Akol Madut Ngong
The people of Central Equatoria State on Monday gathered at Nyakuron Cultural Centre to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1992 Juba Massacre under the theme: “A Father to the Fatherless O defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling,” Psalm: 64:5-6.
The commemoration was done in support from PAX for Peace, one of the Dutch organizations based in Netherland.
Addressing the event, State minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Moro Isaac who spoke on behave of the governor said what happened in 1992 was one the mass grave access, saying struggle can led us through.
The minister said that they have learnt a lot of lessons from the life loose and the struggled made by the victim.
“We lost very important people who did not look up to the jobs and the privileges’ that they had but its look worse, the liberation of the country that today we are proud call the Republic of South Sudan, they didn’t pay their life in vein, the blood that they slash God cemented what is so call the Republic of South Sudan,” Isaac said.
“Widows and the children who lose their parents, we can see, this family went through this pain, they didn’t breakdown, they sustain the momentum of the revolution, the liberation struggle until we are ready now to say this is our country,” he continued.
He noted the contributions made by the then orphans and widows in areas of human resources. He said they are not only children but now they are contributors to the growth and prosperity of the country, adding that aspiration have been grown and the momentum will continue in order not lose brothers and sisters whom their lives perished in 1992.
Meanwhile, the representative of the then orphans Emmanuelle Pita called on his colleagues to unite more than ever. He said that they should take away the burden that their mothers have been carrying for the past thirty years, adding that they are not kids anymore.
“I would like us to come together and carry all the legacy of our fathers to the government, ‘O dear government’ pardon me to be rude for I’m just a poor orphan, ask yourself, what have you done to these widows and their children for the past thirty years. Our mother has been knocking at your doors from the time their husband disappeared for the regime that has been destroy you and for you who just came in our mothers never stop knocking and begging,” Emmanuelle stressed.
He stated that for them to feed and educate their children of your friends, there is no so friends, that you are struggling together in the all days, it’s so sad that they are not here to enjoy the fruits of their labour the way you are doing today, what have done to our mothers in return of begging, they receive humiliation but I will like to stand up and tell you today, enough is enough,” she explained.
However, the Representative of PAX for Peace organization Ms. Elizabeth Atong said there are so many people who lose their life for this country, commenting that people of their age have a country like South Sudan.
She said when the 1992 massacre happened, some of them were in refugee camp while other were in the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps though others went outside in search for education.