Revive faith in the peace process in South Sudan: African religious leaders urge East African governments to take action for peace

In a statement (https://bit.ly/2ktxzyV) headed “Revive faith in the peace process in South Sudan”, the religious leaders say the South Sudanese leadership have a moral obligation to their citizens to endtheviolence and ensure continued progress towards peace,stabilityand justice. The statement, read during the All African Conference of Churches meeting currently being held in Nairobi, added that East African leaders must encourage the South Sudanese leadership toward a more lasting peace, particularly today, the one-year anniversary of the signing of a peace agreement ending a civil war that has ravaged Africa’s youngest nation since 2013.

“The regional leaders, as South Sudan’s goodneighbours, must now speak the truth to the leaders of South Sudan, on behalf of the millions ofvoiceless South Sudanese men, women and children whobear the brunt of the conflict,” the statement says.

Signatories to the statement include African Council of Religious Leaders - Religions for Peace (ACRL-RP), the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA), the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), with support from the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in East Africa (AMECEA) and the African Forum for Muslim Councils.

The statement appeals to Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyattaas South Sudan’sneighbours, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa as chair of the AU High-Level Ad-Hoc Committee for South Sudan,and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as IGAD chair,tourge PresidentKiirandDr.Machar to implement the peace agreementin good faith. They also call on the regional leaders to urge PresidentKiirto urgently release the balance of the USD 100 million pledged in May this year as a demonstration of genuine commitment to the peace process and to advance critical pre-transitional tasks that remain outstanding.

“We the religious leaders of Africa, bythe grace of the Almighty God and driven by the teachings of love and peace, and the African principle of Ubuntu which calls on every person to be one another’s keeper, stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, the people of South Sudan on this historic day,” the statement reads. “We prayerfully look forward to a peaceful, united and just South Sudan that is founded on the values of peace and love for one another.”

Statement of the African faith leaders, Revive Faith in the Peace Process: One year on from peace deal, African religious leaders urge East African leaders to take action for peace (https://bit.ly/2ktxzyV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Council of Religious Leaders - Religions for Peace (ACRL-RfP).

Media Contact: Jimmy Otieno Program Manager Communication andDevelopment ACRL-RfP jotieno@acrl-frp.org

About ACRL-RfP: The African Council of ReligiousLeaders —Religions for Peace(ACRL—RfP) (http://ACRL-RfP.org) is the largest and mostrepresentative multi-religiousplatform in Africa. ACRL—RfP'sVision is Sustainable peace and Justicein Africa. Our mission is mobilizingreligious leaders and theircommunities to build peaceful, just,hopeful and harmonious societies inAfrica. ACRL-RfP's strategic areasinclude Peace and Justice, Democracyand Governance, Sustainabledevelopment and sustaining the earthand institutional strengthening.

Media files