The Diocese of Torit
The ECS Diocese of Torit covers the whole of Eastern Equatoria State whose logo and emblems are reflected above. It occupies an estimated area of 82,540 square kilometres and lies strategically at the south eastern corner of Southern Sudan.
It is bordered by three international boundaries; Uganda to the South, Kenya to the southeast and Ethiopia to the east. Bordering to the north is Jonglei State and to the west is Central Equatoria State.
The Diocesan Bishop is the Rt. Rev. Bernard Oringa Balmoi
Bishop Bernard was consecrated in April 2007 and enthroned in June 2007. Before this he worked with the Wycliffe Bible Translators.
e-mail : ecs_bishop_torit@kastanet.org
Telephone: When in Torit / +256477171432
When in Juba / +249122359782
The Diocese of Torit is one of the larger of the southern dioceses of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, and stretches from the East bank of the Nile River to the boarders with Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda and is neighboring Bor, Juba, Rejaf and Kajekeji Dioceses. It has good weather and fertile soil, rich cultures, flora and fauna in the country.
Before and just close to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Diocese witnessed some of the most fascist and bloodiest wars in living memories of the country. It was also a hideout for the outlawed Ugandan rebels, the Lord’s Resistance Army who carried out numerous raids and killing of innocent civilians of the area. The coming into force of the CPA witnessed a return to relative peace and security in the region with exception of intertribal tensions, mainly between the Dinka and the locals over land and cultural divides. The Dinka were displaced there at the height of the civil war and are heavily settled in Lobone, Owiny Kibul, Kapoeta, Natinga, Nadifal, new Site, New Cush, Ikotos and Nimule.
As one of the leading community based institutions on the ground the Diocese is a committed partner to the CPA. As recently as 3years ago the Diocese set up a Development and Relief Department (DARD)which entered into partnership arrangement with the German eed under the umbrella of Action Africa Help International (AAH-I)and also the UNHCR. This agency assisted implementing education, Health and livelihood projects in Eastern equatorial State.
It managed 8 primary schools, 20 health centers, and offerered some technical assistance to returnees and the farming community.
In the last three months the number of returnees to the diocese has increased by about 300,000 putting pressure on existing infrastructures and social services evidenced by inter-ethnic and tribal tensions. Taking into account the agency’s experience of working with the returnees and the displaced communities we have noted with great concern the urgent need to address this matter. The existence of the intertribal conflicts and cattle rustling poses a bottle neck to the realization of the dividend from the CPA and which in turn threatens the very survival and livelihood of these people. Experience shows that this trend of migration and settlement pattern if left unchecked can result in contagious ethnic cleansing with serious consequences for National and regional Security.
The Episcopal Church of the Sudan Diocese of Torit was established in 1995 in exile during the intensive war in the area. The first Diocesan bishop also retired in exile in 2006. The current diocesan bishop was consecrated in April 2007 and enthroned in June 2007
At the time the diocese was created work started mainly in Magwi County. The diocesan area like any other part of Southern Sudan was devastated by the prolonged effects of the civil war. Destroyed physical structures - schools, health facilities, roads, bridges and other social and administrative infrastructures etc. – were the more visible evidence of collapse and decay. Extreme poverty, illiteracy, hunger and disease were the less obvious manifestations of the civil war. The security situation was worsened by the activities of the LRA – the rag-tag Ugandan rebel group – which had bases in Southern Sudan, concentrating in Magwi County, Owinyikibul in particular. The combined effects of all these led to mass displacement and migration of more than 50% of the Magwi County population into exile as refugees in Uganda.
ECS, Torit Diocese, tried on its own to take all social action under the auspices of the Diocese and has been operating under the Diocesan Development Committee. It tried its level best to exists amidst the war torn state for the purposes of development of strategy, resource mobilization, project management and institutional support. It was one of the first community institution to set up a base in Magwi under the difficult conditions as described above.
The diocese also lies on the corridor of Juba market for the merchants coming from Uganda and Kenya that have flocked into the town of Juba today.
If there is any plan of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS in the interior of the Country, the best area to target is the Diocese of Torit.
The Office of the Episcopal Church of Sudan is based in Juba
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