AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - Attack on the Bishop, those behind the attack are being sought: Carlassare was welcomed with great celebration of the people

Rumbek (Agenzia Fides) - The perpetrators and reasons behind the serious episode of the attack on the bishop-elect of Rumbek, Cristian Carlassare, are still obscure. According to some observers, at the root of the ambush against the Comboni prelate, the youngest Italian bishop in the world – appointed by Pope Francis on 8 March and awaiting official consecration and installation in Rumbek on 23 May - there could be ethnic discontent. Agenzia Fides reached Enzo Pisani, coordinator of CUAMM - "Doctors with Africa" in Rumbek, an NGO that manages a hospital and which first provided assistance to the wounded Bishop, then transferred to Juba and finally to Nairobi (in Kenya). The Bishop is now better and his life is not in danger. "It is really too early to understand what or who is behind the attack - comments Pisani -. I am sure that authorities will do everything to ascertain the facts; we are talking about a bishop of Italian nationality, there will be serious investigations. Given his role and his nationality, I think investigations will be carried out quickly. The priest who opened the door to the attackers is local and I believe he can provide useful elements". From the type of action, Pisani notes, "we can imagine that it was a real intimidation by the local mafia, since they did not take anything away". Regarding the social situation in the city, Pisani recalls that "the diocese of Rumbek remained vacant for ten years, after the death of a much loved Bishop, Father Mazzolari in 2011; therefore it is a sign that there are problems in the area". The question of ethnic differences is always deeply felt even among the Christian faithful. In Juba, the appointment of the new bishop, Stephen Ameyu Mulla not originally from the capital, was followed by long months of protests, tensions and violence and, to reach the installation, it was necessary to wait a long time. Pisani continues: "We were nevertheless surprised by the fact that, although Father Christian was not a local priest, but rather he was a foreigner, at the time of the appointment the people celebrated. It had been waiting for a bishop for ten years and when he arrived, last April 15, he was welcomed with a great celebration on behalf of the people. Here the predominant ethnic group are the Dinka, a very particular group: they are very jealous of their cultural identity, an element that has protected them for centuries, but also makes them very careful and cautious. Yet, if in other contexts a new bishop was not accepted, in the case of Mgr. Carlassare, also due to the continuity with the beloved Mazzolari (they are both Comboni, ed), the celebration was enormous. The desire to have a new Bishop was enormous.
Here it is often said that the civil war broke out and continued precisely due to the absence of Pastors in various dioceses: a flock that has no Pastors is more prone to disarray, to violence". The CUAMM coordinator concludes on the situation of the civil conflict in South Sudan: "The disarmament process has begun and I can say that compared to last year, we have registered a strong reduction in the number of injured, but the path to peace is still long. We hope that we will proceed as soon as possible and, above all, that Father Christian can quickly return to his ministry". (LA) (Agenzia Fides, 27/4/2021)

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violence

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bishops

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armed groups

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criminality

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