The lengthy document was made public in late February. It is the culmination of one of the toughest periods in the history of the young country. Recently the government has had to declare a state of famine in two counties - Leer and Mayendit - but the emergency extends to the whole country. According to the UN, almost 5 million people are in desperate shortage of food and means to cultivate the land. More than 100 thousand are already starving. But what is bringing the country to its knees is the conflict which has been going on since 2013 between the President and his former Vice-President.
"War is the at the root of every calamity that has befallen this country in recent years. There is no reason, in fact, that an arable country rich in vegetation, fauna, water, traditionally rich in fish, should sink into such a humanitarian emergency. It is wrong to call it a natural disaster, there is nothing natural about this situation."
The conflict, together with the famine, have already left tens of thousands dead and forced more than 3 million people to flee the country. The various peace agreements signed in 2013 and the deployment of 12,000 UN peacekeepers have been of no avail.
The bishops also express a desire to promote national dialogue and the peace process. "Together with other churches we are asking to meet face to face not only the President, but also the Vice-President and anyone who has the power to change the situation. We intend to meet as often as necessary so that the dialogue will lead to actions and not just words."
The Salesians have been present and active in the territories of South Sudan since the 80s. They serve youth in need in the refugee camps and in Salesian centres, offering help, shelter, food, clothing, health and hygiene.
