AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - The artist who designed the statue for the Mass of Pope Francis in Juba has been killed

Juba (Agenzia Fides) - The artist who designed the statue exhibited at the Mass presided over by Pope Francis during his pilgrimage to South Sudan from February 3 to 5, 2023 has been killed. According to the Catholic Radio Network, 61-year-old engineer Anthony Surur Sebit was shot dead by an unidentified assassin on March 31 while jogging on a street in the capital Juba.
The engineer was very active in the construction of churches in Khartoum and South Sudan and was the designer of the sculptures used during the Pope's visit to Juba and many others in the major seminaries.
His family members describe the murdered engineer as the pillar of the family who always tried to solve problems and bring people together.
Bishop Santo Laku Pio Dogale, Auxiliary Bishop of Juba, said Anthony Surur was "an icon of peace" for his work in gathering people.
The Prelate condemned the "barbaric murders" of innocent civilians by armed men who often go unpunished.
The Auxiliary Bishop called on the authorities to guarantee the safety of the citizens: "If you want total peace, work for justice, protect the lives of civilians".
The victim, father of four boys and five girls, was a graduate in architectural engineering from the University of Khartoum.
The security situation remains precarious in South Sudan (see Fides, 31/3/2023), especially due to the compromise of the forces supposed to guarantee it in violent crimes. The National Police Director said as many as 110 police officers, including some officers, were arrested between 2020 and 2022 for sex crimes. On April 2, a United Nations independent panel of experts said in a report that several South Sudanese officials, including a governor, had committed serious human rights abuses and needed to be brought to justice. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 4/4/2023)

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