By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa/Umoja Standard.
Kampala, Uganda: In his remarks, H.E Simon Juach Deng, The South Sudan Ambassador to Uganda told journalists that Gulu Archdiocese Bishop John Baptist Odama’s visit is a follow-up on a meeting that was done in November last year that involved intercultural and interreligious dialogues amongst South Sudanese and Ugandans and also to support the peace process in South Sudan.
He added, South Sudan government is to go through an election in December this year, 2024 being the first of its kind since independence in 2011. He appelaed to South Sudan people who are in the urban settings to go back home and contribute to the economic growth because there has been peace since the implementation of the centralized peace agreement in 2018. “They should come, register and vote.” He appealed.
H.E Deng told this website that on the 19th of this month, his president Salva Kiir Mayardit joined other world leaders in the city of Kampala to attend the summits of non-aligned movement for the heads of state and also the meeting between the G77 and China that was chaired by His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni under the theme, deepening cooperation for shared affluence and no one left behind.
“These, I feel they connect very well with the teachings . We also believe you don’t want anybody to be left behind and that’s why you say we should not talk about races, about nations, about tribes, but we believe in humanity. So this was a summit to address issues facing humanity, we know these summits occurred at a time when our region is tirelessly working towards realization of peace and stability. For you in the church, you believe in the flock. The flock has to be looked after, you are the shepherds, also for us in diplomacy and politics, we talk about economic. The triangle between economies is security and peaceful coexistence.” He stated.
Responding to why professionals should return home, He said ‘when there was active conflict in South Sudan people decided to go and look to get a bread elsewhere but it is high time now people come back home and contribute. For example, here at the embassy we have diplomats who were trained and worked in diaspora but they had to come back and contribute to the foreign policy of their country. So it is in the same way we are asking our professional people in the business sector to come back home and give it a try.’
On his part, the Gulu Archdiocese Bishop John Baptist Odama said, ‘We are after peace. You know our name, actually religious leaders peace initiative. Anytime we are concerned about not only the peace in South Sudan, not only peace in Uganda, but we are concerned about peace in the world, 2nd what is happening, for example, in the areas of countries like Ukraine with Russia, Palestine with the Israelis, and so on,All these are so painful. You heard me say my tribe is humanity.’
“These are all humanity and when they are fighting among themselves, they are touching me. I feel really touched. We’ve also had conflicts between Ugandans and South Sudanese, especially in the borders. We are concerned about our relationship of peace all over.” He stated.
With the Sudan, with the Kenya, with Tanzania, all this we are concerned about our relationship. Especially, there shouldn’t be anything of fighting in East Africa.
Base on the former, Archbishop stated that, its a reason they are offering leadership.
“Any leader is a person who has somebody to follow him, Therefore, there should be little people to feel together sense of humanity. We are all after peace.” He said.
Archbishop Odama said these after handing a communique regarding a meeting that was done in November last year that involved intercultural and interreligious dialogues amongst South Sudanese and Ugandans and also to support the peace process in South Sudan.
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