NAS Chairman Cirillo calls for inclusive dialogue in Easter address

National Salvation Front (NAS) Chairman and Commander-in-Chief General Thomas Cirillo Swaka has used his 2026 Easter message to call on South Sudan’s leaders to commit to a genuine and inclusive comprehensive dialogue that addresses the root causes of the country’s conflict.

In a statement released on Easter Sunday, Gen. Cirillo said the hope for stability and prosperity in South Sudan depends on “leaders with patriotism, integrity, and a dedication to serving the people.”

No Peace to Celebrate

While extending greetings to Christians in South Sudan and around the world, the NAS chairman struck a sombre tone, noting that South Sudanese cannot celebrate Easter in peace due to ongoing insecurity caused by the Juba regime.

“The people of South Sudan, unfortunately, cannot celebrate this Easter season in peace due to insecurity caused by the Juba regime, resulting in the deaths and injuries of many innocent civilians,” Gen. Cirillo said.

He extended condolences to families who have lost loved ones and wished a quick recovery to the injured – remarks that come just days after the deadly massacre at Khor Kaltan in Jebel Iraq, Juba County, which left more than more than 30 people dead, and reports of a separate attack on civilians in Bagari Payam, Wau County.

Resilience and a Call to Action

Addressing citizens directly, Gen. Cirillo acknowledged the severity of the hardships facing South Sudanese – insecurity, hunger, displacement, and economic collapse – but urged them not to let those difficulties define their destiny.

“Your resilience in times of insecurity, hunger, displacement and economic hardship is a testament to your strength and determination,” he said. “Together, we can build a great country where justice, accountability and the rule of law are core pillars of governance.”

Our future must be built on our determination and action with courage to create the nation that we all aspire for, to reflect all of us

He called on every citizen to stand up for truth, justice, human rights and dignity, framing the struggle not as a military effort alone but as a collective national project. “Our future must be built on our determination and action with courage to create the nation that we all aspire for, to reflect all of us,” he said.

Dialogue Over Conflict

The centrepiece of the message was a call for comprehensive dialogue. Gen. Cirillo said Easter offers a “profound opportunity” for the country’s leaders to pursue a genuine peace process — one that goes beyond the repeated agreements that have failed to hold.

He did not name specific leaders or peace initiatives, but the call for an inclusive process that addresses root causes echoes NAS’s longstanding position that previous agreements, including the 2018 Revitalised Agreement, failed because they treated symptoms rather than the underlying drivers of conflict in South Sudan.

“May the resurrected Christ renew our lives, strengthen our collective national resolve to bridge divides and bless us with love, harmony and peace,” Gen. Cirillo concluded.