South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Aluong Maker Aluong.
As South Sudan prepares to mark its Independence Day on 9 July 2025, young citizens across the country are expressing excitement and gratitude.
Many believe the day holds deep significance, symbolising hope, opportunity, and national identity.
On Tuesday, 8 July, peace-loving youths spoke with The Dawn Newspaper, stating their desire for the anniversary to be celebrated annually as a commemoration of the nation’s birthday and the sacrifices made to achieve this significant milestone: sovereignty from Sudan.
Chol Alier Dit remarked that the day serves as a reminder of the long struggle for self-determination and is a symbol of hope for a better future, despite the numerous challenges faced by South Sudanese throughout this journey. It remains a moment to reflect on the potential for peace, prosperity, and unity. Given the difficult path traversed by our grandparents, parents, and ancestors, this day deserves attention and celebration.
Chol further emphasised that independence was fought for because South Sudanese sought freedom from marginalisation and exploitation. Decades of civil war between the North and South resulted in immense loss of life and widespread underdevelopment in the South, ultimately leading to a 99% vote for independence, driven by a desire for freedom of speech and movement.
“Although our achievements are but drops in the ocean of what South Sudanese truly desire, we have at least begun to make strides towards success. It is simply a matter of making necessary corrections within ourselves, such as sitting down at negotiation tables with a readiness to forgive one another and embracing transparency and accountability. With these steps, a clear pathway for the progress of this youngest nation will emerge,” Alier explained.
On another note, Daniel Maker Akuch, a member of the group, underscored Chol’s points by noting that South Sudanese now have the Juba-Bor main road and the Bahr el Ghazal road in progress, numerous bridges repaired, such as the Freedom Bridge, an increased number of universities, health facilities reaching villages, emerging industries, and wildlife tourism opportunities like Bandingolo and Nimule game parks. Ultimately, the expansion of business into remote areas is a direct result of independence. Therefore, this day should not only be celebrated from a political perspective but also as a celebration of true freedom, particularly for the youth.
“When we were with the North, we were not allowed to advocate for these fundamental rights; rather, we were expected to sing lullabies and receive empty promises. To be frank, we have made positive strides. Seeing our own flag raised and waving embodies everything,” Maker declared.
Maker also urged South Sudanese to reflect deeply on the labels they were branded with, stating that South Sudanese were termed “second-class citizens” by Northerners, which is no longer the case.
“While we may not have achieved everything we envisioned, the blame lies squarely with us, the citizens, since we are the ones perpetuating these destructive practices. For instance, engaging in power struggles in the wrong ways and tribalism, where Dinkas act as Dinkas, Nuers as Nuers, and Mundaris as Mundaris, diminishes our ability to achieve what we yearned for in 2011,” Maker explained.
He lamented that the way many South Sudanese perceive independence today does not align with the vision our parents fought for. As they struggled for it, our heroes and heroines did not expect us to be living in camps, engaging in gang violence, or committing crimes against one another. This is deeply troubling.
Peter Warkok, another member, directed his criticism at the youth for failing to live up to the example set by the heroes and heroines who fought for independence.
“Our great fathers fought for independence, and it is now our turn to fight for development, as one person cannot fight for two things. Development is specifically our responsibility as youths since our fathers accomplished their part,” Peter stressed.
He explained that the most important aspect of development is “human development,” where skill acquisition is prioritised. After skills are developed, physical development will naturally follow. It is also time to uproot the tribalism and corruption we often discuss; no miraculous solution will come from the heavens to erase this issue; the solution lies within us.
“The most important aspect of independence is that we are now the watchdogs of our politicians, members of Parliament, and army generals whenever they face corruption scandals. When we were still part of the North, we were expected to be lapdogs, and failure to comply resulted in severe punishment,” Alier concluded.
They all wrapped up by stating that, despite not achieving everything we fought for, we have made progress, and thus, citizens should celebrate the day to demonstrate that the journey, with its ups and downs, was not in vain.
