A South Sudanese woman prays at Emmanuel Cathedral compound in Yei, South Sudan. She was displaced due to violence in the outskirts of Yei in September 2016. © UNHCR.

The United States Office for International Religious Freedom has revealed in a report, that human rights abuses have been committed against religious leaders and groups across the country.

The 2021 Status Report on freedom of region for South Sudan raised concerns about reports of arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killing of church leaders and their faithfuls, who are critical of the government.

The report cited the detention of five persons during a church service in Loka, Central Equatoria State in June 2021.

They were later reportedly killed while in custody by South Sudanese People’s Defense Forces, the reports say.

In a separate incident in June, the US report stated that the government ordered an investigation into claims the SSPDF killed four worshipers during a church service in Lainya, Central Equatoria State.

“In June, the Episcopal Church in Central Equatoria State stated publicly the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces detained five persons during a church service in Loka….and later killed them while in custody,” reads the report.

At the same time in June last year, a religious leader told Eye Radio that civilians were deserting Lainya County to refugees camps in Uganda after the killing of four worshipers by some members of the organized forces.

The Archbishop of the Central Equatoria State Internal Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan said the victims – including a parish priest and a child, were killed by men in uniform.

The SSPDF spokesperson, Major General Lul Ruai also told Eye Radio an investigation to ascertain the matter had begun.

Meanwhile, the department of state on religious freedom also cited the August 2021 attack that killed five people including two nuns on the Juba-Nimule highway.

The reverend sister, named as Sister Mary was shot dead on a Noah Van in an indiscriminate attack along the highway.

It said perpetrators have not been identified and neither the government nor the National Salvation Front claimed responsibility for the incident.

The report also emphasized the retired Presbyterian Bishop of Yei, Jackson Yemba Antipas who resigned after his detention in Yei On November 2, and military intelligence officials.

The US Office of International Religious Freedom also document the incident in which government officials detained two Episcopal bishops at Bor airport in Jonglei State who were reportedly linked to a continuing dispute within the
church.

According to the report, government officials stated they detained the visiting bishops, as they believed their presence would aggravate tensions.

The report recommended that the government strengthen rule of law to curb increasing subnational conflict, impunity for violent crimes, and the alleged human rights abuses and their impact on religious workers.

However, Eye Radio’s efforts to reach the government Spokesperson Michael Makuei for comment were not immediately successful.