Unity State governor, Maj. Gen. Riek Bim Top, has appealed to the people of Unity state , especially the youth to embrace peace to honor the sacrifices of the thousands of South Sudanese martyrs.
In a message released by the governor’s office to commemorate South Sudan’s martyrs day, governor Riek urged the youth to reject conflicts and tribal divisions and instead promote peaceful coexistence and reconciliation across the state.
“As the governor of Unity State, I call on all citizens, especially the youth to reflect on the price paid for our independence. Let us not betray the legacy of our martyrs by allowing conflict, tribalism or corruption to dominate our future. Let us build a South Sudan they would be proud of, a nation of peace, development and equal opportunity for all,” governor Riek said.
The governor’s statement paid homage to the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior, exalting him as a symbol of liberation and shared national vision whose sacrifices, along with that of many others set the foundation for South Sudan’s freedom and independence.
“We remember with great respect and sorrow, the sacrifices made by Dr. John Garang and his fallen comrades, who led our struggle for liberation with courage, vision, and determination,” the governor said in an official statement adding, “their blood became the seed of our freedom and their dreams became the foundation of our nation.”
His statement emphasized that every martyr and supporters from the battlefields to the refugee camps played a role in our independence through pain and through unity in resistance.
In South Sudan, Martyrs’ Day is observed annually in remembrance of those who lost their lives during the liberation struggle, including the founding SPLM leader Dr. Garang, who died in a helicopter crash in 2005.