SOUTH SUDAN: Church Members Clash Over Land Dispute In Juba

By Deborah Akur Chol, South Sudan

A violent altercation erupted on Thursday morning, between members of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and residents in the Gezira area of Juba’s Munuki neighborhood, centering around a protracted land dispute.

The conflict appears to have escalated from a disagreement regarding land ownership between the church and the Central Equatoria State government.

Rev. Paul Samuel Paul, parish priest of Munuki St. Stephen Parish, accused state officials of demolishing church structures on Easter Sunday in a bid to seize the property.

In response, both local community members and state officials have denied these accusations, suggesting instead that the church has forged the land title.

Tensions flared on Thursday when church members allegedly entered a neighboring property, dismantling a fence and covering a newly dug latrine.

Local residents reacted by throwing stones, which led to the church members retreating until police intervened.