AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - Bishop Hiiboro-Kussala complains about violence against the church and innocent people which does not stop

by Antonella Prenna

Tombura-Yambio (Agenzia Fides) - "Attacks on sacred places are an attack against humanity and a violation of human dignity. A church, a mosque, a hospital, a school and an embassy are sacred places, places of refuge, peace and security. They are places designed to protect the innocent and not to become targets of violence," said the Bishop of the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio in South Sudan, Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, speaking to Fides after an attack on the parish of St. Mary Help of Christians in Tombura on the evening of December 10.

"Armed individuals opened fire indiscriminately in the refugee camp, killing a man and seriously wounding a woman," reported the Bishop. "This is a reprehensible act of violence. I strongly condemn this brutal act of aggression, which cost the life of an innocent person and left others traumatized and injured. I express my deepest condolences to the victim's family and pray for a speedy and full recovery of the injured woman. My solidarity and support goes out to the remaining displaced people and in particular to Father Santino Makuei, the priest in charge of the parish. May God give them strength in these difficult times."

Bishop Kussala described this umpteenth act of violence as unjustifiable and called on those responsible to repent, ask God for forgiveness and turn away from violence. "The path of peace is the only way forward," he stressed, calling on government officials to "immediately protect vulnerable populations, especially the displaced." "The situation in Tombura district is out of control and it is the government's duty to restore order and ensure the safety of its citizens," he explained. “Violence has been raging in Tombura district for three years, and yet the highest authority in the country seems to do nothing and not care. Is it not the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens?”

“On the very day of the attack, we celebrated Holy Mass in the parish with Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako (Archbishop Emeritus of Khartoum and the first Sudanese Cardinal) to express our solidarity with the displaced,” the bishop said. “The Cardinal stressed the sanctity of human life and the need for peace. He urged people to stay away from hatred, violence and division and instead seek forgiveness and reconciliation. I have invited Cardinal Zubeir to bless our diocese, especially Tombura, and to call for an end to violence between communities,” Bishop Kussala explained.

“We are in the season of Advent, a time when we prepare our hearts for the birth of our Savior who came to bring peace to the world. Let us all take responsibility for building peace in our communities, in our country and in our hearts. I invite everyone to pray fervently for peace: peace in Tombura, in South Sudan and in our hearts. Let each of us do our part to create an environment of love, respect and mutual understanding.”

Recalling the ongoing and serious incidents of violence against the Church and its representatives and against the most vulnerable, Bishop Kussala had condemned in an earlier statement the aggression perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against the Bishop of the Diocese of El Obeid in Sudan, Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali, and his deacon Joseph.

"Since the outbreak of war in April 2023, Bishop Tombe Trille refused to flee and stayed with the people who sought shelter in the episcopal residence, Muslims and Christians alike, even though the door of the Cathedral of Mary, Queen of Africa was blown open by a bomb explosion. They all stayed with him in the church," the bishop told Fides.

The incident Kussala refers to occurred on April 20, 2023, just five days after the outbreak of fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), when Bishop Tombe Trille and some members of the clergy escaped death after rockets rained down on the cathedral compound (see Fides, 2/5/2023), damaging the main gate of the cathedral and the priests' residence. The incident is said to have occurred when the Bishop of El-Obeid and the priests were gathered for prayer.

“All the time since the war broke out,” Bishop Hiiboro continues, “Bishop Tombe Trille has worked under extremely dangerous conditions and spared no effort. Even the government has asked him to take over some services, especially the education of the children in the region. Most of his priests are scattered everywhere without being able to contact him, who in turn is in danger every time he moves from one village to another. In November, he had to travel secretly from Sudan to South Sudan to attend the plenary assembly of bishops in Juba. He had already suffered other attacks in the past. Once they tortured him with the tip of a large knife on his feet, pricking him until he screamed in pain and then they left him there, robbing him of his episcopal ring and pectoral cross.”

"When he arrived in South Sudan, he wanted to tell us about the great difficulties that people are experiencing very close to us," said the bishop. "Sometimes they do not have clean drinking water or they cannot wash for weeks, they lack food, bread, sugar and everything they need. He also told us about the massive loss of life or those caught in the crossfire and other abuses."

"At the end of our meeting, he wanted to return immediately to El Obeid, where on December 5 he was the victim of violence for the umpteenth time, which almost cost him and his deacon their lives. In the message he sent me, he wrote these words: 'I have just arrived in El Obeid with Deacon Joseph. This time they treated us badly. After robbing me, they hit me hard on the neck, forehead, face and head. I can no longer chew and we really risked martyrdom.'

“We, the local Church in South Sudan, have strongly condemned this attack,” said the Bishop of Tombura-Yambio. “It is a very serious act, an attack on Church officials that affects the entire Church. A bishop is not a threat to anyone's government or politics. A bishop is a neutral person who works to proclaim the Word of God and to provide social services to the community. We call on the fighting forces to show ethics, respect and good manners, and to protect minorities and people of different religions. The international community must condemn those responsible for these attacks in the region, including the attack on Bishop Trille Tombe.”

The conversation with Bishop Hiiboro ends with a call for prayer and an appeal for humanitarian aid for the people of Sudan: “I invite everyone to pray for Bishop Trille Tombe, for the Archbishop of Khartoum, Michael Didi Adgum Mangoria, who is also in Sudan in Akbar, as well as for the Auxiliary Bishop of Khartoum, Daniel Adwok, who is in Kosti, and for all the priests who are there for the people in the various villages. I also ask for any humanitarian aid that can alleviate the great suffering of the Sudanese people and their families.” “We entrust all our brothers to the Lord so that they can find peace in their country. We have written to the fighting forces in Sudan and invited them to meet to find a solution to this emergency and to end the fighting so that the people are safe and can return to their areas,” the bishop concluded. (Agenzia Fides, 13/12/2024)

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