Three youth convicted for vandalizing local church in Aweil East

AWEIL – Three young men have been convicted by a local community court in Madhol Payam, Aweil East County of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, on Thursday for vandalizing church seats made of bamboo and tree materials at a newly established congregation, according to the deacon of Maper-Agor Episcopal Church of South Sudan.

Joseph Lual Wol Lual, the Deacon of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS), who oversees several local churches, including the new one at Maper-Agor village, said the suspects attacked church members on Wednesday while women and girls were gathered for a meeting. He explained that the youths stormed the church and assaulted the congregants.

Wol described the incident as serious, noting that one woman sustained a head injury during the attack.

“The boys went to the church, and some residents say they carried a jerry can of siko or aragi (local alcohol), drank it near the church, and then started attacking the women just as they were about to begin their meeting,” he lamented.

“The scuffle continued until the women and girls managed to flee. One of the attackers was caught, and the others turned on a youth leader, William Mou, who had tried to defend the women. They attempted to spear him, but the women and girls overpowered them until the three youths ran into a hut and locked themselves inside. Police were called from Madhol, and they were later apprehended,” he added.

According to the deacon, police arrested the suspects—identified by their initials as Kuol, Dut, and Deng—and took them to Madhol. On Thursday morning, local chiefs fined the trio for assaulting church members.

When asked about the motive behind the attack, Deacon Wol said the suspects claimed the church was engaging in practices that went against their beliefs, alleging that young men and women were “mixing in love affairs” at the new church.

“The boys said their fathers sent them to demolish the church. Each of them has now been fined 300,000 SSP. Additionally, police demanded 150,000 SSP for the bullet fired into the air to scare them. It’s a heavy burden for them, but it serves as a warning not to repeat such acts,” Wol said.

He emphasized that the Episcopal Church follows God’s doctrines and focuses on evangelism and peacebuilding, urging the community to forgive the youths once they pay their fines. He also said church leaders would investigate the claims made against the new congregation, which he insists is purely devoted to spreading the word of God and promoting peace in the community.

This incident reflects a growing tension in some South Sudanese communities over the establishment of new church denominations. Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred in Twic County, Warrap State, where church members were assaulted. A comparable case also took place in Tonj in previous years, where the late Member of Parliament Salva Mathok was accused of ordering the burning of a Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Such incidents, according to observers, send a troubling message to new converts who wish to freely choose their faith. Many of the allegations against emerging churches are dismissed by congregants as hate speech or misinformation spread by individuals opposed to their doctrines.