Sending the message home: A demonstrator holds a placard in Juba streets. [©Gurtong]
By Juma John Stephen
JUBA, 10 June 2010 (Gurtong) – The Secretary General of the Youth for Separation Butho John Aban said South Sudanese youth “are tired of living under oppression from the Khartoum regime”.
“We the youth have lived in oppression for a very long time and we feel that its time to be free. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) has provided for the referendum and we must take the chance to come out and vote for separation on the 9th of January 2011”, said Aban.
The representative of the Southern Sudan Civil Society Carlo Arigo Wani said the civil society wants to see freedom in South Sudan in determining their destiny and called on the government to listen to the people’s decisions.
“We, the civil society in South Sudan are calling upon the Government of Southern Sudan to implement the referendum Act of 2009. We have decided that on the 9th of every month there will be a peaceful demonstration for self-determination. We call upon the government to educate the masses through the media and both the Government of Southern Sudan and the international community should respect the choice of the South Sudanese”, said Wani.
The campaign will continue across all the counties, payams and bomas of South Sudan on the 9th of every month to enlighten the people about their right to vote in the referendum.
The chairman of the SPLM Youth League in Central Equatoria State Pitia Solomon said the youth were committed to attain their rights of voting for separation during the January plebiscite.
The campaign, organised by the Youth for Separation in collaboration with the Youth League of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, was attended by the Southern Sudan Members of Parliament led by the Controller of the Assembly Peter Bashir Gbandi.
The Central Equatoria State Legislative Assembly was represented by the MPs including the Speaker Naphtali Hassan Gale while the Central Equatoria State Government was represented by the Deputy Governor Manasseh Lomole Waya and the cabinet.
Among the demonstrators were religious leaders, who included a Muslim cleric Sheik Juma Said, who supported calls for the separation as well as school children.
The demonstration started from Juba football stadium in the morning and snaked its way through Juba town, from Muduria towards the airport up to the ministries through Beijing Hotel to Buluk before heading to the late Dr John Garang’s Mausoleum, where a huge crowd awaited with traditional songs and dance.
Waving a two-finger salute to signify two countries, the demonstrators chanted: “Two countries, Separation, No for unity Yes for Separation”.