South Sudanese religious leaders at a government event last year at Nyakuron Cultural Center in Juba. [Gurtong/ File]
By Waakhe Simon Wudu
JUBA, 17 May 2012 [Gurtong] - Baballa said difference in religion was among the major sources of conflicts in the infant nation.
“Religion is what brings conflict. The Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement, SPLA/M fought for a secular state and all religions are equal”, Baballa told the masses during the 29th anniversary of the SPLA at the Dr John Garang Mausoleum.
“Anybody who wants to segregate and make religion an issue here should drop that thought”, he added.
The Mayor also cautioned South Sudanese against mistreating Sudanese nationals in the country. “We should not mistreat anyone who is a Sudanese and is in our country but instead welcome them. We will only deal with them if we discover that they are spying on us”, said Baballa in response to reports that the Khartoum government was harassing South Sudanese nationals.
Religion was one of the issues that marked a fierce 2-decade civil war where the Khartoum government was seen as working towards ‘Islamizing’ the whole of Sudan.