During his homily, while leading the eucharistic congress celebration and the golden jubilee of the Sudanese hierarchy on Sunday, Cardinal Ameyu said they (citizens) were running out of patience.

By Opio Jackson

South Sudan’s Cardinal Stephen Ameyu has told the political leaders that the citizens have reached the limits of their patience over the persisting situations in the country.

During his homily, while leading the eucharistic congress celebration and the golden jubilee of the Sudanese hierarchy on Sunday, Cardinal Ameyu said they (citizens) were running out of patience.

“Life cannot go on like this. We are reaching the limits of patience even though according to the people patience never ends but we have reached the limits,” he warned.

“We are looking for our brothers for help… we are all suffering, we are looking for brothers to help.”

The Cardinal’s statement comes at the height slow uptake and difference on the Tumaini Initiative between the hold-out group and some politicians in the government whom observers, especially in the civil society, said are fearing losing their seats.

Also, the slow pace of the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement has raised concerns from the international community and the peace monitors assigned to oversee its implementation.

Using the example of Jesus Christ who humbled himself to serve others with love, Cardinal Ameyu challenged those in the authorities to put their interests aside.

He urged the Christian community to use this Eucharistic congress celebration to reflect on how far they have come to reach the level they are currently.

“Let this celebration remind us where we have come from and where we are now.”

“We are a church recognized, we are a nation recognized we cannot live as though we have not been recognized,” Cardinal Ameyu stated.

The cleric highlighted the existing injustices in society and called on all citizens to recognize them.

 “Whether it is done to us South Sudanese or a foreigner. It is injustice and we must stand against it.”

“When I love you as brothers and sisters, I will not allow any injustice to happen to you.”

He challenged the Christian community to renew their lives according to the dictates of God.

The Cardinal indicated that some people are celebrating 50 years of vocation because they have poured out their love for others to serve others.

“It is not only in the religious life but also in the family life and the government offices. If we pour out our love to serve others we will transform this South Sudan in a very short time,” he said.

“South Sudan is a country of strong people. The weak ones are dying and the stronger continue to persist and survive on with the hardship.

“But our society will never be strong if we don’t respect the weak ones and lift them from their suffering,” he warned.

In September 2018, a peace agreement was signed among the warring parties to resolve the conflict in the country.

The agreement required that a general election be held in December 2024 as per the agreed August 2022 roadmap by the parties to the agreement.

Security reforms and the completion of the permanent constitution were among the reforms that were supposed to be carried out before the elections.

However, some key provisions of the agreement have remained on paper due to what the analysts say lack of political will by the politicians and witty tactics to protect their interests. As a result, the billed election for December 2024 has been shifted to December 2026.

“It is not only in the religious life but also in the family life and the government offices. If we pour out our love to serve others we will transform this South Sudan in a very short time,” Cardinal Ameyu stated.