South Sudan: Missing Catholic priest declared dead

Eye Radio reported on 24 May 2024 that Catholic priest Luke Yugue Mbokusa and his driver, who went missing on 27 April 2024, have been officially declared dead. The two vanished in an area controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) while on their way from Nagero County to Tombura County in the Western Equatoria region.

World Watch Research analyst Yonas Dembele comments: “South Sudan, a predominantly Christian country, has faced significant challenges regarding safety and stability since gaining independence in 2011. In recent times, most of the conflict in the country has been intercommunal, resulting in many being killed and injured, destruction of infrastructure, and a severe humanitarian crisis. Although Christians generally have the freedom to worship, there have been instances where church leaders have been targeted, often related to the wider ethnic and political violence rather than purely religious persecution.”

Yonas Dembele continues: “In the case of the Roman Catholic priest and his driver (mentioned above), it is suspected that they were kidnapped when ethnic tensions heightened between the Azande and Balandda of Western Equatoria. Sub-national violence in 2021 in Tombura County between the Azande and Balanda, allegedly backed by government and opposition forces, led to several casualties, displacement, and widespread destruction including churches, schools and healthcare centers. Given the important role that church leaders play in the peace process in South Sudan, they remain at risk of being caught up in such ethnic/political tensions.”