Bishop Santo Loku addressing the Rombur community of Luri Payam in Juba County during peace and reconciliation on Saturday August 18, 2024 - Courtesy

Auxiliary Bishop Santo Loku Pio of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba told the Rombur community that without forgiveness, there is no future for anyone.

For the past eight years, the Rombur community has faced disputes over land distribution and has politicized the roles of local chiefs.

On Saturday, Bishop Santo addressed the Rombur community of Luri Payam in Juba County, emphasizing that without forgiveness, one is not truly human.

The local peace initiative, overseen by Central Equatoria Governor Augustino Jadallah Kamilo Wani, focused on “Peace, Unity, and Reconciliation” and aimed to address underlying issues of hatred and division among the community.

Bishop Santo told the Rombur community that there is no future for any human being if there is no forgiveness.

“There’s no future for any human being without forgiveness if you are not forgiving people, that means you’re not human,” Bishop Santo said.

“This forgiveness always comes with pain, because you as a hated person you the one to ask about your rights, yes there are rights but reconciliation always comes with forgiveness,” he said.

“When Jesus Christ in the cross he says that the lord forgives them because they do not know what they have done.”

The reconciliation event, attended by hundreds from the Rombur community of Luri Payam, Juba County, resulted in a commitment to work together and foster harmony while renouncing animosity and division.

Meanwhile, the governor of the Central Equatoria, Augustino Jadallah Kamilo Wani expressed gratitude for the community’s efforts and urged them to live in peace and unity.

“This is the way we are doing our reconciliation in the Bari community, people have to vomit what they have in their hearts and it’s anger, what you have in your hearts you have to get it out,” Gen Jadalla.

“We need you to unite and this will last meeting for the Rombur people, I have told you to come with your kids, but because of school why I did not see your kids here today,” he said.

“It’s supposed to be like spraying them with water because it’s reconciliation and I hope his lordship brought blessed water here to do that for you.”

For his part, the Commissioner of Juba County, Emmanuel Tete hoped the reconciliation would come deep.

“This thing has to end today, accept the reconciliation from your hearts and you will get to the county here for any issue and this is my point I want to say pardon and wellness, forgive each other and you are one family,” said Tete.

“You cannot return someone from above to down, now you bring the governor to come and solve your issues instead of the state, but because of his love for you that is why he came here, and this is our plan in the state to do reconciliations.”