Catholic priest in South Sudan admonishes the military
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Fr Santino Maourino has advised the military in South Sudan to desist from killings and abuse of citizens.Fr Santino Maourino advised the South Sudan army that the military uniform worn by them must be used to bring honour to the country and to themselves.Preaching in Arabic, at St Mary’s Cathedral in Wau, South Sudan, Fr Santino Maourino said the organised forces should protect the lives of citizens and property instead of robbing and killing them, ‘Radio Voice of Hope’ reports.Fr. Maourino urged the military to build good relationships with citizens. “The army should reflect a positive image of the nation not shame,” He stressed. The army, he said, should always dialogue with the civilian population as opposed to the use of guns.Government soldiers under Salvar Kiir and opposition rebel fighters controlled by Riek Machar have both been accused by the international community of committing serious human rights violations during the conflict that erupt...
Fr Santino Maourino has advised the military in South Sudan to desist from killings and abuse of citizens.
Fr Santino Maourino advised the South Sudan army that the military uniform worn by them must be used to bring honour to the country and to themselves.
Preaching in Arabic, at St Mary’s Cathedral in Wau, South Sudan, Fr Santino Maourino said the organised forces should protect the lives of citizens and property instead of robbing and killing them, ‘Radio Voice of Hope’ reports.
Fr. Maourino urged the military to build good relationships with citizens. “The army should reflect a positive image of the nation not shame,” He stressed. The army, he said, should always dialogue with the civilian population as opposed to the use of guns.
Government soldiers under Salvar Kiir and opposition rebel fighters controlled by Riek Machar have both been accused by the international community of committing serious human rights violations during the conflict that erupted in 2013 and continues to this day.
Last month, Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch, called for the establishment of a war crimes court in order to stem the abuses and send a message that the crimes will be punished.
According to Human Rights Watch, “The August peace agreement envisions a range of steps to hold violators accountable, including a hybrid court established by the African Union (AU) Commission to try the most serious crimes. Hybrid courts, which include both international and domestic judges and other staff, have been used in other countries to deliver justice where national courts lack expertise to try these crimes. The AU Commission has yet to make significant progress on creating such a court, which will need a statute, infrastructure agreements, and a budget before it can begin functioning. These steps can be taken in parallel to other developments, such as the formation of a transitional government,” reads a statement from Human Rights Watch.
(Vatican Radio/ CRN in South Sudan)
Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va
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