By Emmanuel Mandella

The South Sudan and Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SSSCBC) have appealed for peace, warning that the escalating violence and political turmoil in South Sudan threaten to undo years of fragile progress.

In a strongly worded statement, the bishops condemned the clashes between government forces (SSPDF) and the opposition’s (SPLA-IO), the recent arrest of political leaders, and the growing displacement of civilians.

“We, the Bishops of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, speak with one united voice, grieved and alarmed by the escalating violence and deteriorating political climate in South Sudan,” the statement read.

The bishops cited the words of Pope Francis during his 2023 visit to Juba: ‘No more bloodshed, no more conflicts, and no more violence. Let there be peace!’ They urged President Salva Kiir and all political factions to uphold the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), emphasizing that a return to war would bring catastrophic consequences.

“The political neglect of the suffering of our people, the poor, the displaced, the orphans, and the widows will not go unremembered before God,” the bishops warned, calling for an end to foreign military intervention, particularly the deployment of Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), which has heightened fears of external manipulation.

The bishops’ call echoes the growing frustrations of ordinary South Sudanese. Letters from youth, mothers, and even children have been addressed to President Kiir, pleading for an end to the violence.

“We do not want to be a generation of war. We want to be a generation of builders, innovators, and leaders who bring progress, not destruction,” read a letter from the youth.

A group of South Sudanese mothers, grieving the loss of their children to violence, also wrote: “Enough blood has been shed. Enough children have suffered. Enough mothers have wept. It is time for peace.”

Children, too, have added their voices: “We want to play in peace, go to school in peace, and sleep without fear.”

The bishops reaffirmed their commitment to acting as mediators and called on civil society, traditional leaders, and the international community to unite in rejecting war.

“Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream,” the statement quoted from the Bible, urging leaders to prioritize national unity over political gains.

The bishops’ call serves as a stark reminder that South Sudan stands at a crossroads between renewed conflict and a long-awaited path to stability.