Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) has said they are open to visiting South Sudan to team up with their counterparts in the country and appeal for an end to the on-going violent conflict in the young country.
Speaking at a recent press conference in Gulu , Bishop John Baptist Odama, Chairperson of ARLP said: ‘‘We would like to visit South Sudan. And particularly visit our religious counterparts there to see what could be done[ to bring peace].”
At the press conference, Bishop Odama was flanked by retired Bishops Nelson Onono Onweng and Macleod Baker Ochola II of the Diocese of Northern Uganda and Diocese of Kitgum, respectively.
“And if there is a chance for the religious leaders to visit South Sudan we would be very grateful,” Odama said.
The Gulu Arch-diocese archbishop however noted that their planned trip to South Sudan was reliant on the presence of a peaceful atmosphere[in South Sudan] to enable them travel securely and also the availability of funds to facilitate their travel.
Bishop Odama said they also plan to meet the Ugandan government to ask the leadership what they are prepared to do “to bring total peace in South Sudan”.
In their official press statement on the conflict in South Sudan themed: “preserving humanity”, the ARLPI leaders appealed to the warring parties in South Sudan, its neighbours and the international community to help end the conflict.
“We the members of ARLPI are deeply saddened by the recent conflict in South Sudan especially the violence in which many innocent lives were lost, others displaced and many more suffered differently,” they said in the written statement read by Odama.
The religious leaders also commended the government of South Sudan for “calling for ceasefire that saved a lot of lives” and also Ugandan authorities for shiftily moving into that country to rescue its and other nationals.
ARLPI also came up with seven appeals including; that government of South Sudan stop the fight unconditionally in order to save lives of innocent people, and that South Sudanese nationals stop killing each other but strive together to develop their young nation.
The religious leaders appealed to international community to “do all that it takes within their powers to ensure that calm returns to South Sudan” and to also give relief and medical assistance to the affected population of South Sudan.
They appealed to communities in northern Uganda to be kind and hospitable to refugees from South Sudan seeking shelter in their areas.
