Pope Francis closed his visit to Africa on Sunday with an appeal to “lay down arms” during a mass in the capital of South Sudan, which marked the end of a six-day tour for peace and reconciliation that began in the Republic. Congo Democratic.
“Violence is an everyday issue. We have just seen it in South Sudan. It is painful to see how violence is provoked. One of the problems is the sale of weapons (…) I think the sale of weapons is the biggest plague of the world“, lamented the Pope in statements on board the plane that took him to Rome from South Sudan.
Francis left the capital Juba around 12:00 local (10:00 GMT) together with the heads of the churches of England and Scotland, representatives of the other two Christian denominations of South Sudan with whom he carried out the visit.
Throughout 48 hours, the pontiff made repeated calls for peace in the country with a Christian majority and 12 million inhabitants, which between 2013 and 2018 was engulfed by a civil war between supporters of the two rival leaders, Salva Kiir. and Riek Machar, which left 380,000 dead and millions internally displaced.
“Let us lay down the weapons of hatred and revenge (…) let us overcome the antipathies and aversions that, over time, have become chronic and threaten to oppose tribes and ethnic groups,” the Pope said at the mass before some 70,000 faithful .
The war, the conflicts, marked the fifth trip of Francis to Africa, who reiterated his message of peace before the journalists who accompanied him on the papal flight.
“The whole world is at war, in self-destruction, let’s stop in time!” he said.
Francisco, 86, who usually uses a wheelchair, also spoke about his state of health and indirectly ruled out the possibility that he would resign as his predecessor Benedict XVI did in 2013.
“Weeds never die,” he joked, citing a very Latin American proverb.
“I’m not like at the beginning of the pontificate. This annoying knee, but little by little it’s getting better. We’ll see”, he commented.
The pope instead confirmed his trip to Marseille, France, on September 23 and announced that he has several visits planned for 2023, including one to India and Mongolia.
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“We need peace”
With his trips and messages, Francis wants to rekindle hope in those forgotten countries, ravaged by wars and conflicts.
Like many South Sudanese, James Agiu confessed that he hopes the pontiff’s visit “brings changes to the country.”
“For many years we have been at war, but we need peace,” the 24-year-old told AFP.
“I have suffered in my life. That is why I am here, so that the pope can bless me and my family,” said Josephine James, 32.
On Saturday, Francis called for a “dignified life” for internally displaced people in this landlocked East African country, which in December had some 2.2 million internally displaced persons, according to the UN.
As soon as he arrived, the pope called on politicians to give “a new impetus” to peace and condemned corruption.
The UN and the international community accuse the South Sudanese leadership of fueling violence, stifling political freedoms and embezzling public funds.
The personal armies of Salva Kiir and Riek Machar are also accused of war crimes.
Despite the peace agreement signed in 2018 in the country that gained independence from Sudan in 2011, violence continues.
On Thursday, the eve of the pope’s arrival, at least 21 people were killed in a cattle raid in the south.
In 2019, Francis received the two enemies at the Vatican and knelt to kiss their feet, begging them to make peace, a gesture that was followed by no concrete progress.
Before Juba, Francis spent four days in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he condemned the “heinous cruelties” of the armed groups.
It was the 40th international trip of the Argentine pope since his election in 2013, and the third to sub-Saharan Africa.