On this day three years ago South Sudan was born. Amidst great celebrations, great hope was kindled only to founder on the rocks of civil war, excesses of power and natural disasters.
Some statistics reveal the misery of the people: a conservative estimate of 10,000 killed in the last three years; 100,000 people in internal refugee camps; one fifth of the population facing starvation now; and an outbreak of cholera which has closed all schools.
Archbishop Pio of Juba pinpoints the cause of the present dire situation: the failure of the warring parties to achieve true reconciliation and to keep pursuing partisan interests along with the failure of the chief parties to listen to the voices of the people living in the bush. In his view the government is not representative of the people.
We can pray that God will raise up some leaders brave enough to try to heal the deep fissures of the society rather than paper over cracks in the name of political exigency.
