Catholic diocese in South Sudan forced to evacauate as violence and looting hits hospitals and pharmacies
The South Sudanese Malakal diocese has been evacuated as many areas there have been “completely destroyed” following violence committed by rebel forces, reports Catholic News Agency.
“We have lost everything – all our possessions. Many of our churches, homes and so on have been razed to the ground – and everything has been looted,” Msgr. Roko Taban, administrator of the Diocese of Malakal, told Aid to the Church in Need.
The violence has resulted in hundreds of thousands being displaced in the country, with over 120,000 leaving the country and living as refugees.
While a ceasefire was signed Jan. 23, within weeks fighting broke again. Both sides accuse each other of initiating the renewed violence, which began in Malakal Feb. 18. Patients in hospital in the city have been murdered in their beds, according to Doctors without Borders.
Msgr. Taban said there have been mass evacuations in the states of Unity, Upper Nile, and Jonglei. There has been mass looting and attacks on both hospitals and pharmacies, and malaria and diarrhea are on the rise.
All diocesan priests and women religious are fleeing to the south.
“Nobody (is) in Malakal. They ran for their lives. It was not possible for anybody to stay. The diocese is completely empty. We have lost everything as a diocese … all documents have gone. No vehicles. There is absolutely nothing left.”
The country erupted in violence again as forces loyal to South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and those allied behind former vice president Riek Machar have come into conflict.
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