Fwd: [sudans-john-ashworth] How is the Church responding to South Sudan's war?
1 view
Skip to first unread message
Elisabeth Janaina
Jan 15, 2017, 11:25:20 AM1/15/17
to southsudankob
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "John Ashworth" <ashwor...@gmail.com>
Date: 15 Jan 2017 19:22
Subject: [sudans-john-ashworth] How is the Church responding to South Sudan's war?
To: "Group" <sudans-joh...@googlegroups.com>
Cc:
SOUTH SUDAN: HOW IS THE CHURCH RESPONDING TO AFRICA’S FORGOTTEN WAR?
The Church is urging a radical reliance on active non-violence to
bring peace to this perennially war-torn country. They have the trust
of the people, but will their leaders listen?
12 January 2017 | by John Ashworth | The Tablet
Juba, the capital of South Sudan, December 2016: It is hot and dusty.
Half the shops are closed, inflation is skyrocketing, the economy is
in meltdown. The town is calm, but the tension is palpable. People are
hungry. Many have fled to the bush, or to neighbouring countries, or
are still sheltering in camps under the dubious protection of the
United Nations. The outbreak of violence last July is still fresh in
everyone’s minds.
Outside the capital, roads are unsafe due to ambushes. Skirmishing
between government and rebel forces continues in many parts of the
country. “Unknown gunmen” has become the euphemism for armed men,
often in uniform, who appear to be above the law and who kill, rape
and loot with impunity.
Just before Christmas, President Salva Kiir Mayardit announced a
national dialogue, but already it appears to have become politicised,
with many opposition groups rejecting it. There was no midnight Mass.
The Archbishop of Juba, Paulino Lukudu Loro, instead appealed for
restraint and the avoidance of killing or stealing as people did their
best to celebrate.
In December 2013, less than three years after a joyous celebration of
independence following a liberation struggle lasting 50 years,
violence broke out again in South Sudan. What began as a power
struggle between two of the new state’s leaders, President Salva Kiir
and his then Vice President Dr Riek Machar, and their factions,
rapidly took on a chilling ethnic dimension.
Systematic rape became a routine weapon of war. The new conflict was
driven by the baggage of the past. A lifetime of violent conflict had
left a legacy of trauma, corruption, tribalism, nepotism,
authoritarianism and militarism. Issues such as reconciliation,
developing a constitution owned by the people, creating a national
identity, the rule of law, transition from an armed liberation
movement to a multi-party democracy, integration of the various armed
forces into a national army, and developing basic services such as
health and education, were neglected.
Neither the government nor the rebels are unified entities; both are a
hotchpotch of different movements, factions, militias, parties, tribes
and other vested interests whose nominal leaders constantly have to
make compromises to balance competing interests. The situation becomes
ever more polarised, fragmented, unstable. The curse of oil, which
made up more than 90 per cent of national revenue, gave the government
little incentive to develop a well-rounded economy; when oil prices
dropped, what little economy there was broke down. The lion’s share of
government funding is spent on the military, with very little
servicing the needs of the people.
And yet … hope remains. People look to the Church, as they have done
so often before. “The Church” in South Sudan is ecumenical, with all
the main denominations working together through the South Sudan
Council of Churches (SSCC), which has a Presbyterian moderator as
chair and a Catholic priest as secretary-general. Church leaders
recently went to Rome to meet Pope Francis, followed by a trip to
London to visit the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Pope has been
invited to visit South Sudan, and the indications are that this may
happen this year.
The Church is still the only institution in South Sudan that is really
trusted by the people. It cuts across ethnic, political and
geographical divisions. Building on its track record in previous
conflicts, the Church is currently rolling out its Action Plan for
Peace, based on the three pillars of advocacy, creating neutral forums
for dialogue and reconciliation.
Advocacy will seek to change the narrative of violence and hate
speech, as well as influencing regional and international power
brokers. Neutral forums will create a safe space where South Sudanese
stakeholders can address the root causes of their conflict and
contribute to the process of dialogue. Reconciliation will build on
previous Church-led initiatives to restore broken relationships and
bring healing to communities. There is no “quick fix” to peace; the
SSCC is telling all-comers that the process will continue for 10 to 20
years.
There are also many small and inspiring signs of hope. Bishop Emeritus
Paride Taban’s Holy Trinity Peace Village is an oasis of peace in a
conflict-ridden nation. His own spirituality and the experience of
living in the peace village community form the basis for personal
transformation, the only real way to overcome violence and build
peace. A grass-roots movement called Ana Taban (“I am tired”) is
promoting non-violent action by artists and young people. Women in
Juba hold a prayer rally on the first Saturday of every month,
marching through the streets and concluding with prayers at one of the
city’s churches.
The Church continues to provide pastoral and spiritual care, schools,
hospitals, clinics, teacher-training colleges, a Catholic university,
development projects, relief for the poor, and much more, despite the
problems and the dangers in the country. Unlike the UN and the NGOs,
the Church does not evacuate its personnel when there is insecurity
and danger; they live out a theology of incarnation by remaining with
their people – and often pay the ultimate price for doing so. Many
pastors lost their lives protecting people from different ethnic
groups during the initial violence in December 2013. As recently as
last May a missionary sister was shot dead by armed men while driving
a clearly-marked ambulance after she had just transported a pregnant
woman to hospital.
The people of South Sudan are truly weary of war. Yet many of their
leaders still seem to believe that violence can resolve the country’s
problems. It was refreshing to hear President Salva Kiir speak
recently of unity, forgiveness and dialogue, and ask the people to
forgive him for any mistakes he might have committed. But the fighting
continues, and for it to have any credibility, the government must now
match its words with actions. All the leaders – both government and
rebel – have spent virtually their entire lives at war. It is as if
they have no other lens through which to view the country’s problems.
With this in mind, the South Sudanese Church is finding itself
increasingly drawn to the language of active non-violence and just
peace being developed by Pax Christi International and the Pontifical
Council for Justice and Peace (now part of the Dicastery for Promoting
Integral Human Development, under the leadership of Cardinal Peter
Turkson), following their conference in Rome last March, in which the
SSCC participated.
In its Christmas message, the SSCC quoted extensively from Pope
Francis’ Message for the World Day of Peace: “Can violence achieve any
goal of lasting value? Or does it merely lead to retaliation and a
cycle of deadly conflicts that benefit only a few ‘warlords’?” The new
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, echoes these sentiments,
saying: “No one wins these wars; everyone loses.”
Miraculously, Christmas in Juba was peaceful, but the killing
continues in other parts of South Sudan. Guterres has appealed to the
whole world to “put peace first” in 2017. Pope Francis says the same:
“In 2017, may we dedicate ourselves prayerfully and actively to
banishing violence from our hearts, words and deeds, and to becoming
non-violent people and to building non-violent communities that care
for our common home.”
The churches of South Sudan chose two Scripture verses to head their
joint Christmas message: “The people who walked in darkness have seen
a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them
light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2) and “Even though I walk through the
darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23). The
ordinary people of South Sudan take those words to heart – they have
indeed walked in darkness. Yet despite all the suffering, the killing,
the rapes, the violence, the trauma, ultimately the light will shine
and the desire for peace of this resilient people will triumph.
John Ashworth has worked with the Church in South Sudan and Sudan for
34 years. His book, The Voice of the Voiceless (Paulines, 2014),
describes the role the Church played during the [previous] civil war.
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/features/2/9359/south-sudan-how-is-the-church-responding-to-africa-s-forgotten-war-
END
______________________
John Ashworth
ashwor...@gmail.com
+254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile)
+211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile)
+44 787 976 8030 (UK mobile)
+88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone)
Skype: jashworth1
PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily
reflect the views of any organisation
--
--
The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited.
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group.
To post to this group, send email to sudan-john-ashworth@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to sudan-john-ashworth-unsub...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudans-john-ashworth" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to sudans-john-ashworth+unsub...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/sudans-john-ashworth.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
From: "John Ashworth" <ashwor...@gmail.com>
Date: 15 Jan 2017 19:22
Subject: [sudans-john-ashworth] How is the Church responding to South Sudan's war?
To: "Group" <sudans-joh...@googlegroups.com>
Cc:
SOUTH SUDAN: HOW IS THE CHURCH RESPONDING TO AFRICA’S FORGOTTEN WAR?
The Church is urging a radical reliance on active non-violence to
bring peace to this perennially war-torn country. They have the trust
of the people, but will their leaders listen?
12 January 2017 | by John Ashworth | The Tablet
Juba, the capital of South Sudan, December 2016: It is hot and dusty.
Half the shops are closed, inflation is skyrocketing, the economy is
in meltdown. The town is calm, but the tension is palpable. People are
hungry. Many have fled to the bush, or to neighbouring countries, or
are still sheltering in camps under the dubious protection of the
United Nations. The outbreak of violence last July is still fresh in
everyone’s minds.
Outside the capital, roads are unsafe due to ambushes. Skirmishing
between government and rebel forces continues in many parts of the
country. “Unknown gunmen” has become the euphemism for armed men,
often in uniform, who appear to be above the law and who kill, rape
and loot with impunity.
Just before Christmas, President Salva Kiir Mayardit announced a
national dialogue, but already it appears to have become politicised,
with many opposition groups rejecting it. There was no midnight Mass.
The Archbishop of Juba, Paulino Lukudu Loro, instead appealed for
restraint and the avoidance of killing or stealing as people did their
best to celebrate.
In December 2013, less than three years after a joyous celebration of
independence following a liberation struggle lasting 50 years,
violence broke out again in South Sudan. What began as a power
struggle between two of the new state’s leaders, President Salva Kiir
and his then Vice President Dr Riek Machar, and their factions,
rapidly took on a chilling ethnic dimension.
Systematic rape became a routine weapon of war. The new conflict was
driven by the baggage of the past. A lifetime of violent conflict had
left a legacy of trauma, corruption, tribalism, nepotism,
authoritarianism and militarism. Issues such as reconciliation,
developing a constitution owned by the people, creating a national
identity, the rule of law, transition from an armed liberation
movement to a multi-party democracy, integration of the various armed
forces into a national army, and developing basic services such as
health and education, were neglected.
Neither the government nor the rebels are unified entities; both are a
hotchpotch of different movements, factions, militias, parties, tribes
and other vested interests whose nominal leaders constantly have to
make compromises to balance competing interests. The situation becomes
ever more polarised, fragmented, unstable. The curse of oil, which
made up more than 90 per cent of national revenue, gave the government
little incentive to develop a well-rounded economy; when oil prices
dropped, what little economy there was broke down. The lion’s share of
government funding is spent on the military, with very little
servicing the needs of the people.
And yet … hope remains. People look to the Church, as they have done
so often before. “The Church” in South Sudan is ecumenical, with all
the main denominations working together through the South Sudan
Council of Churches (SSCC), which has a Presbyterian moderator as
chair and a Catholic priest as secretary-general. Church leaders
recently went to Rome to meet Pope Francis, followed by a trip to
London to visit the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Pope has been
invited to visit South Sudan, and the indications are that this may
happen this year.
The Church is still the only institution in South Sudan that is really
trusted by the people. It cuts across ethnic, political and
geographical divisions. Building on its track record in previous
conflicts, the Church is currently rolling out its Action Plan for
Peace, based on the three pillars of advocacy, creating neutral forums
for dialogue and reconciliation.
Advocacy will seek to change the narrative of violence and hate
speech, as well as influencing regional and international power
brokers. Neutral forums will create a safe space where South Sudanese
stakeholders can address the root causes of their conflict and
contribute to the process of dialogue. Reconciliation will build on
previous Church-led initiatives to restore broken relationships and
bring healing to communities. There is no “quick fix” to peace; the
SSCC is telling all-comers that the process will continue for 10 to 20
years.
There are also many small and inspiring signs of hope. Bishop Emeritus
Paride Taban’s Holy Trinity Peace Village is an oasis of peace in a
conflict-ridden nation. His own spirituality and the experience of
living in the peace village community form the basis for personal
transformation, the only real way to overcome violence and build
peace. A grass-roots movement called Ana Taban (“I am tired”) is
promoting non-violent action by artists and young people. Women in
Juba hold a prayer rally on the first Saturday of every month,
marching through the streets and concluding with prayers at one of the
city’s churches.
The Church continues to provide pastoral and spiritual care, schools,
hospitals, clinics, teacher-training colleges, a Catholic university,
development projects, relief for the poor, and much more, despite the
problems and the dangers in the country. Unlike the UN and the NGOs,
the Church does not evacuate its personnel when there is insecurity
and danger; they live out a theology of incarnation by remaining with
their people – and often pay the ultimate price for doing so. Many
pastors lost their lives protecting people from different ethnic
groups during the initial violence in December 2013. As recently as
last May a missionary sister was shot dead by armed men while driving
a clearly-marked ambulance after she had just transported a pregnant
woman to hospital.
The people of South Sudan are truly weary of war. Yet many of their
leaders still seem to believe that violence can resolve the country’s
problems. It was refreshing to hear President Salva Kiir speak
recently of unity, forgiveness and dialogue, and ask the people to
forgive him for any mistakes he might have committed. But the fighting
continues, and for it to have any credibility, the government must now
match its words with actions. All the leaders – both government and
rebel – have spent virtually their entire lives at war. It is as if
they have no other lens through which to view the country’s problems.
With this in mind, the South Sudanese Church is finding itself
increasingly drawn to the language of active non-violence and just
peace being developed by Pax Christi International and the Pontifical
Council for Justice and Peace (now part of the Dicastery for Promoting
Integral Human Development, under the leadership of Cardinal Peter
Turkson), following their conference in Rome last March, in which the
SSCC participated.
In its Christmas message, the SSCC quoted extensively from Pope
Francis’ Message for the World Day of Peace: “Can violence achieve any
goal of lasting value? Or does it merely lead to retaliation and a
cycle of deadly conflicts that benefit only a few ‘warlords’?” The new
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, echoes these sentiments,
saying: “No one wins these wars; everyone loses.”
Miraculously, Christmas in Juba was peaceful, but the killing
continues in other parts of South Sudan. Guterres has appealed to the
whole world to “put peace first” in 2017. Pope Francis says the same:
“In 2017, may we dedicate ourselves prayerfully and actively to
banishing violence from our hearts, words and deeds, and to becoming
non-violent people and to building non-violent communities that care
for our common home.”
The churches of South Sudan chose two Scripture verses to head their
joint Christmas message: “The people who walked in darkness have seen
a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them
light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2) and “Even though I walk through the
darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23). The
ordinary people of South Sudan take those words to heart – they have
indeed walked in darkness. Yet despite all the suffering, the killing,
the rapes, the violence, the trauma, ultimately the light will shine
and the desire for peace of this resilient people will triumph.
John Ashworth has worked with the Church in South Sudan and Sudan for
34 years. His book, The Voice of the Voiceless (Paulines, 2014),
describes the role the Church played during the [previous] civil war.
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/features/2/9359/south-sudan-how-is-the-church-responding-to-africa-s-forgotten-war-
END
______________________
John Ashworth
ashwor...@gmail.com
+254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile)
+211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile)
+44 787 976 8030 (UK mobile)
+88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone)
Skype: jashworth1
PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily
reflect the views of any organisation
--
--
The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited.
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group.
To post to this group, send email to sudan-john-ashworth@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to sudan-john-ashworth-unsub...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudans-john-ashworth" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to sudans-john-ashworth+unsub...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/sudans-john-ashworth.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages