File photo: Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiboro of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura – Yambio speaks to Eye Radio on Monday July 29, 2019. PHOTO: Charles Wote/Eye Radio

A church leader has called on the peace parties to compromise and form the state governments as coronavirus cases continue to rise in the country.

Last week, the Office of the President announced that the Presidency, which compromises of opposition representatives – had made a collegial decision on the controversial state allocations.

It said Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Lakes, Warrap, Northern Bahr el-Ghazal, and Unity states had been offered to the incumbent government while Jonglei, Western Bahr el-Ghazal, and Western Equatorial states shall go to the main opposition group, SPLM-IO.

Upper Nile State was allocated to the South Sudan Opposition Alliance.

But Dr. Riek Machar, who is the country’s First Vice President and part of the Presidency, rejected the decision, describing it as “unilateral.”

Other opposition party leaders also rejected the allocations.

Similarly, a political analyst described the purported resolutions of the Presidency as a violation of the revitalized peace agreement.

Dr. James Okuk said the allocation of the states should be agreed upon by the five parties to the revitalized peace agreement, as provided for by the September 2018 peace deal.

Barani Eduardo Hiboro, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, says delaying the formation of the state government is frustrating for the citizens and making hard the fight against Covid-19.

“There is too much delay to establish the full government in all the states to make the government functional,” Hiboro said.

“This is saddening the people, people are not happy and we at times worry what is this thing that our own people, our own children who have assumed that position cannot see the suffering of the people?”

“If they can feel the pain, the frustration, the suffering of the people, they would hurry to do this and I really appeal and call upon our government to speed this thing,” he added.

Bishop Hiboro went on to say that he believes the timely formation of the state government is critical, especially in containing the spread of coronavirus.

“During this time of coronavirus pandemic, every country is working hard to prevent it and it needs the organs of the government to be strong.”