File: Minister of Information, Michael Makuei addresses media in Juba. PHOTO: Joakino Francis/Eye Radio

South Sudan’s minister of information has called on South Sudanese to forgive each other and reconcile during this Christmas and the New Year festivities.

Following the eruption of civil war in 2013, conflict analysts say many South Sudanese were divided along tribal, political, and regional lines to serve the interests of their political leaders.

“Our message to the people of South Sudan is that we must forgive one another, leave together, and leave in peace and harmony,” Michael Makuei, the information minister said in a televised message on Christmas Eve.

“We must make sure that we forget the past, forgive one another so that we can start 2021 as a new era whereby people will live in peace and harmony, and people will work for the overall interest of our country South Sudan.”

Makuei believes that South Sudan can be a well-recognized country if there is unity.

“Let us put behind all our differences and move forward together so that South Sudan can join the rest of the nations and be recognized really as a stable country,” he added.

Early this week, religious leaders appealed to political leaders to use this festive season to end their differences and reconcile with one another.