‘Bountiful’ South Sudan can only feed its people in peace, say bishops
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John Ashworth
Apr 12, 2026, 1:48:54 PM (7 days ago) Apr 12
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1. ‘Bountiful’ South Sudan can only feed its people in peace, say bishops
Fredrick Nzwili
12 April 2026, The Tablet
‘Food is dignity. Food is stability. Food is peace,’ said Bishop
Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala as he urged families to return to the
land and cultivate with hope.
Catholic bishops in South Sudan urged the people to choose peace and
remain hopeful, calling on the authorities to invest in food security
rather than weapons of war.
The bishops made their pleas in separate Easter messages, delivered
amid fears that the nation was sliding back to civil war.
Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio told the
people of his diocese that their “Galilee” was in South Sudan, where
the soil is rich, “yet hearts are wounded [because] where God has
given abundance, yet our people still hunger”.
Kussala said South Sudanese must face the difficult truth that the
taking of life had been tolerated, and even celebrated as bravery,
revenge or pride. Instead, he urged them to choose love and life over
death, since life is sacred and belongs to God.
“Easter is the victory of life over death. Yet in our land, death
still walks too freely. Violence has wounded our nation, and too often
human life is taken lightly,” he said.
A nation that does not protect life cannot stand, warned the bishop,
and people who do not value life cannot prosper.
“There can be no food security without human security. When people are
afraid, they abandon their farms. When violence spreads, fields fall
silent. When life is threatened, hunger follows,” he said, reminding
the people that God has blessed South Sudan abundantly, the land can
feed them, but only in peace.
“Food is dignity. Food is stability. Food is peace,” he said as he
urged families to return to the land and cultivate with hope.
Bishop Matthew Remijio Gbitiku of Wau said South Sudan needed peace,
but this was not possible without true disarmament.
“The requirement that our country provides for its own defence must
not turn into a race to rearmament. True security cannot be achieved
through a continuous, escalating arms race that breeds fear and
destroys human life,” he said. “Instead, it requires disarmament to
stop the drain of resources from human needs.”
The bishop appealed to leaders to use the available resources to help
the needy, fight hunger and promote the development and welfare of the
citizens.
“These are the weapons of peace,” said Gbitiku. “Weapons that build a
bright future for our country instead of sowing seeds of death or
divisions among the sons and daughters of South Sudan.”
https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/bountiful-south-sudan-can-only-feed-its-people-in-peace-say-bishops/
END1
2. Churches and politicians in South Sudan call for 'lasting peace' in
Easter messages
6th April 2026
BBC
Nichola Mandil
Juba
Church leaders and politicians in South Sudan have used their Easter
messages to call for "lasting peace" and an end to the sporadic
killings and conflict rife in the country.
Delivered to worshippers at churches of different Christian
denominations across the nation, some blamed the nationwide violence
on the country's leadership.
The UN has repeatedly warned that South Sudan is at risk of sliding
back into a full-scale civil war.
Last week, 74 mine workers were killed by gunmen in Jebel-Iraq,
south-west of the capital, Juba. The government and opposition
officials have traded accusations over who was responsible.
Santo Loku Pio, the principal celebrant at St Theresa's Cathedral,
Juba, said: "Christians don't practise hatred, they don't practise
violence that leads to death of someone or somebody, and many other
things that destroy life.
"If you are told to go and kill, refuse, even if it means losing your
job," he said, telling people to "be a man or woman of peace".
"This is what Easter is all about," he added.
Directing part of his message to South Sudan's leaders, Pio, who is
also Auxillary Bishop of Juba, asked that they let their mindset and
actions be changed.
"Be good leaders - good governors, good commissioners, good ministers
and good servants of the society. It is time for us to rise above
violence, let us do the right thing and I think peace will reign."
An Easter message from President Salva Kiir similarly called for
"peace, reconciliation and unity".
Delivered on his behalf by his press secretary at the St Theresa
Cathedral, he told people that Easter was a time to remember that
"even in our darkest moments, hope is never lost".
"Let us forgive one another, and support one another, and work hand in
hand, and build a country that reflects the strength and dignity of
its people."
The Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Anglican
Primate, Justin Badi Arama, told worshippers at Juba's All Saints
Cathedral to "persevere and work for lasting peace".
"We need urgent action to end violence in South Sudan and restore
human dignity across our nation," he said.
Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of
Tombura-Yambio in the south-western city of Yambio, had a similar
message.
"We want to pray for protection of life and we want to tell everybody
that God is the source of life," he said.
With fighting having intensified in South Sudan, there are fears it
could plunge back into a civil war, less than a decade after it ended.
Last week, the US Embassy released a statement calling for the release
of opposition politicians - including suspended First Vice-President,
Riek Machar - as a condition for holding successful elections, and as
a positive step in support of peace and accountability.
Machar is currently under house arrest and on trial for charges of
treason, war crime and crime against humanity, which he denies.
His party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army In Opposition
(SPLM/A-IO) has denounced the charges as a "political witch-hunt" and
a move to "dismantle" a 2018 peace accord that ended a five-year civil
war.
South Sudan is the world's youngest nation, having gained independence
from Sudan in 2011.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly9xeq1ey7o
END2
______________________
John Ashworth
ashwor...@gmail.com
+254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile, WhatsApp and Signal)
PO Box 403 - 00206, Kiserian, Kenya
Fredrick Nzwili
12 April 2026, The Tablet
‘Food is dignity. Food is stability. Food is peace,’ said Bishop
Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala as he urged families to return to the
land and cultivate with hope.
Catholic bishops in South Sudan urged the people to choose peace and
remain hopeful, calling on the authorities to invest in food security
rather than weapons of war.
The bishops made their pleas in separate Easter messages, delivered
amid fears that the nation was sliding back to civil war.
Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio told the
people of his diocese that their “Galilee” was in South Sudan, where
the soil is rich, “yet hearts are wounded [because] where God has
given abundance, yet our people still hunger”.
Kussala said South Sudanese must face the difficult truth that the
taking of life had been tolerated, and even celebrated as bravery,
revenge or pride. Instead, he urged them to choose love and life over
death, since life is sacred and belongs to God.
“Easter is the victory of life over death. Yet in our land, death
still walks too freely. Violence has wounded our nation, and too often
human life is taken lightly,” he said.
A nation that does not protect life cannot stand, warned the bishop,
and people who do not value life cannot prosper.
“There can be no food security without human security. When people are
afraid, they abandon their farms. When violence spreads, fields fall
silent. When life is threatened, hunger follows,” he said, reminding
the people that God has blessed South Sudan abundantly, the land can
feed them, but only in peace.
“Food is dignity. Food is stability. Food is peace,” he said as he
urged families to return to the land and cultivate with hope.
Bishop Matthew Remijio Gbitiku of Wau said South Sudan needed peace,
but this was not possible without true disarmament.
“The requirement that our country provides for its own defence must
not turn into a race to rearmament. True security cannot be achieved
through a continuous, escalating arms race that breeds fear and
destroys human life,” he said. “Instead, it requires disarmament to
stop the drain of resources from human needs.”
The bishop appealed to leaders to use the available resources to help
the needy, fight hunger and promote the development and welfare of the
citizens.
“These are the weapons of peace,” said Gbitiku. “Weapons that build a
bright future for our country instead of sowing seeds of death or
divisions among the sons and daughters of South Sudan.”
https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/bountiful-south-sudan-can-only-feed-its-people-in-peace-say-bishops/
END1
2. Churches and politicians in South Sudan call for 'lasting peace' in
Easter messages
6th April 2026
BBC
Nichola Mandil
Juba
Church leaders and politicians in South Sudan have used their Easter
messages to call for "lasting peace" and an end to the sporadic
killings and conflict rife in the country.
Delivered to worshippers at churches of different Christian
denominations across the nation, some blamed the nationwide violence
on the country's leadership.
The UN has repeatedly warned that South Sudan is at risk of sliding
back into a full-scale civil war.
Last week, 74 mine workers were killed by gunmen in Jebel-Iraq,
south-west of the capital, Juba. The government and opposition
officials have traded accusations over who was responsible.
Santo Loku Pio, the principal celebrant at St Theresa's Cathedral,
Juba, said: "Christians don't practise hatred, they don't practise
violence that leads to death of someone or somebody, and many other
things that destroy life.
"If you are told to go and kill, refuse, even if it means losing your
job," he said, telling people to "be a man or woman of peace".
"This is what Easter is all about," he added.
Directing part of his message to South Sudan's leaders, Pio, who is
also Auxillary Bishop of Juba, asked that they let their mindset and
actions be changed.
"Be good leaders - good governors, good commissioners, good ministers
and good servants of the society. It is time for us to rise above
violence, let us do the right thing and I think peace will reign."
An Easter message from President Salva Kiir similarly called for
"peace, reconciliation and unity".
Delivered on his behalf by his press secretary at the St Theresa
Cathedral, he told people that Easter was a time to remember that
"even in our darkest moments, hope is never lost".
"Let us forgive one another, and support one another, and work hand in
hand, and build a country that reflects the strength and dignity of
its people."
The Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Anglican
Primate, Justin Badi Arama, told worshippers at Juba's All Saints
Cathedral to "persevere and work for lasting peace".
"We need urgent action to end violence in South Sudan and restore
human dignity across our nation," he said.
Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of
Tombura-Yambio in the south-western city of Yambio, had a similar
message.
"We want to pray for protection of life and we want to tell everybody
that God is the source of life," he said.
With fighting having intensified in South Sudan, there are fears it
could plunge back into a civil war, less than a decade after it ended.
Last week, the US Embassy released a statement calling for the release
of opposition politicians - including suspended First Vice-President,
Riek Machar - as a condition for holding successful elections, and as
a positive step in support of peace and accountability.
Machar is currently under house arrest and on trial for charges of
treason, war crime and crime against humanity, which he denies.
His party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army In Opposition
(SPLM/A-IO) has denounced the charges as a "political witch-hunt" and
a move to "dismantle" a 2018 peace accord that ended a five-year civil
war.
South Sudan is the world's youngest nation, having gained independence
from Sudan in 2011.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly9xeq1ey7o
END2
______________________
John Ashworth
ashwor...@gmail.com
+254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile, WhatsApp and Signal)
PO Box 403 - 00206, Kiserian, Kenya
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