‘Pope for South Sudan’ initiative launched
Since he cannot travel to the country at present, Pope Francis has launched a number of local initiative to support health, agriculture and education. He also renewed his call on the international community to stop the ongoing massacres.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Although he cannot personally travel to South Sudan, Pope Francis has not forgotten the country where a terrible cholera outbreak has recently compounded the effects of a brutal war with its corollary of bloodshed and rapes.
Indeed, the pope has renewed his call on the international community to redouble its efforts in finding a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict. At the same time, he has pledged support for local health, agriculture and educational projects.
Dubbed ‘Pope for South Sudan’, the initiative was presented by Card Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Combonian Sister Laura Gemignani from the Nzara South Sudan Hospital, Caritas Internationalis secretary general Michel Roy, and Sister Yudith Pereira-Rico (RJM), associate executive director of Solidarity with South Sudan.
"Far from the spotlight, there is a war that continues to reap victims,” Card Turkson said. “Death and despair afflict the population. The conflict has been going on since 2013 and has caused a major humanitarian crisis that sees more than half of the population, about 7.3 million people, suffering hunger every day.”
Now, “The lives of thousands of people are being endangered by an unprecedented cholera epidemic. A million and a half people have been forced to flee their villages and cities because of the war. In this country, there are systematic and generalised massacres and atrocities perpetrated against civilians along ethnic lines. Women and children are daily victims of violence and abuse."
"Pope Francis is a universal shepherd who stands above borders. He feels the pressing need to raise awareness in the international community about this silent tragedy, and has called for greater and renewed efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict."
Although he cannot personally come to South Sudan “to further, with his presence, the peace process, and give voice to the desperate cry of a Church that wants to say ‘enough with weapons, rape, death’, the pontiff “wanted to concretely show the Church's presence and closeness with the suffering people."
This is how the initiative ‘Pope for South Sudan’ was born, which " is meant to foster, support and encourage the work of various religious congregations and international aid organisations that are present in the country, working tirelessly to help the population and promote the process of development and peace."
Two projects are in health care, namely two hospitals run by Combonian missionary Sisters in South Sudan: Wau Hospital and Nzara Hospital.
Another project is in education through the Solidarity with South Sudan association. It will provide two-year scholarships to students seeking a Master's degree at the Solidarity Teacher Training Centre in Yambio.
In agriculture, a project by Caritas Internationalis involves some 2,500 families in the dioceses of Yei, Tombura-Yambio and Torit who will get farming and livestock equipment to improve community self-reliance.
"The Holy Father has not forgotten the silent and unheeded victims of this bloody and inhuman conflict, he has not forgotten the people who have been forced to flee their native country because of abuse, injustice and war,” the cardinal said.
The pope “holds all of them in his prayers and heart. He strongly hopes to make an official visit to the country as soon as possible.
“The Church has not given up hope for the troubled country. Instead, it calls for bold choices and believes that Divine Providence is capable of realising what in the eyes of the world seems unreal, impossible.”
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