Recent violence in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, has left scores of people dead and several others injured. Thousands of people sought refuge inside the United Nations building in the city, and hundreds more at St. Theresa’s Catholic Cathedral. The situation remains very fluid and fears of further violence remain high.
Tensions have been rising in South Sudan - the world's youngest country - since President Kiir dismissed his entire cabinet, including his deputy Riek Machar, in July of this year. Fighting broke out late on Sunday 15th December, closing the airport and the bridge out of Juba.
CAFOD’s Country Representative, Jane Andanje, who was in the city throughout the recent crisis, said: “We are extremely concerned by the effect the insecurity is having on the South Sudanese people, and anxious that it doesn’t deteriorate any further. CAFOD has a long history of working in the country through its partners who support vulnerable people in communities providing food, water and sanitation and supporting communities to earn a living through better farming methods. This progress will all be lost if the violence is allowed to spread, and the impact on civilians will be devastating. We call on goodwill from all sides to bring this violence to an end.
The South Sudan Council of Churches has also spoken out against the violence. In a statement they said: “We are concerned by the consequences for our country of the clashes that are occurring in Juba. There is obviously a political problem between leaders within the governing SPLM, but this should not be turned into an ethnic problem. Sadly, on the ground it is developing into tribalism. This must be defused urgently before it spreads. Reconciliation is needed between the political leaders and violence can never be an acceptable way of resolving disputes.’’
The church leaders called on the South Sudan government, the UN and international relief agencies in the country to provide humanitarian assistance to the displaced civilians in the capital Juba, and to ensure that water and food are available for the population.
CAFOD is already working through its Catholic Church partners, the Catholic Diocese of Juba and Caritas South Sudan, to respond to the needs of people affected by the violence, especially those still living in the compound of St. Theresa’s Cathedral, by providing the basics of food and clean drinking water.
Jane Andanje continued: “Violence like this disrupts the vital work of delivering aid. Every day that we are unable to reach people in need is a huge blow to our longer term efforts of establishing communities to be self-reliant.”
South Sudan’s two devastating civil wars ended in 2005 with the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement with Sudan, which allowed for a referendum to vote on independence. On Independence Day, 9 July, 2011, it was one of the world’s poorest countries where 80 per cent of the population live on less than a dollar a day.
Since October last year, more than 360,000 South Sudanese have returned from Sudan, with the vast majority having no means of earning a living. Schools and health services are already severely under resourced through years of neglect because of the war. The influx of returnees has left these services barely able to function. CAFOD’s partners have supported these returnees with food, shelter and basic household utensils for cooking. CAFOD has been working in South Sudan since the mid 1970s.
For further information or interviews please contact Nana Anto-Awuakye on: Blackberry 07799 477 541 or via this email address.