South Sudanese yearns for lasting peace during martyrs day celebration
South Sudanese have called on the political leadership to work for long-lasting peace and stability as the country commemorated Martyrs’ Day on Monday in Juba.
Salva Tong, a teacher and resident of Sherikat suburb of Juba, said President Salva Kiir and his transitional unity government should work to bring lasting peace and stability to reward the martyrs who sacrificed their lives and blood for the country to be independent in 2011.
“The most important issue is peace and stability so that people are united as South Sudanese, and not divided like the way are,” Tong told The Jube Echo.
Kuer Deng, a prison officer who formerly led a joint police operation unit in Khorfulus of Figi County in Jonglei state, called on the government to ensure children of the martyrs are enrolled in school.
“What is needed for the country now is to think about the children of the martyrs, their children need to be enrolled in government schools, and they also need good public health facilities,” he said.
Martyrs ‘Day is commemorated on July 30 annually to remember South Sudanese who fought in the long -decades war of liberation against oppressive regimes in the then united Sudan.
Michael Makuei, the national minister of information, communication, technology and postal services, said the liberation war was waged to benefit all South Sudanese.
“It is presumed that we are all part of the movement, the liberation is for all of us and especially for the youth who were born during liberation struggle, we do not want war to erupt again,” Makuei said during peace concert in Gumbo basic primary school on Saturday.
“We have not forgotten but there are things that diverted us from our programs, objectives and mission, we pray that our country becomes stable and the widows and orphans will get their rights,” he added.
In February this year, Barney Afako, a member of the UN Human Right Commission in South Sudan urged political leaders to seize opportunity to reset the country towards peace, democratic transformation and prosperity.
Afako then revealed that without a change of approach, the transition risks faltering.
He called on the political leadership in the transitional unity government to work together to put an end to violence and protect human rights of South Sudanese
