Dr. Angok Gordon Kuol, the Chairman of Bor Community in South Sudan - COURTESY

Bor Community has distanced itself from the power wrangle within the Episcopal Church in Jonglei State.

Addressing the media in Juba on Tuesday, August 15, Bor Community Chairperson, Angok Gordon Kuol blamed the conflict on the leadership of ECSS in Juba.

Early this month, the Police arrested the Bishop of the Episcopal Church along with 27 worshippers for involving in a fistfight in Bor.

The clashes reportedly erupted after the unnamed bishop and his team trooped to Langbar Parish they claimed is under their administration when they faced resistance from a group of some clergymen and congregation.

Last week, the Police Commissioner in Bor Jonglei State says Youths and Chiefs of Makuac closed the Langbar Parish.

The Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan Justin Badi Arama last week accused some community leaders and chiefs mainly from Makuach Payam of being behind the incidents.

He said the area’s local leaders mobilized armed youths to forcedly close the churches that are loyal to the episcopal church administration.

“The E.C.S.S strongly condemned the current torture of priests and closure of the church by the chiefs, community leaders, and the youth in Bor,” said Justin Badi.

“It’s now over three years that the E.C.S.S. Leaders have continued to humiliate, torture, and restricted to move and worship freely by the youth and local authorities in Bor”.

In response, The Chairperson of Bor Community Angok Gordon Kuol says there is no evidence that Bor Community targeted any priests in Bor either physically or verbally.

“There is no evidence that Bor Community has ever targeted any priest in Bor either physically or verbally the fact that believers have been targeting themselves in Langbaar church should not be blamed on Bor community,” said Kuol.

“It should be blamed on the central leadership of ECSS which has spectacularly failed to shepherd the church in the country and cultivate peace and harmony among its Episcopalians,” he said.

“The leadership of Bor Community calls on the Most Rev Dr Badi Arama the ECSS primate to observe the scripture (Hosea 4:6& Romans  13:1-7) and to cease his persistent denial and implement the residential resolutions in letter and spirit”.