South Sudan’s Catholic Church on Friday called for reconciliation among the country’s leaders ahead of Easter, urging dialogue to end ongoing political and security tensions.

Escalating political tensions in South Sudan have raised fears of a return to civil war after President Salva Kiir detained First Vice President Riek Machar on March 26

Kiir, who is Catholic, and Machar, a Presbyterian, signed a peace deal in 2018. But progress has stalled on key provisions, including security reforms and preparations for elections.

Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla, Archbishop of Juba, expressed frustration over the lack of progress in achieving lasting peace and warned against attempts to eliminate rival factions.

“No peace can be founded on war or trying to eliminate the other party,” Ameyu told a press conference. “Peace can only be established through dialogue.”

South Sudan’s political leaders signed a revitalized peace agreement in 2018 and formed a transitional unity government. However, political disputes and sporadic violence persist.

Ameyu said Easter, marking Christ’s resurrection, symbolizes reconciliation and urged leaders to embrace forgiveness.

“The journey toward lasting peace requires us to lay down the burdens of the past, heal divisions, and build trust,” he said.

He called on leaders to move beyond ethnic divisions and work toward a society where all citizens live in “safety, dignity, and security.”

“Let us be agents of transformation,” Ameyu said. “The peace Christ offers is not just the absence of conflict but harmony rooted in justice and love.”

The Church has repeatedly mediated in South Sudan’s peace efforts, but political rivalries continue to hinder stability.

Separately, a prominent activist in South Sudan has called on authorities to stop escalating violence in Upper Nile State, where ethnic clashes and targeted killings have been reported.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), warned that the conflict in Upper Nile has turned into a “silent but deadly military confrontation,” costing civilian and military lives.

“We are witnessing innocent lives being lost daily—this violence is unacceptable and must stop,” Yakani said.

Yakani urged Upper Nile State’s governor and other political leaders to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions, alleging that some of the violence was ethnically and politically motivated.

“Perpetrators include individuals in political parties and military uniforms,” he said. “Political interests must not fuel the killing of innocent people.”

Yakani also issued a warning to those in power: “The blood of these citizens will one day demand justice. Why choose violence when dialogue is an option?” Radio Tamazuj