South Sudan pays last respect to its fallen heroes and heroines
By James Gatdet Dak
May 6, 2008 (JUBA) – The Government of Southern Sudan organized a prayer on Tuesday at the Mausoleum of the late SPLM Chairman, Dr. John Garang de Mabior, in Juba to pay the last respect to the victims of May 2, 2008 plane crash that claimed the lives of Dr. Justin Yaac Arop, Presidential Advisor, Lt. Gen. Dominic Dim Deng, SPLA Affairs Minister, their respective wives and 17 others.
Tens of thousands of citizens turned up at the prayers asking God to forgive and take away such violent deaths that repeatedly befall their leaders.
Speaking to the crowd, the First Vice President of the Sudan and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, General Salva Kiir Mayardit, said the death of Dr. Justin Yaac and Lt. Gen. Dominic Dim is a great loss to the people and the nation.
“We are hit by another tragic incident three years after the death of Dr. John Garang who died in a similar disaster,” President Kiir reminded the crowd of the bitter memory.
He blamed the incident on the aircraft, saying Southern Sudan has become a dumping ground for unworthy vehicles and aircrafts that could not be allowed to fly in other countries.
He asked the people to overcome the pain of such tragedy and move forward with the nation building.
An Advisor to President Omer el-Beshir and representative of the Government of National Unity, Uncle Bona Malual Madut, conveyed a message of condolences from President Beshir.
Uncle Bona Malual who also represented the Twic Community of Dinka tribe in Warrap state said the incident is a great loss to the Twic Community in particular and the nation in general. It is to be noted that seventeen out of the twenty one people killed in the plane crash are from the Twic Community among who are notably Dr. Justin Yaac Arop and Lt. Gen. Dominic Dim Deng.
Bona Malual reminded President Salva Kiir, both of whom are also from the Twic Community of huge contributions of the two deceased leaders in the struggle during their life time.
While leading the prayers, Bishop Nathaniel Garang of Episcopal Church of Sudan, urged the leaders of Southern Sudan to unite and prayer to God for forgiveness. “I call upon the leaders to unite and love one another then these evil deaths that follow us always will go away,” he advised.
Bishop Garang also called on the leaders to turn to Christ for forgiveness. “I know there is something going on that is why these things are happening, adding that leaders should read the Bible and pray with clean hearts”, he added.
Lt. Gen. Oyai Deng Ajak, SPLA Chief of Staff said the two heroes (late Dr. Yaac and Dominic Dim) contributed effectively to the “liberation of Southern Sudan.”
Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Minister of Internal Affairs in the Republic of Uganda read out at the podium a message of condolences from President Yoweri Museveni. He said the tragic death of the two leaders is a great loss to the people of Southern Sudan and their government, the SPLM/A, the whole nation and the region.
He assured continuous cooperation from the Republic of Uganda and appreciated the Government of Southern Sudan for its mediation efforts between his government and the Lord’s Resistance Army/Movement (LRA/M).
Late Lt. Gen. Dominic Dim Deng and his wife will be buried today, Tuesday, at Bilpam (SPLA General Headquarters) about three kilometers north of Juba town while the bodies of late Dr. Justin Yac and his wife will be flown back to Warrap state tomorrow, Wednesday, for burial.
(ST)
Michael Madit Magot
South Sudan pays last respect to its fallen heroes and heroines
May Almighty God Rest the SOULS of our beloved HEROES AND HEROINS who deceased during the 22 years and beyond during the SUDAN civil war.
Almighty God you know what you are doing with Me,My COUNTRY and THE WHOLE WORLD.
YOU WILL EXPLAIN IT TO THEM.
PEACE!!!
MICHAEL MADIT MAGOT WUOI,
JOHN CHOL
South Sudan pays last respect to its fallen heroes and heroines
I was among the thousand of mourners who paid their last respects to the giant fallen heroes and heroines yesterday in Juba.The prayers were held at the late Dr.Garang de Mabior’s mausolem were leaders and delegations from other countries gave thier condolences to the southerm mass at the site.
It was not until when the contraversian politician Bona Malual,whom i saw for the first,gave his ironic speech when he addressed the first vice-president of the Republic of Sudan,President of the Government of South Sudan.1st Lt.General C-in-C Mr. Kiir Mayardit as “my younger brother here”.I was puzzled and shock as to why Bona undermined President Kiir and denied him his offical national titles.Well, one may say Mr.Salva Kiir could be younger than Bona Malual but the fact remains that president Mayardit is not running Twic Community affairs but the government of the people however, He deserved his rank throught his committements in the struggle in the South liberation and therefore,was choosen by the people to lead after the death of Dr.Garang.
So many southerners at the prayers site have their thoughts that the death of Lt.Gen. Dominic Dim and Dr.Justin Arop was going to be the turning point of Bona Malual to join the SPLM.Everybody was eager to hearing this happening but Bona Malual remained committed to what he referred as his national duties as the head of Mr.Bashir’s delegations to Juba.we are all have the same destiny as Southerners and Bona Malual should have talked as a relative if not an elder to junubiin.Death does not spare anybody at all,we shall die.Dear Dominic and Yac we will missed you and will remember you. May God almigty rest your souls in peace
Pothwei Apet Bangoshoth
South Sudan pays last respect to its fallen heroes and heroines
H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, persidnt of Government of Southern Sudan, chairman and C in C of SPLA/M. Your excelencies, ministers of GOSS, and all commanders of the SPLA. We members of the SPLM and Sudanese community of Syracuse, New York send you our deepest sorrow and condolences and ask our almighty to receive souls of our beloved sons and doughters of Southern Sudan whom lost their lives on May 2, 2008 air crash.
We all pray our God father and request him to give their families, relitives, and friends his power to tolerate and have patience in this great lost.
Pothwei Apet Bangoshoth, on behalf of Syracuse, NY SPLM Subchapter &
Martin Akek Akol, on behalf of Sudanese Community, Syracuse, NY
Deng Akol Agut-tungdoun
South Sudan pays last respect to its fallen heroes and heroines
High Brother John Chol,
Bona Malual Madut is Just but a sick man of Sudan. I was in when he was giving his poor ironically speeches.
What Bashier dogs must know is: Mayadit is the president of the South whether young or old they must respect him becouse he is NOT A BOOT LICKER, but patriotic man that needs nothing but respects for the whole southerners.
Malual never understood that people were mourning otherwise somebody could have just respond to his selfish speeches.
Brother John, this Dinka says is really important:”Piny cok ha cak ba ra ye randeh ting”. We have seen from yesterday who is really a true son of our great Southern Sudan.
Malual is Just but a black mundukuru with stumpt at the other opening of his. Beleive me or not that is where he belong. He is not our dear brother, becouse our true brother can not insult us when we are in the middle of sorrow.
To hell with your abnormal speech es Malual Madut Kiir is our Leader and we must follow him forever and ever..
Deng Akol Agut-tungduon a man far a way from triblism.
Chol K.Thon
South Sudan pays last respect to its fallen heroes and heroines
Once more I send my condolences to the families who bore the heaviest brunt of the last week crash. Sons,daughters,brothers,sisters and every other relatives,we as Southern Sudanese are partaking in shedding tears of sorrow with you over the death of our fallen sons and daughters. The more we cry, I understand, the more we are unable to face up to this event. I mean to say that it is now time for us to perpetuate the contribution these heros and heroins have made for our nation of South Sudan.
It should not be inferred that this occurrence is an indication that the hand of God is against us but rather a cue that our country has some way to go as regard averting future atrocities of the similar nature. Shedding tears as our president is doing in the picture, which I believe is his second time the first being after the death of Dr. John Garang, is not the best we can do. As for me the well of my tears is almost dry having engaged it many times. Considering the fact that tears relieve one of unbearable feelings, I will be the most affected come the next tragedy.
Thanks to the Espicopal bishop, Nathaniel Garang for giving us what we need in the face of these cruelties,that is suggesting a solution to our problems. Let us not wait for tragedies to strike and then expend treasures on celebrating their death, forgive my language I am refering to funerals. Instead we, in anticipation of these events, should be using this money on purchasing aircrafts, training pilots, hiring qualified pilots,legislating aviation laws,constructing roads to mention but a few.The acknowledgement by the president that our country is used as a dumping ground by well -to -do nations is worth noting but we would have appreciated it more had it come before the accident.This statement is indicative of the truth that we know where we have failed. I will be pleased to have you read a comment I posted on the web on saturday last week. The statement at best will furnish us starting point when tackling our problems.
May God rest your souls in peace.
Everyone of us is destined for your place, we will be there sooner or later
Toposa Boy southerner
South Sudan pays last respect to its fallen heroes and heroines
Why crying dinkas and jalaba have to die anyway so that people of south Sudan can free them self-forever, be course there animals in our country
Nyanchol Ajak
South Sudan pays last respect to its fallen heroes and heroines
My beloved brother Deng Ajak may God rest your soul in peace. Amen. Your entire family and I still in a deep shock. If tears could bring you back Dengdit, the ones shed over you would. We are extremely proud of you. You followed your purpose in life of serving your people day by day, year by year through all the hardships and obstacles life brings. Your love of your people, your hopes and dreams of a free and prosperous South Sudan shall contiune to be a beacon. Your childrens Garang, Ajak and Achol will carry the torch.
Your Sad Sister Nyanchol Ajak (Maiy)