By Yang Ater Yang
The people of Lakes State celebrated SPLA Day, on 16th May which is a commemoration of 1983 struggle of South Sudanese for freedom from then Sudan, in the Rumbek.
Speaking during the gathering, the governor of Lakes state Gen. Rin Tueny Mabor said,
“Today commemoration we celebrate the 39th anniversary of the foundation of our revolutionary movement SPLM/A, on 16th May 1983. The movement first started with a mutiny in Bor town, Ayot Pachalla and sparked to different areas of Southern Sudan”.
Rin Tueny explained that the mutiny led to the formation of SPLA/M by their late founding chairman, Dr. John Garang De Mabior, and other leaders like Kharbino Kuacyin Bol, William Nyuon Bany among others on 30th July 1983.
He continued to say that after the declaration of SPLM/A as movement, Southern Sudanese students, intellectuals and the youths joined the movement in big numbers who were oriented and trained on SPLM/A politico-military doctrine and staged the liberation struggle from 1983-2005.
Tueny said that during the struggle, patriots from Southern Sudan, Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile, Eastern Sudan and Darfur regions fought vigorously with the main objective of liberating the whole Sudan. Malakal, Wau, and Juba was liberated and the forces were also in Nuba Mountain, Southern Blue Nile and Eastern Sudan.
“These victories triggered various political negotiations in Naivasha-Kenya between SPLM/A leadership under our late chairman Dr. John Garang De Mabior and the National Congress Party NCP, the ruling party in the Sudan under President Omer el Bashir. These political negotiations resulted into the singing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 and as provided in the provision of the CPA, Southern Sudan was granted the right to self-determination in which unanimously voted in favor of independent during the referendum in January 2011 with 98% and the Republic of South Sudan as declared a sovereign nation on 9 July 20211” Tueny said.
The governor said that 16th May is a wonderful revolutionary day with mixed reactions including bitter as memories fallen soldiers who fought against oppressive forces of successive Islamic regimes in the Sudan come flashing back, but it’s also a day to celebrate the achievement of the country’s hard won independence where all South Sudanese are free in their own country.
“With this sovereign achievement and victory, we congratulate the SSPDF (SPLA) gallant forces and the entire South Sudanese people who have participated in the liberation struggle and in particular our fallen heroes and heroines. We dearly remember and salute the memory of our founding chair and father of the nation, Dr. John Garang for his ultimate sacrifices and the only meaningful reward for them is their own country South Sudan. As South Sudanese, we thank and salute our chairman of SPLM and commander in chief of SSPDF (SPLA) H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit for his steadfast leadership since the formation of SPLM/A, up to date” Tueny said.
“Comrade Kiir played a pivotal role in the formation of our movement and remained loyal to the cause of the liberation struggle by working together with our late chairman Dr. John throughout the hard days of the liberation struggle. Shortly after the signing of the CPA, our late chairman John Garang died in a plane crash, a death that was so tragic and almost lost the hope of our people for freedom, but with patriotic leadership of comrade Salva Kiir, he successfully led our people out of the shaky interim period to independence” Tueny added.
He concluded that given this brief historical and revolutionary contribution, we all must be behind comrade Salva Kiir and SPLM leadership to ensure justice, peace, unity and reconciliation in the country.
Member of Parliament in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Daniel Deng Monydit appealed to the government of Lakes State to establish centres for veterans in the state.
Deputy Speaker of Lakes State Legislative Assembly, Madam Ayen Meen Ador appealed to the governor of Lakes State to bring the resolutions which were passed during the consultation meeting in Juba and Rumbek as rule of laws to govern the people of Lakes State since the parliament full is reconstituted, they should be debated and passed.
The Commissioner of Rumbek Central County, Dut Manaak Akuot said, “today is a great day to us as a country and people during these days in 1983 countless numbers of our comrade took up arms, fought for and dedicated their lives; many lost their lives, others left their families behind for cause that was greater than their education, jobs, families parts of their bodies and lives that they lost”.
“To honor and make our heroes proud we need to further or continue with their work they have done their part of liberation from the Arabs, they have passed the baton to us to continue to liberate our people from poverty, disease, disasters, insecurity, suffering, deprivation and other social ills that have currently befallen us as a country and people, with numerous institutions currently available. These must be to transform into vehicles for services delivery and development through full extension of institutions of law enforcement in payam and boma levels. The expectation of our heroes who took up arms in 1983 was to keep our people safe, protected, happy and directing resources to millions of South Sudanese in underserved rural towns and villages that is when we shall have served the history of our struggle rightly” the Commissioner concluded.