South Sudan’s Opposition Leader Says Martyrs Day Reminds of Hard Won Freedom

July 29, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan’s former vice president, Riek Machar, who now leads an armed opposition faction against president Salva Kiir’s government, said 30 July Martyrs Day was a reminder that the people of the world’s youngest nation sacrificed millions of lives in order to achieve freedom and sovereign independence.

The rebel leader issued the statement on Wednesday on the eve of the Martyrs Day which the country commemorates every year on 30 July.

“This important day reminds the people of this young nation of the spilt blood of our heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for freedom, independence and sovereignty of our beloved country,” Machar stated through his press secretary, James Gatdet Dak, on Wednesday.

“It is unfortunate that our people have continued to shed blood after independence to resist a dictatorship that threatens to deny them freedom, democracy, justice and development which millions died for during decades of liberation struggle,” he said.

He said among the lives lost was the first president of the then southern Sudan government, late John Garang de Mabior, who was founder of the current ruling party in South Sudan.

“It is our hope that this situation shall be overcome and peace, stability and prosperity shall reign in South Sudan,” he concluded.

(ST)