South Sudan Leaders Urge No Politicizing of Religion

The new nation of South Sudan-- whose population largely holds either Christian or traditional African beliefs-- has a secular constitution.  Today's Sudan Tribune reports that South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, a Roman Catholic, speaking to a Ramadan break-the-fast at the Presidential Guest House on Saturday, urged clerics to help the government solve problems facing the new nation, but to avoid politicizing religion or practicing religious corruption. He said his Sudan People's Liberation Party Movement supports religious freedom. Atahir Bior, head of the South Sudan Muslim Council, agreed, saying: "As religious leaders we should only be preaching about love and peace. We should not mix politics with religion." South Sudan broke from Khartoum in part because of Sudan's insistence on applying Sharia law in all of the country.