Machar congratulates South Sudan’s current generation on independence
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July 10, 2011 (JUBA) – The Vice President of the newly born Republic
of South Sudan (RSS), Riek Machar Teny, has congratulated the South
Sudanese on attaining independence and freedom, after a very long
period of struggle involving a number of generations, at a prayer
meeting attended by over 1,700 members of the Nuer congregation of the
Presbyterian Church of the Sudan in Juba on Sunday, a day after the
declaration of independence,
JPEG - 27.9 kb
RSS VP Riek Machar addressing the church, Juba, July 10, 2011 (ST)
South Sudan gained its independence from the rest of Sudan on 9 July,
formalising the overwhelming vote for secession in the
self-determination’s referendum conducted in January this year. The
exercise was in accordance with the self-determination’s provision in
the peace deal signed in 2005, ending 21 years of the second phase of
the civil war between North and South Sudan.
Machar said “Many generations had longed to see the day, for example,
the generation of Both Diu, among others” he said, referring to the
federalist and founder of the first South Sudanese political party in
1950s, before Sudan gained independence from the British.
During the independence celebrations on Saturday Machar praised the
President of the Republic of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, for living up to
his promise of implementing the self-determination’s exercise and
honouring its outcome.
In 1997 the two leaders signed a peace deal based on
self-determination to be conducted in four years, but the agreement
was violated by Bashir’s regime, who that time reportedly succumbed to
internal pressures by northern opposition against the agreement as
well as ongoing war against the government by the Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A).
The Vice President also praised his President, Salva Kiir Mayardit,
saying he was privileged to have successfully walked with Kiir to the
historic day.
The Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of the Sudan, Rev.
Peter Makuach Nyak, warned the leadership of the newly born Republic
of South Sudan (RSS) not to starve the newly born nation, at the
meeting on Sunday.
He said South Sudan is like a newly born baby that needs to be
nurtured. “If you just eat and forget about the welfare of this baby,
the baby will malnourished and gradually die. But if you take good
care of it, the baby will grow up strong and healthy and become mature
and productive,” advised Nyak.
Nyak expressed his disapproval of the limited care given to the people
of South Sudan during the past six years, calling upon people to
unite, irrespective of their differences and collectively take care of
the new Republic.
After the church service, Sudan Tribune sought reactions from the
members of the congregation about the comments made by the government
and church leaders.
“Our leaders should be very serious this time. I for one will not
accept any unnecessary excuses now that we are on our own as an
independent nation,” Bol Puk, an official of the government said.
“They used to tell us that because of this or that, the people should
remain calm and patient. Now that we have completed all those
processes they have to show us their true competence to deal with
issues of development and [good] governance, or we will just take them
as deceivers or jokers,” he added.
He said he was “disappointed” that the microphone cut out while Ma
char introduced Bashir, who he said “deserved thanksgiving” for
accepting South Sudan’s independence.
Machar said that it was “wise to praise him [Bashir] so that he may
feel his good deeds are recognised by us and our leaders and can
further resolve the Abyei issue and the rest.”
“I hope that the newly born Republic of South Sudan will not be
mistreated just in the same way the previous Government of Southern
Sudan was mishandled for the last six years,” said David Gatwech, a
member of the public.
“Our leaders are always very soft on serious issues that are important
for this nation and for our lives and I therefore don’t expect any
serious positive change from them because corruption and tribalism may
continue to starve this land as said by our pastor,” he added.
(ST)
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