The Catholic Diocese of Torit (CDOT) is a local church organisation created on May 2nd 1983 just 14 days before the onset of the current 20years old civil war in the Sudan. CDOT is located in the Eastern Equatorial region of South Sudan an area approximately 80,000.00sq km, the diocese borders three countries, Uganda from the Southwest, Kenya from south and Ethiopia from northeast. The wide area covers the rest of the area as well as Malakal and Juba Archdiocese from the north. The Diocese is divided into three deaneries:

 

Covering four administrative counties of Magwi in the west, Torit in the Central, Budi in the Southeast and Kapoeta in the East. The Diocese of Torit looks after a population of 1.3 million people; this includes displaced people within the Diocese and outside due to war. The population of the Diocese became big because of the inconveniences caused by LRA. CDOT has a population which entails over 17 main ethnic groups. Half a million of this population have fled the war and are currently living in camps in the neighbouring countries Uganda & Kenya.

 

CDOT with its geographical features of mainly semi – Arid and Shrub land with a combination of vast plains, hilly terrains and mountains in the South eastern, Savannah and mountainous forests in the north western, suffers from ongoing Civil War between the northern Islamic government of Khartoum and the rebels (Predominantly Christians “ The SPLA” in the south. This war is complicated by rebel factions fighting each other also in Eastern Equatorial in recent years. Besides hostilities and fighting between the different ethnic groups and within these groups makes it extremely difficult to build up permanent structures of health services.

 

The vision and mission of the Diocese is to serve God’s people and to be united with them in times of suffering and peace. We are the hope for the desperate people of God in the diocese. As we seeks to serve God’s people through sacrifices and pains during the war, the Sudan people’s liberation army started in 1983 it fought for the liberation of the black Sudanese.

 

By taking over the responsibility for provision of health services, water supplies and food security and education in different parts of the diocese, CDOT struggles hard to support the war affected population and build up a modest infrastructure to allow some development to take place every now and quite a few implications for the peace process on the local level, as it creates a situation of trust between members of the diocese and the quarrelling parties.

 

More information: visit http://home.catholicweb.com/DioceseofTorit/