By Paul W Dennis
JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN — President Salva Kiir publicly apologized to South Sudanese citizens on Wednesday for the devastation the past five years of conflict has caused and officially announced the restoration of Riek Machar as vice president.
Speaking at a ceremony in Juba, the capital, attended by Machar, President Salva Kiir commended the courage shown by the people through their physical, psychological and emotional suffering.
The two leaders signed an agreement in mid-September in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, which is meant to end a civil war that began in 2013 over a failed consensus on ‘sharing power’.
“As your president, I want to apologise on behalf of all the parties for what we have caused you, our people … I deeply regret the physical and psychological wounds you have had … Today marks the end of the war in the Republic of South Sudan,” President Salva Kiir said.
“We came … for peace and … to end the suffering of people,” Machar said on his arrival at Juba’s airport. He was accompanied by his wife and a small retinue, but none of his troops.
The peace deal came with the release of Machar’s former spokesman James Gatdet, who had been sentenced to death, along with South African citizen William John Endley, Machar’s former security advisor, who was sentenced to death by hanging on spying charges.
This events come as an answered prayer for Christians globally who have prayed for sustainable peace in the country whose war led to approximately 400,000 deaths.
According to a recent report by Pew Research Center, Christians make up about 60 percent of the population of South Sudan, followed by 33 percent who are followers of African traditional religions. Six percent are Muslim.
Samaritan’s Purse, an evangelical Christian humanitarian aid organization, has had a longstanding commitment to serving the beleaguered, war-weary people of this East Africa nation .
During a recent Sunday service, South Sudan Pastor Jok Chol led the congregation at his Pentecostal church to pray for an end years of conflict.
“I want to rebuke the spirits of confusion in our leaders,” Chol prayed, according to NCR online, amid cheers of “Amen” from hundreds of worshippers. “We thank God and pray that he touches the hearts of our leaders so that they can embrace the new peace agreement.”
During his sermon, Chol urged his congregants to have faith and hope and continue to pray for a sustainable peace. He said they should refuse to be divided by political leaders along ethnic lines.
“We are all children of God,” said Chol, 55, a father of three. “We should treat each other with the love of Jesus Christ. Please don’t do anything wrong because your leader has told you. Follow what the Bible says and you will be blessed.”
Chol and his congregants are among thousands of Southern Sudanese gathering in churches and various mosques across major cities and refugee camps to pray for their country.
Reverend Abraham Nyari of the Pentecostal church of Juba said the faithful are praying for peace.
“We as the church people are praying for peace and we are praying for our leaders, especially the president, to bring peace to South Sudan,” Nyari told South Sudan in Focus.
