Millions celebrate

Jul 09, 2011

More than 3 million people in Juba town welcome the birth of the Republic of South Sudan

By Frederick Womakuyu in Juba

Midnight celebrations broke out in the capital Juba as millions of excited citizens welcomed the birth of their nation – the Republic of South Sudan at 12:00am Saturday morning.

Unofficial estimates from the ministry of information indicate that more than 3 million citizens of South Sudan welcomed the birth of the new nation in Juba town. This was before the main celebrations this afternoon.

Unlike the usual ceremonial raising of a new flag and lowering of the of flag of their masters that is born with a new independent nation the night before, the republic of South Sudan did not witness this ceremony due to security concerns, said the minister of information for South Sudan Dr. Benjamin Marial Barnabas.

But despite this, the people were very happy and excited. The atmosphere was electric and spirits very high as South Sudan citizens thronged the streets of Juba. Although traffic police was present, they could not control them as the enthusiastic and energetic citizens took over the control of the streets.

Conveys of hundreds of vehicles of excited South Sudanese drove through the streets of Juba, praising the Sudan People’s Liberation Army for the great work done in ushering in independence.

Some were dressed in the green, black and red colours of the new flag of South Sudan and others were waving the same flag .
Women and children carrying brightly lit candles lined up the streets as they welcomed the birth of the Republic of South Sudan.

Ululations and hooting filled the air as people blamed the Sudan government for treating the people of the South as second class citizens.

Students of Juba University welcomed the birth by playing loud music at their campus.

It was almost impossible to differentiate the high government ministers, civil servants and other elites in their respective capacities from ordinary citizens as they all jammed the streets to welcome the Republic of South Sudan.

Boda boda riders from all walks of life rode through the streets . Some were dancing as their motocycles moved at break neck speed, with some carrying as many as 10 people on one bike.

Old men and women, girls and boys got hold of anything that could give out any sound to make as enough noise as possible as a sign of excitement to welcome their long walk to freedom.

“The Republic of South Sudan oyee!” shouted one fifty-year-old woman, dancing with her arms raised. “I am crazy and did not believe that such a day would come. Many of our people have died fighting for us.”

The SPLA soldiers were no exception. Armed with big and small weapons, they jumped from their barracks and guarding stations into the streets to join fellow citizens to welcome independence.

Security was however tight in all the corners of Juba as the police, assisted by the army kept a keen eye on the safety of their citizens. “I can assure you that the SPLA has the capacity to deal with any security threat,” adds General Kaoul Ghai Deng, commander of the SPLA, based in Unity state Upper Nile.

President Salva Kiir welcomed the day in his presidential palace, accompanied by international and local dignitaries including the UN secretary general Ban Kimoon.

President Salva Kiir was unavailable for any press briefings as he only managed to wave to journalists after he appeared in public shortly before midnight.

SPLA secretary general Pagan Amum, welcomed independence by calling upon all the Republic of South Sudan and Sudan citizens to live in unity for the mutual development of both nations.

By 2.00am in the morning, the celebrations reached fever pitch as the vuvuzela sound replaced the ululations from women and hooting by vehicles.

The journey to independence has been long. Since 1955, the mostly Christian and moderate animists of the south have been fighting against the oppression by mostly the Arab Muslims in the north.

General Joseph Lagu, the leader of the first Anyanya war from 1955 to 1972 and the first president of Southern Sudan then between 1972 and 1983 told the New vVsion that they fought against "the forced islamization of the blacks by Arabs, deprivation of resources and apartheid practiced by Arabs."

“This is the day that me and thousands of hundreds of southerners fought for. Today concludes the journey we started and we hope that those who have taken over the leadership of this nation will give people a better life, better standard of living, better education, security, among others,” he adds.





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