W. Equatoria marks 28th anniversary of SPLM/A
May 16, 2011 (KAMPALA) – Western Equatoria state (WES) joined the rest of South Sudan in commemorating the 28th anniversary of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army / Movement (SPLA/M) in the state capital Yambio under the theme “United for building a strong Republic of South Sudan.”
The mood was both sombre and colourful as troops travelled from the army base over three miles from Freedom Square.
The governor of the state, who is a colonel in the SPLA rank, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro said that this is “a historic day and moment of great joy for all the people of southern Sudan and WES in particular to celebrate the 16 May, the day the present SPLA entered the bush to fight for the freedom of the southerners.”
“The struggle of South Sudan since 1955 against the clique regime of Khartoum has come to an end today” said Bakosoro.
The governor called upon WES citizens to remember the fallen heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the new nation.
“I am appealing to every southerner who might have suffered at the hands of the SPLA forces to forgive and forget, because it is the same SPLA forces who mistreated the southerners that sacrificed their lives for the total freedom of South Sudan” he added.
Among the SPLA’s achievements, the governor lauded the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended more than two decades of civil war in 2005.
Bakosoro called for the people of South Sudan to respect the soldiers, for the hardships they had suffered on their behalf.
The governor called upon all the citizens to prepare for the celebrations with traditional dances, games, decoration and planting of citrus fruits on the historic day.
With regards to development in the state, Bakosoro said that investors are eager to buy sunflowers, palm oil, coffee, soya beans from the state, urging the communities to plant and open big farms.
The SPLM state secretary, Manaseh Doboi Agoli, congratulated the leadership of president Salva Kiir Mayardit for having been able to lead the southerners to the ‘promised land.’
He stated that this is the last anniversary “to say goodbye to the Khartoum government and welcome the new Republic of South Sudan in joining the African continent and world in general.”
With the attainment of the new nation, Manaseh called upon the South Sudanese Diaspora to return home to contribute to the building of the new state.
Manasseh said that the war for independence is not yet over, because true independence means self-reliance; the eradication of poverty and illiteracy; food security, creating employment opportunities for youth; fighting corruption; health services amongst others.
(ST)