South Sudan Independence has come, what next?

In the first place one needs to congratulate his country men & women for the achievement of the independence of their beautiful motherland, the Republic of South Sudan. It has been a long walk to freedom. Thanks God for giving us a perfect answer to our century-long prayers for freedom, peace and development in an independent South Sudan. This road to freedom has been walked by all of us in South Sudan, so we are all the achievers of the independence whatsoever the case maybe. It is my right to be happy and say congratulations to everyone because I had also walked the road and had known its cost and price during the journey.

As a person who has understood and attended the struggle for quite long time since my childhood; and indeed knowing very well some of our martyrs we had lost their lives during the process in our long fight for independence and freedom, I had no doubt that the independence would be successfully achieved at the end of the day. I knew very well that the result of Struggle would be finally achieved peacefully. And indeed it happened! I thank Dr. John Garang who simplified the struggle to a referendum vote instead of gun blast because some South Sudanese had tried to betray our rights during the war but they worked very well during the vote of independence because it was a simple struggle. I also thank Salva Kiir Mayardit who swears not to take the people of Sudan back to war because the history would repeat itself. If it were not because of these two men, the freedom would not be achieved believe me or not. I have loved Kiir for giving a good practical explanation to the Khartoum regimes and the world that South Sudanese know how to rule and can successfully rule themselves. It is a challenge none of South Sudanese had dream t for or brought to practice during the limited rule in South Sudan.

In Malakal and maybe anywhere in South Sudan or other places people dropped tears in big amount when the flag of the old Republic of Sudan was lowered followed by the raising of the flag of our young Republic of South Sudan. People cried because they didn’t believe that they were free at last. I felt tears in my two eyes about to fall down to my feet. However, I held my head up straight and stood firmly to avoid any single drop. I managed to do it and I did not cry. I knew that I was free at last so I better rejoice instead to cry. I knew that Garang had paid his life for me and so the enemy was defeated and it was my right to cheer. I also knew that Salva Mayardit was a good and strong leader so I better clap for him and chant for happiness. I knew that I had cried and mourned for so many years and many times for my people I had lost during the war. But date 9 July was for me to beat my chest and say that I love you my ‘motherland.’ It was a day for me to say that my people did not die in vain but they died for a cause.

So, what next? Freedom is achieved and the country is an independent South Sudan. What shall we do? We need our shallow minded politicians to understand peace. We want our politicians to avoid community against community politics and surely hatred need to be buried completely because it has no use at all. We need to change our attitudes in the new nation. The largest country in Africa is divided into two because of its famous longest war giving birth to the newest and the youngest nation in the world. A politician who wants to come to power because power greed need to be well informed that we are tired of him. We need good leader.

And to my dear youths let’s avoid wrong uncles who confuse youths because of their positions. Our sturdy war against laziness must be inaugurated by all strong and energetic youths. We shall speak it clearly with our own lips that laziness and staying clean forever is not a civilization but an evil thought and practice. As youths who fought successfully for independence during referendum and beyond, we need to campaign for peace and unity in South Sudan and I am quite sure that we can. If we are committed then tribalism shall die among our communities. This can be possible if our lips and hearts speak but only for peace and unity shunning hatred and conflict. It is up to youths of this country to work for development or remain the poorest nation in the world. And there would be no reason for struggle if wrongdoings overcome our thoughts and activities. After independence we need peace and development.