South Sudan leaders: ‘How can
we not bring peace if the Pope pushes us to do so?’
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| Pope Francis hosts a spiritual retreat for South Sudan leaders in the Vatican in April 2019 (Vatican Media) |
Warring South Sudanese parties credit Pope Francis's
tireless efforts and prayers for peace in making a joint-Declaration happen.
The Agreement was mediated by the Saint Egidio Community here in Rome.
By Linda Bordoni
The “Rome Declaration” signed on Monday by South Sudan
government representatives and the country’s Opposition Movements is a concrete
and constructive sign of hope in the nations’ troubled journey to peace and
stability.
In the Declaration, the parties, who have set January 15th as
the day in which a new ceasefire is to take effect, say they have been humbled
and deeply motivated by the relentless “spiritual and moral appeal for peace,
reconciliation and fraternity by Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury”
and other Church leaders.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis has been tireless in pushing for peace in the
world’s newest nation, even personally hosting its warring leaders in the
Vatican last April.
Speaking to Vatican Radio immediately after the signing of
the Agreement, the head of the government delegation, Barnaba Marial Benjamin,
said that could feel the very presence of the Pope in the room as the Agreement
was being discussed, and that his influence has been decisive:
“It is very big. Here, today, we are responding to
his humility to his love for the people of South Sudan and tireless effort to
appeal to us to bring peace and end this war. As you can hear from both sides
we are responding to that appeal, to that love and to that humility which
actually has made us ashamed: how can we not bring peace if the peace pushes us
to? And this is our peace. And who is fighting this war is South Sudanese among
themselves. That is really his influence. I believe he was in the room. He was
nudging us in the room while we were talking.”
Tackling the root causes of the conflict
Benjamin explained that for the first time the root causes
of the civil conflict in Sudan have been addressed, thanks also to the positive
and free environment offered by the Saint Egidio Community that allowed those
involved to tackle a series of fundamental issues without pressure or
prejudice.
“Saint Egidio offered us a very good environment,
no prejudices whatsoever for the parties to discuss the real issues. (…) We
signed this Rome Declaration because the government of South Sudan accepted to
discuss the root causes of the problem. Without discussing the root causes of
any problem you don’t solve the problems. “
He explained that the aim is now to find solutions to
crucial questions regarding elections, boundaries, good governance,
accountability for crimes committed, transparency in the management of
resources in the country, fighting corruption… all issues, he said, that were
not sufficiently addressed in the 2018 Agreement.
Responding to a question on why his delegation did not sign
the 2018 Agreement in Khartoum, Benjamin said those issues were mentioned but
were not dealt with effectively.
He also said he felt the Sudan government was imposing its
own agenda on the parties so that an agreement could be reached in a hurry
regarding Juba’s oil resources.
The coming months will see the implementation of a Saint
Egidio Community programme for the negotiators to continue to pave the way to
lasting peace.
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