SSHURSA Press Release: For immediate Release: April 23, 2013
Juba, April 23, 2013 (SSNA) — SSHURSA welcomes the appointment on April 22, 2013 of Episcopal Church Arch Bishop Daniel Deng Bul and the Catholic Church Bishop (Rtd) Paride Taban to head the Committee for National Reconciliation that was brought to halt on April 15, 2013 by Republican decree issued by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
“We are very grateful to His Excellency the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit for taking a prompt action to constitute the National Reconciliation Committee. This shows that the President has listened to the voices of reason from common South Sudanese. In my view, President’s action echoes the impportance of public oversight over the issues of national concern” Said Biel Boutros Biel, the Executive Director of SSHURSA.
SSHURSA welcomes the appointment of the Committee; congratulates Arch Bishop Bul and Bishop Taban for accepting to lead a difficult journey but worthtaking for the survival of South Sudan.
“I know the two Bishops for long and I am sure they will sacrifice their time to the best of their ability to tirelessly work to achieve healing of the wounds among the people of South Sudan whom the bitter past and the failure of the current leadership that works along the lines of tribes, cliques, ego-centric governance among other evils , have for far too long divided our society” Biel further stated.
While SSHURSA thanks the President for the pro-peopl’s action, it also recommends the following:
To the President of the Republic:
1. Show more political will to timely commit resources to the reconciliation processes
2. Allow the committee to exercise its full independence to freely execute the noble tasks you have entrusted them to do and Keep vigilance over any politicization of the process.
To the appointed Bishops and the Members of the committee:
1. Show in words and actions your neutrality and work for the interest of all.
2. Work closely with the Civil Society groups and other religious and community leaders within South Sudan and outside to learn from their experiences on the reconciliation processes.
For further information on this release, contact SSHURSA through Tel: +211 915 364 531 Or E-mail: [email protected], Juba, South Sudan
South Sudan Human Rights Society For Advocacy (SSHURSA) is a non political and non profit making organization founded in 2007 with its vision geared towards building an enlightened Human Rights abiding South Sudan. Its mission is to monitor, document human rights vioaltions in South Sudan and train general public on the respect and importance of Human Rights, fundamental freedoms of an individual, democracy and Rule of Law to creating responsible, justice and good governance oriented South Sudan. SSHURSA pays particular focus on the rights of women, children and other vulnerable groups.