South Sudan regrets hoisting flag upside down in Egypt human error
(ST)
January 11, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudanese government has regretted the hoisting upside down of her national flag during a visit of President Salva Kiir to Cairo, Egypt, attributing it to human error.
The national flag is usually hoisted in a way that places up the black side, which represents the people of South Sudan but this black colour was seen hoisted upside down during president Kiir’s arrival at the Egyptian airport and in other main streets through which the president and his entourage passed.
The upside down display was also in the background of the handshake of president Kiir and his host and was hoisted on a stand next to Egyptian flag.
A South Sudanese diplomat at the ministry of foreign affairs told Sudan Tribune when reached on Wednesday to comment on the matter that the hoisting was “a human error”.
Sincerely speaking, this was not a deliberate act on our side. It was a human error and we regret that the incident has caused inconveniences to our people, which is their right, because the flag is the symbol of the nation”, a top diplomat told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.
The official was reacting to protest by South Sudanese outraged by the incident in which some described it as disrespect of the country by displaying dozens of South Sudan flags upside down during the visit of president.
Eyewitness including South Sudanese in Egypt took to social media to express their anger; some described the incorrect display of the flag as a disgrace and demand the Egyptian authorities to issue an apology.
The Egyptians ambassador to South Sudan, Ayman El-Gammal is yet to comment.
(ST)