The Catholic Archbishop of Gulu Diocese in Northern Uganda is urging religious leaders of South Sudan to put up a unified voice to campaign persistently for peace. 

“They need to consistently go to the media to let their voices be heard,” said John Baptist Odama, adding that “they must also go to the churches, mosques and all other places of worship”.

Odama was Chairman of the Interfaith Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative, which was involved in peace building efforts at the height of the rebellion with fighters of the Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group.

“The church is by nature a promotor of peace,” he stated, saying religious leaders should work in unity and let their voices be heard by the country’s leaders.

To the country’s leaders, Bishop Odama said the parties to the peace agreement must “uphold and respect” the provisions of the document they signed. 

“The point now is to drive the conscience of the leaders to comply with what they have agreed to in front of so many people,” he said adding that “they should be honest to themselves, and ask how long will they be divided and make the country suffer before peace can come?”

Bishop Odama, who also participated in the 2006-2008 talks in Juba between the then Southern Sudan government and the LRA rebel forces, urged an end to the deaths and suffering of the people of South Sudan.

The Bishop said the voices of refugees must not be blocked out, urging continued dialogue with the displaced communities. 

A team of religious leaders from South Sudan recently held a retreat in northern Uganda to draw experiences from Ugandan clergy on how to actively promote peace.