Field tracker · South Sudan · Sub-Saharan Africa

AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - Bishop Hiiboro Kussala on the values of Pope Leo XIV's Magnifica Humanitas: "What kind of generation are we raising?"

Tombura Yambio – "We young nation whose greatest wealth is not oil, gold, land, or political power but rather its children and young people. Many children today spend more time with screens than with parents, know social media influencers better than their teachers, and are exposed to vast amounts of information before they have developed the wisdom to judge what is true and false, what is good and harmful." Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Diocese of Tombura Yambio shares his testimony regarding the recent publication of "Magnifica Humanitas," Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, in which the Holt Father recalls that technology is a gift but must never become humanity’s master; it must remain humanity’s servant. "This is a Powerful Document that calls Humanity to place the Human Person, Human Dignity, Morality, Wisdom, and Responsibility at the center of Technological Advancement," the prelate emphasizes in the statement sent to Fides. "Technology has brought genuine blessings—connecting people, expanding access to knowledge, improving communication, and opening opportunities previous generations could not imagine. Yet, every blessing carries responsibility," he explains. "Social media is shaping minds, influencing behavior, creating heroes, determining values, and forming opinions in ways that make it the new classroom, village square, marketplace, and sometimes source of confusion. Are we raising thinkers or merely consumers of information? Are we raising responsible citizens or digital addicts? Are we raising leaders or followers of every passing trend? Are we helping our children discover their identity, or are we allowing strangers on the internet to define it for them? These are all questions we must ask ourselves." Reflecting in particular on the reality that most affects him, Bishop Hiiboro dwells on the importance of addressing and answering these questions. "In South Sudan, a society still emerging from conflict, these questions are even more urgent. A nation rebuilding after years of war cannot afford to lose its children to addiction, misinformation, online exploitation, tribal hatred, pornography, violence, and moral confusion. Young people need books as much as phones, playgrounds as much as digital platforms, real friendships as much as virtual connections, mentors more than influencers, and character more than popularity. I believe that discussion should not focus simply on banning social media but rather on protecting childhood, promoting responsibility, and ensuring that technology serves human development rather than undermining it. Parents must become more involved in children’s technology use and digital lives. Churches must speak about the ethical use of technology and its impact on moral development. Governments must develop policies that protect children while respecting freedom. Technology companies must be held accountable for impacts on young users. Above all, young people themselves must learn that freedom without responsibility eventually becomes slavery. Among the shared reactions around the world to the publication of Pope Leo XIV's encyclical, Bishop Hiiboro focuses on that of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced measures restricting access to social media for children under sixteen. "Starmer's decision has generated debate, praise, criticism, and reflection in many nations. Personally, I consider it a courageous decision that goes in the right direction. Whether or not we agree with every detail, it raises an important question for all of us: What kind of generation are we raising? This question is particularly relevant for South Sudan." "Pope Leo XIV's message in Magnifica Humanitas is timely and urgent," the prelate emphasizes. "Human progress without moral wisdom is dangerous, knowledge without values can destroy, and technology without ethics can divide society. In our country, we can no longer postpone, emphasizing that the challenge before the nation is fundamentally human, not technological we cannot postpone addressing this important issue; the nation must not only build roads, schools, hospitals, and institutions but must also build character. The future of a nation is not determined by the sophistication of its technology but by the quality of its people. A nation with solid values can use technology wisely. A nation without values will end up becoming a victim of its own inventions." "The challenge before the nation is fundamentally human, not technological," Hiiboro concludes. "The real question is not whether children can access social media, but rather whether social media is helping children become the men and women God created them to be."

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