Morobo County
and I could not remember his name,” she said.
Bishop Elie Kajaminyo of the Episcopal Church in Kajo-keji said their
diocese lost one priest in Nyepo County in 2016.
He pointed out that Rev. Victor Sokil was killed by suspected
government soldiers while looking after his cattle in Nyepo County.
Former Western Equatoria State
Pastor Felix Zara Kurai from the Episcopal diocese of Mundri said two
ordained priests were killed in separate incidents within the
government-controlled areas in Amadi State.
According to Felix, Rev. Lino Apollo was killed by unknown gunmen on
19 July 2016, saying Apollo was working as a pastor at Medewu parish.
The church leader further said another pastor identified as Rev. Simon
Tatawa Wilson was killed by unknown gunmen in Mundri East County on
March 24, 2017.
Mathew Taban Peter, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Wonduruba
Diocese, said they have not lost any priest in the area.
However, he said a Catholic catechist named Onesmo Wani was killed
inside a church in Wonduruba County by SPLA-IO rebels in 2016.
It remains unclear how the Catholic catechist was killed, but the
bishop pointed out that he was killed in cold blood in Katigiri area.
Radio Tamazuj could not reach the leadership of Raman Catholic Church
in South Sudan to confirm how many Catholic priests were killed since
the civil war erupted in the country.
Meanwhile, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan and South Sudan
Dr. Daniel Deng Bul, declined to say how many Episcopal priests were
killed since fighting erupted in December 2013 until now.
“I am not in a position to tell you how many people have been killed,
it is you people in the media who have information about church
leaders killed from Anglican Church,” said Deng.
“The question now is not about the number, but rather the question is
why priests are being killed? That’s why I am telling you, please you
have access to those people [killers] as the media, go and asked them
why the church leaders are being killed,” he added.
The top church leader called on the people of South Sudan to stop the
ongoing war and embrace peace and dialogue.
For their part, South Sudan's government and rebels allied to former
First Vice President Riek Machar have traded accusations over the
killing of the church leaders in the country.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, William Gatjiath Deng, Spokesman of the
SPLA-IO faction allied to Riek Machar, denied claims that they killed
several church leaders since the war broke out in 2013.
“This accusation is a total lie. Our forces did not kill any church
leaders, when we captured Bor town, I personally took seven priests to
the UN PoC, “he claimed.
He further said the priests who lost their lives were killed in
crossfire during clashes between the government forces and SPLA-IO
troops.
Gatjiath accused the government forces of killing church leaders based
on their ethnicity inside their churches and houses across the
country.
Reacting to the accusations, the SPLA Deputy Military Spokesperson,
Santo Domic denied reports that their forces killed dozens of church
leaders in deferent parts of South Sudan.
“Concerning the issue of Yei, before going to the media and claim
that the SPLA army has killed a church leader, church leaders
themselves should have taken the issue to court if they knew that it
was the SPLA that killed the priest,” said Domic.
He pointed out that such baseless accusations are meant to smear the
reputation of the SPLA army.
“Since 1980s, churches helped the SPLA army during the liberation
struggle when we were fighting against the Khartoum government, even
some SPLA officers have graduated from schools operated by churches,
so I don’t think that the same SPLA can turn against the churches and
kill priests, said Domic.
South Sudan’s presidential spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, denied
knowledge of dozens of church leaders killed since the conflict broke
out since 2013.
“I want to say that the government of South Sudan doesn’t have any
problem with the church leaders even if some of them started speaking
against the government, but we don’t have any problem with churches,”
said Ateny.
The official pointed out that it is not a state policy to kill
priests, while blaming criminals for the incidents in which dozens of
pastors and other church leaders were killed across the country.
South Sudanese sing at the first Presbyterian Church of Albert Lea
(Albert Lea Tribune)
South Sudanese sing at the first Presbyterian Church of Albert Lea
(Albert Lea Tribune)
At least 39 church leaders have been killed across South Sudan between
December 2013 and March 2017, according to investigations carried out
by Radio Tamazuj.
South Sudan descended into civil war in December 2013 after President
Salva Kiir fell out with his rival and former deputy Riek Machar.
The two rival forces and unknown criminals, besides the cattle
raiders are being accused of involvement in the killing of the church
leaders in the world’s youngest nation.
The investigations found that 32 of 39 the church leaders killed were
ordained priests, mostly of South Sudan’s Episcopal Church, while
others were from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and a Catholic
catechist.
The other seven church leaders included evangelists and lay readers
who were also brutally killed in different churches based on their
ethnicity in Western Equatoria in 2016.
Although South Sudan’s Council of Churches declined to talk about the
matter, Radio Tamazuj managed to reach several Christian leaders who
confirmed the figure of the church leaders killed either by government
soldiers or rebel fighters across the country since the outbreak of
the civil war in 2013.
Juba city
Rev. William Tut, a pastor of Sudan Sudan’s Evangelical Presbyterian
Church, said at least 10 pastors from their church were killed since
December 2013 in deferent parts of South Sudan.
He pointed out that Rev. Simon Nyang was killed on his way to the UN
camp in the capital Juba on 16 December 2013.
Former Upper Nile State
Rev. Tut said that Rev. Daniel Giel Pal, Rev. James Chuol Rual and
James Atier were killed inside a Presbyterian church in Malakal town
in January 2014 when the war broke out in Malakal town.
He further said Rev. Yohanis Bor Koang and Rev. Simon Diu Rial were
killed between Bailiet and Ulang Counties in former Upper Nile State
by government troops in May 2015.
Former Unity State
The religious leader pointed out that Rev. William Nyuon Chany and
Rev. Peter Par Thiich were killed in former Unity State in 2014 and
2015.
Tut noted that Rev. William Nyuon was killed on his way to the UN camp
in May 2014 in Bentiu town, while Peter Par Thiich was killed in
Mayendit County in 2015.
He explained that most of their priests were killed inside the
churches, while others were killed on their way to the UN camps in
Jonglei, Unity, Upper Nile and Central Equatoria States.
The Presbyterian priest accused the government troops of killing his
colleagues in different parts of South Sudan.
“What I came to realize is that people in South Sudan do not respect
church leaders, but we shall not give up, we shall continue praying
for those who do not need peace until they accept it,” said Tut.
“We need peace and we will pray for those who see the people of God as
enemies to change their hearts,” he added.
Jonglei State
Rev. Thomas Agou, Dean of St. Andrew Church, Diocese of Bor, said at
least 15 Episcopal Church pastors were killed in different areas
within the Dioceses of Bor in mid January 2014 shortly after the war
broke out in Juba.
He further said 7 out the 15 pastors were murdered inside St. Andrew
Church in Bor town allegedly by the White Army, a militia group loyal
to former Vice President Riek Machar.
The church leader noted that other two pastors from the same church
were also killed in a road ambush laid by unknown gunmen along the
Juba-Bor road in February 2015.
Agou said six pastors were also killed inside different churches in
Jalle and Wernyol areas when suspected cattle raiders from
neighbouring Boma State attacked those two villages in 2016.
“What can I say to those who do not respect the people of God like
priests? What can I say? It shows that they don’t differentiate
between people, they just kill anyhow based on ethnicity, especially
if he hails from some tribes like Dinka and Nuer, they just kill,
they do not care if he is a priest or not,”” said Agou.
“We need peace in the country so that the killing can stop, people
need to forgive each other and avoid cattle rustling and child
abductions,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rev. William Tut from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church
of South Sudan, said Rev. Alfred Majok Giek was killed on his way to
the UN camp in Bor town on 19 December 2013.
In July 2015, Tut said, Rev. Moses Mun Tiel was also killed by
government soldiers based on his ethnicity at Pajut area near Yuai
town, the headquarters of Uror County.
Yei River State
Margret Jamba, Archdeacon of South Sudan’s Episcopal Church in Yei,
said Rev. Simon Kwaje who was working as a priest at the Emmanuel
Cathedral was found brutally killed by unknown gunmen along the
Juba-Mukaya road in March 2017.
Meanwhile, Episcopal Bishop Arkangelo Wani, who is also a member of
South Sudan’s Council of Churches, said they did have statistics
concerning all priests killed in Yei since 2013.
However, he said: “I was told that some unknown people came and took
Simon Kwaje and after some days, people didn’t know exactly what
happened.”
Mama Hawa Adam, Deputy Chairperson for Yei County Women's Association,
said Rev. Francis Taban was shot and killed at his home by unknown
gunmen on 30 March 2017.
“In November 2015, another priest was reported killed in Morobo County
and I could not remember his name,” she said.
Bishop Elie Kajaminyo of the Episcopal Church in Kajo-keji said their
diocese lost one priest in Nyepo County in 2016.
He pointed out that Rev. Victor Sokil was killed by suspected
government soldiers while looking after his cattle in Nyepo County.
Former Western Equatoria State
Pastor Felix Zara Kurai from the Episcopal diocese of Mundri said two
ordained priests were killed in separate incidents within the
government-controlled areas in Amadi State.
According to Felix, Rev. Lino Apollo was killed by unknown gunmen on
19 July 2016, saying Apollo was working as a pastor at Medewu parish.
The church leader further said another pastor identified as Rev. Simon
Tatawa Wilson was killed by unknown gunmen in Mundri East County on
March 24, 2017.
Mathew Taban Peter, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Wonduruba
Diocese, said they have not lost any priest in the area.
However, he said a Catholic catechist named Onesmo Wani was killed
inside a church in Wonduruba County by SPLA-IO rebels in 2016.
It remains unclear how the Catholic catechist was killed, but the
bishop pointed out that he was killed in cold blood in Katigiri area.
Radio Tamazuj could not reach the leadership of Raman Catholic Church
in South Sudan to confirm how many Catholic priests were killed since
the civil war erupted in the country.
Meanwhile, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan and South Sudan
Dr. Daniel Deng Bul, declined to say how many Episcopal priests were
killed since fighting erupted in December 2013 until now.
“I am not in a position to tell you how many people have been killed,
it is you people in the media who have information about church
leaders killed from Anglican Church,” said Deng.
“The question now is not about the number, but rather the question is
why priests are being killed? That’s why I am telling you, please you
have access to those people [killers] as the media, go and asked them
why the church leaders are being killed,” he added.
The top church leader called on the people of South Sudan to stop the
ongoing war and embrace peace and dialogue.
For their part, South Sudan's government and rebels allied to former
First Vice President Riek Machar have traded accusations over the
killing of the church leaders in the country.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, William Gatjiath Deng, Spokesman of the
SPLA-IO faction allied to Riek Machar, denied claims that they killed
several church leaders since the war broke out in 2013.
“This accusation is a total lie. Our forces did not kill any church
leaders, when we captured Bor town, I personally took seven priests to
the UN PoC, “he claimed.
He further said the priests who lost their lives were killed in
crossfire during clashes between the government forces and SPLA-IO
troops.
Gatjiath accused the government forces of killing church leaders based
on their ethnicity inside their churches and houses across the
country.
Reacting to the accusations, the SPLA Deputy Military Spokesperson,
Santo Domic denied reports that their forces killed dozens of church
leaders in deferent parts of South Sudan.
“Concerning the issue of Yei, before going to the media and claim
that the SPLA army has killed a church leader, church leaders
themselves should have taken the issue to court if they knew that it
was the SPLA that killed the priest,” said Domic.
He pointed out that such baseless accusations are meant to smear the
reputation of the SPLA army.
“Since 1980s, churches helped the SPLA army during the liberation
struggle when we were fighting against the Khartoum government, even
some SPLA officers have graduated from schools operated by churches,
so I don’t think that the same SPLA can turn against the churches and
kill priests, said Domic.
South Sudan’s presidential spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, denied
knowledge of dozens of church leaders killed since the conflict broke
out since 2013.
“I want to say that the government of South Sudan doesn’t have any
problem with the church leaders even if some of them started speaking
against the government, but we don’t have any problem with churches,”
said Ateny.
The official pointed out that it is not a state policy to kill
priests, while blaming criminals for the incidents in which dozens of
pastors and other church leaders were killed across the country.
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