South Sudan presidential spokesman urges to celebrate independence day

July 9, 2016 (JUBA) – Ateny Wek Ateny, the spokesman of South Sudan president
Saturday has urged the citizens to get out and celebrate the day marking the independence of the country from the neighbouring Sudan in 2011, asserting that celebrating it was more valuable than anything else.

Ateny, in a statement entitled “happy 5th Independent Day to the People of South Sudan”, said Kiir has demonstrated a statesmanship and true leadership by treating his first deputy, Riek Machar, as a brother than an enemy, generating comments asking how his boss should have treated Machar.

“Though it is agonizing to celebrate South Sudan’s Independence with the loss of another South Sudanese’ lives yesterday, our independent is top to everything we have including our lives. President Salva Kiir has really demonstrated the statesmanship and true leadership, “Ateny said.

President Kiir, according to Ateny, has “really saved peace above all things and managed to prove to Dr. Riek that, he is not an enemy but a brother. And, this has puzzled many that the President is really a man of God and had love for this nation. Otherwise, South Sudan would have come to an end yesterday as a nation-state.”

” So, with five years on, I urge our citizens to remain calm, and to accord President Salva Kiir the support he needs to maintain law and order which is the recipe for peace,” he further said.

(ST)