This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/25/south-sudan-bishop-peace-cathedral-refuge

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
South Sudan bishop calls for peace at cathedral that has become refuge South Sudan bishop calls for peace at cathedral that has become refuge
(about 2 hours later)
Christmas mass in Juba, the capital of embattled South Sudan, began with a passage from Isaiah, with the bishop Santo Pio inveighing against the "kingdom of violence" that caused the destruction of Jerusalem. Christmas mass in Juba, the capital of embattled South Sudan, began with a passage from Isaiah, with the bishop Santo Pio inveighing against the "kingdom of violence" that caused the destruction of Jerusalem. The congregation, which included the staunchly Catholic president, Salva Kiir, was told how tribalism had divided the peoples of Judah and Israel, just as it is now doing in the world's youngest country.
The congregation, which included the staunchly Catholic president, Salva Kiir, was told that tribalism had divided the peoples of Judah and Israel, just as it was now doing in the world's youngest country. The cathedral has been transformed into a refugee camp in the past week with as many as 7,000 people seeking shelter from the violence that has unravelled South Sudan. The fighting, which began with a dispute between rival factions in the presidential guard on 15 December and has since spread to half of South Sudan's 10 states, has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes.
The cathedral has been transformed into a refugee camp in the past week with as many as 7,000 people seeking shelter from the violence that has unravelled South Sudan. The fighting, which began with a dispute between rival factions in the presidential guard on 15 December and has since spread to half of South Sudan's 10 states, has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes. At least 50,000 civilians have sought protection inside a handful of UN bases, while others have streamed out of towns into rural areas. An unknown number have fled into neighbouring Uganda, or to the north of Kenya where refugee camps that remain from Sudan's 20-year civil war are beginning to see new arrivals. At least 50,000 civilians have sought protection inside a handful of UN bases, while others have streamed out of towns and into rural areas. An unknown number have fled into neighbouring Uganda, or to the north of Kenya, where refugee camps that remain from Sudan's 20-year civil war are beginning to see new arrivals.
On Christmas Day, families who had fled their homes fearing persecution on the basis of their ethnicity were sitting in the crowded cathedral alongside the president, and camping outside.On Christmas Day, families who had fled their homes fearing persecution on the basis of their ethnicity were sitting in the crowded cathedral alongside the president, and camping outside.
"There is a lot of fear around," said Santo. "The families are living in fear and do not know what will happen the next day. They have seen what can happen in broad daylight.""There is a lot of fear around," said Santo. "The families are living in fear and do not know what will happen the next day. They have seen what can happen in broad daylight."
He warned that the fabric of the new nation had been torn by a struggle that had cynically conflated politics with ethnic identity at the cost of thousands of lives.He warned that the fabric of the new nation had been torn by a struggle that had cynically conflated politics with ethnic identity at the cost of thousands of lives.
The bishop appealed for a ceasefire from leaders who had grown up in communities where "everyone followed one person" and must now take responsibility for a country.The bishop appealed for a ceasefire from leaders who had grown up in communities where "everyone followed one person" and must now take responsibility for a country.
"We have never been a country before. We were communities under tribal chiefs," the bishop said, "a monarchy where the whole community would follow one person."We have never been a country before. We were communities under tribal chiefs," the bishop said, "a monarchy where the whole community would follow one person.
"We were clans, tribes, communities all with their own militia. This is the different groups that we are to make a nation from.""We were clans, tribes, communities all with their own militia. This is the different groups that we are to make a nation from."
As he spoke the civil war continued elsewhere with intense fighting, including tanks and heavy weapons, in Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile. A coalition of rebel commanders loosely led by the former vice-president Riek Machar has already taken control of Unity State where much of the new country's oil is produced. If they were to seize oil-producing Upper Nile it would in effect sever the government from control of the country's main economic asset. As he spoke, the civil war continued elsewhere with intense fighting, including tanks and heavy weapons, in Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile state. A coalition of rebel commanders loosely led by the former vice-president Riek Machar has already taken control of Unity State where much of the new country's oil is produced. If they were to seize oil-producing Upper Nile it would in effect sever the government from control of the country's main economic asset.
A Christmas Eve counter-offensive by the national army, the SPLA, succeeded in recapturing Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, but witnesses described finding the streets "littered with dead bodies" on Christmas morning. The UN, which has given sanctuary to 17,000 civilians in its base in Bor, said armed men had approached the camp but had been repelled with warning shots by peacekeepers. Officials denied reports that ethnic Nuer were being taken from inside. "No one has or is being taken from the camp," said the UN spokesman Patrick Morrison. A Christmas Eve counter-offensive by the national army, the SPLA, succeeded in recapturing Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, but witnesses described finding the streets littered with bodies on Christmas morning. The UN, which has given sanctuary to 17,000 civilians in its base in Bor, said armed men had approached the camp but had been repelled with warning shots by peacekeepers. Officials denied reports that ethnic Nuer were being taken from inside. "No one has or is being taken from the camp," said the UN's Patrick Morrison.
In a statement the South Sudan Council of Churches said: "We are concerned by the consequences for our country of the clashes that are occurring in Juba. There is obviously a political problem between leaders within the governing SPLM, but this should not be turned into an ethnic problem. Sadly, on the ground it is developing into tribalism." In a statement, the South Sudan Council of Churches said: "We are concerned by the consequences for our country of the clashes that are occurring in Juba. There is obviously a political problem between leaders within the governing SPLM, but this should not be turned into an ethnic problem. Sadly, on the ground it is developing into tribalism."
For many South Sudanese such as Bang Teny Wang, the reality of an independent homeland has been a crushing disappointment. After coming home this year from a long exile in Australia, he said, he was now intent on leaving the country after being forced to flee to the UN base in Juba after his neighbourhood was attacked. "I came in March hoping to help reconstruct the country and this is what I get," he said. Leaders from six of South Sudan's East African neighbours are due to arrive in South Sudan on Boxing Day to try to mediate a ceasefire. Uganda already has troops controlling the airport in Juba and Kenya has said it will provide soldiers to enhance security in the capital. In addition to vying for oil pipeline routes from South Sudan, both countries have major economic interests and large ex-pat communities in the new country.
For many South Sudanese such as Bang Teny Wang, the reality of an independent homeland has been a crushing disappointment. After coming home this year from a long exile in Australia, he said, he was now intent on leaving the country after being forced to flee to the UN base in Juba when his neighbourhood was attacked. "I came in March hoping to help reconstruct the country and this is what I get," he said.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.