South Sudanese students studying in Gulu district on Sunday celebrated their young nation’s independence with hope that the war ravaged country has a bright future.
Over 200 South Sudanese youth from eight secondary school in Gulu converged at Gulu High Secondary School School, in the outskirts of Gulu town and made speeches, performed cultural dances, cut cakes and said a prayer for their country.
South Sudan got independence in 2011 becoming the world’s youngest nation, but shortly after, the infant country plunged into conflict and anarchy.
Priscilla Piath, a students at Ocer Jesuit College said she strongly believes that South Sudan will walk out of its current bad situation. Piath explained that the youth of South Sudan have an important role to play to bring peace in in the country. She blamed both former South Sudan’s Vice President and now rebel leader Dr Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir for holding the country hostage.
Simon Jong, a student of Bishop Angello Negri College urged South Sudanese not let the efforts of Dr John Garang and others who fought for independence be in vain. Jong noted that as future leaders of the South Sudan, the youth should not be divided along ethnic lines.
The Chairperson for South Sudan Students’ Association and a student of Gulu Central High School John Chuti Thuc expressed optimism that the current conflict in South Sudan will give birth to new leaders who will bring peace in the country.
Sister Lona Cypriana of Comboni Sisters Gulu at St Joseph Cathedral, a South Sudanese national who fled her over a decade ago says she has hope in the young generation describing them as Moses who led God’s people to the promise land.
The students’ event was also attended by Araham Bior, 31, a former child soldier who left South Sudan in 1987 and now lives in the US where he works as a High School teacher.
There are 1.2 million South Sudanese refugees in Uganda.
