Guit county, S. Sudan commissioner says citizens ready for independence celebrations

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

July 7, 2011 (BENTIU) – The commissioner of Guit county James Puoy Yak has told to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that his county is ready for the joyous celebration of South Sudan independent on 9 July.

Yak stated that it has been a long journey to the destination for the people of South Sudan which took them 191 years for their self- determination achievement. In 1820 the Viceroy of Egypt under Ottoman Turkey sent a force to conquer Sudan.

He added that it would be a “wonderful day for all South Sudanese” to raise the flag of the Republic of South Sudan and singing their national anthem, after suffering so many years of hardship.

Yak said the South Sudanese will “remain united, promote prosperity and peace in the loving nation” and that the South Sudanese people “shall rule themselves.”

In an interview on Thursday, he said that North Sudan had been preventing some goods entering Unity State and described relations with South Sudan’s Northern neighbour as “very bad”.

He urged North Sudan address its approach as it is already on a US sanctions list, the State Sponsors of Terrorism, and that a better relationship with South Sudan could improve their situation.

The sharing of wealth, oil and trade after the official secession of South Sudan from North Sudan is yet to be decided. The prices of commodities have been increasing in South Sudan as it is still reliant on the North for cheap supplies. Also, South Sudan’s oil is currently piped out to the coast of North Sudan. Although there are discussion to build an alternative pipeline through East Africa, nothing has been finalised.

(ST)