Archbishop Warns of Insecurity Threatening Upcoming Elections
By Denilson Denike
Juba – Over the course of two days, 15 bishops from the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS), led by Archbishop Dr. Justin Badi Arama, convened in Juba for a consultative meeting. Addressing the media in Juba on February 8th, Archbishop Arama expressed concerns about the growing insecurity that poses a significant threat to the peaceful conduct of the upcoming elections scheduled for December 2024.
South Sudan, an independent nation since 2011, has not yet held elections since gaining independence from Sudan. According to a revision of the 2015 peace agreement in 2018, elections are to be held two months before the end of the transitional period, which falls in February 2025 as per the 2022 roadmap. However, Archbishop Arama, Primate of the Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, highlighted the potential risks stemming from ongoing conflicts.
Archbishop Arama stated, “The underlying factor that underpins it is the fact that elections will be conducted in a fragile and insecure context, characterized by a cycle of conflicts that have profound historical roots, some of which pre-date the current conflict including communal violence, cattle raiding, boundary conflicts that take the form of revenge killings, and conflicts between cattle keepers and farmers, among others.”
To address these concerns and raise awareness about the elections among citizens, the Anglican Church Communion has implemented a two-day program.
Archbishop Arama described the initiative as a means to prepare citizens for participation in the transition and elections, taking into account the numerous human rights violations, weak economy, and lack of sufficient funds necessary for a well-financed electoral process.
Moreover, Archbishop Arama emphasized the worrying prevalence of small arms and light weapons in the hands of civilians, which could hinder the safe, free, and credible conduct of elections. He also raised concerns about the weak justice system, rampant corruption, and widespread poverty, all of which have the potential to undermine the electoral process.
“The proposal considers that the long civil war caused unbearable instabilities and distress that must be addressed alongside civic education as citizens prepare to participate in the elections. These distresses include loss of life and property, displacement, vows of revenge, and non-cooperation between and among communities,” added Archbishop Arama.
