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Sudan Tribune

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South Sudan army vowes to protect national sovereignty

By Ngor Arol Garang

July 9, 2011 (JUBA)- South Sudan’s military – former rebel movement turned national army the Sudan People’s Liberation Army – marked the region’s passage into statehood by vowing to defend the new country’s territorial sovereignty against any foreign aggression.

SPLA generals wait for the start of independence celebrations in Juba, South Sudan, Saturday, July 9, 2011. (AP)
SPLA generals wait for the start of independence celebrations in Juba, South Sudan, Saturday, July 9, 2011. (AP)
James Hoth Mai, Chief of General Staff of the SPLA said Saturday that independence would bring new challenges to the southern military, including providing adequate security to the citizens and their properties.

The ill-defined border between North and South Sudan has not been fully demarcated despite the South officially becoming independent on July 9. Fighting in the contested region of Abyei and the northern state of South Kordofan, which is home to many soldiers who fought with SPLA during the civil war has raised fears that the two country’s could return to war.

However, at South Sudan’s independence ceremony in Juba on Saturday the leaders of the two countries said they would endeavour to form brotherly relations. South Sudan’s first president Salva Kiir said he would work with his counter part Omar Hassan Al-Bashir to achieve peace in all region’s of Sudan.

Mai said on Saturday that SPLA soldiers would not be able to go on leave until after the new South Sudan government was formed.

“We do not have plan to give long to leave of members of our forces now because we are in a critical moment. This is the time during which all military are required in their respected places of assignment. No one would be allowed to take a leave until arrangements to establish new nation are complete”, the SPLA Chief of General Staff said.

A SPLA Brig. Gen. , back left, celebrates as he and others wait for the start of independence celebrations in Juba, South Sudan, Saturday, July 9, 2011. (AP)
A SPLA Brig. Gen. , back left, celebrates as he and others wait for the start of independence celebrations in Juba, South Sudan, Saturday, July 9, 2011. (AP)
The general said he was lost for words to describe who he felt about South Sudan’s partition from the North.

”I am very excited. I do not actually know [what] to tell you, for this is what all our great grand fathers and mother had sacrificed their lives.”

“I will now be happy for rest of my life because the dream and mission for which lives of prominent figures have been sacrificed for this day”, he added.

General Anthony Bol Madut, a former high ranking SPLA commander who is now a politician, said he is happy that the peace and freedom for which he rebelled twice against successive Khartoum based central governments in the North had finally been achieved.

“I am happy that the peace and freedom for which I was always among the first to rebel against the central government in the North has been achieved. It has been a long journey to reach here although it has claimed a lot of lives and left many of us testimonies”, said General Madut showing the press scar of the gun shot while fighting as rebel commander.

“How many reasons to be happy because demand of our people which has many lives has been found, this is very important in our history because all my fellow South Sudanese who perished during the war of struggle are finally being paid off. Their sacrifice for this new baby nation (South Sudan) is being fulfilled in our very eyes today. I am very proud of their bravery and contribution to this great cause”, he said.

The member of the South Sudan’s ruling party argued that people were celebrating so rigorously because people had died for independence.

“This day did not as gift. It became because CPA was signed due to the great price paid by our people,” he said.

(ST)

7 Comments

  • Mr. Truthteller
    Mr. Truthteller

    South Sudan army vowes to protect national sovereignty
    SELF-DETERMINATION OYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

    We won!!! We won!!! We won!!! We have won at last!!! We have brought the people of South Sudan to their final destiny of independence through self-determination as predicted by Prophet Ngundeng Bong!!! We have made it across the river!!! We have split the country successfully!!! We initiated peaceful solution to the war and came up with peace strategy that ended the war in 2005!!! The game is now officially over!!! Our vision has been implemented and created the independence!!!

    May God bless the champions of the vision of self-determination!!! We have used all the strategies to bring every body proudly on board!!! We have been focusing on achieving self-determination and turning unionists into separatists and used them to walk with us to the Promised Land!!! Republic of South Sudan oyeeeeeeee!!! I can now clearly hear you, see you, smell you and taste you!!! Goodbye North Sudan!!!

    Now that through our strategy we have successfully created our own independent and sovereign state, our next focus shall be to bring good governance and development to this nation. There will be no other excuses this time or else….

    Reply
  • George Bol
    George Bol

    South Sudan army vowes to protect national sovereignty
    Thanks to both James Hoth and Anthony Bol for their importance words of appreciation to our loss strong and determine brothers.

    I agree in whole of my heart that this independent is not agift, it’s a heavy price for lives and we are thanking SPLM/A for liberating us. God bless our struggle. Amen

    Reply
  • Mi diit
    Mi diit

    South Sudan army vowes to protect national sovereignty
    you are absolutely right 100% mr. truthteller. this is the happiest day in my life.

    riek machar has successfully carried the baby president salva kiir and swim him across the river.

    our prophets and forefathers shall bless riek machar who championed self-determination, initiated peace with bashir in 1997, brought john garang and salva kiir on board in 2002, made sure the first protocol was on self-determination, implemented peace sucessfully from 2005 to 2011. made sure the independence is accepted by all unionists in SPLM leaders and brought them clearly to the picture. now the next task is good governance and development.

    Reply
  • Dinka Dominated SPLA/M
    Dinka Dominated SPLA/M

    South Sudan army vowes to protect national sovereignty
    attempting to set up a paternalism that will bring the workers of this country even more absolutely under the control of the employers, … strengthening the chain of industrial tyranny in this country. … [That is what lies behind these efforts] to sanctify and confirm oppression by waving the South Sudan flag in the face of its victims and by insidiously stigmatizing as unpatriotic any attempts they may make to throw off the yoke of the exploiting interests [that the organizers] represent
    God bless the dead.

    Dr Riek machar was very rude to interfere in the work of secretary general pagan Amum and mr Agou Jongkuch yesterday . that was very embarrassing indeed.
    How could the vice persident interfere with the job of secretarys and force himeslf into something that he is not a part of it?
    this show the world that how greedy and selfishness is this people of south sudan are.
    first of all dr riek machar is not a part of this historical day but he try his base to be a part which is not bad since the PCA was for everone including those who did not fought for it.
    Dr Riek machar was being humiliated by the secretary generals to cut the power of speeker from hime which was really bad in the yes of the world.
    Mr Amum was very sad indeed and he walk a way but Mr Agau jongkuch was polite to stayed since he know Dr Riek machar attitudes of selfishness.
    Dr Riek machar should have be a good person if he keep himself away from south sudan independent since he kiiled alot of innoncence people of Dinkas in the collebearation with basir inoreder to get rid of Garang and Kiir.
    I am so happy with southsudanses people and their dead one and living one may God bless south sudan and it gov.
    Thank to Dr Garang for this weldone job.

    Reply
  • dakin
    dakin

    South Sudan army vowes to protect national sovereignty
    Even I can thank Dr. Garang but not this drank man who try to fit himself in Doctors,presidents,visionaries etc. What he did yesterday disrupting microphone before the most senior military man in Sudan Field Marshal Ahmed Bashir just because he want to go and drink is shameful!!
    This gogrial pretender was just reading out a composition text to the world and south sudan! I quote him yesterday saying: He said, Today is weekend and I am not going to talk much because all of us are tired and thirsty.

    Reply
  • Nhomlawda
    Nhomlawda

    South Sudan army vowes to protect national sovereignty
    No doubt SPLA will do it job well. They had been doing their jobs before without better equipment but what about now with better equipment. It will be fantastic.

    Reply
  • Nguetbuny de Luelpiny
    Nguetbuny de Luelpiny

    South Sudan army vowes to protect national sovereignty
    Long live SPLA/M protect the land of Africa.

    Longer days celebration in Africa.

    Arab Rulers in the North were celebrating the longer years they are living in Africa Land. They separatist Riek and Kiir leadership short minded give the Arab advantage over black Sudanese people for the six years we left behind.

    Now new page to started over with everthing seriously against misrule and onward. New Sudan will not allow non skillsful leaders this time of days.

    It unskills works is the main rootes cause of corruption and tribals remark among ourselves. Instead of using our work skill for position,we would use tribal and Gang praud people to misinformation the people.

    Black people have no right in Middle East even just business in their Land is not allowed by them. But other people have claiming Africa, which is the weakness for African leaders.

    No problem, Kiir and Riek Term will over soon. Sudanese Young leaders will takeover, and upgrade their Long vision for Africa. The Land of Kush is from south kaji keji to North Mediterranean sea with the Europe.

    The Lord of the Nile

    Reply
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