By Manas James Okony<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Greater Pibor Administrative Area’s (GPAA) town of Pochalla, on July 9, 2025, witnessed huge turn-up to commemorate South Sudan\u2019s 14th Independence anniversary.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The event gathered government officials, traditional leaders, and members of organized forces, where key speakers emphasized the importance of peaceful coexistence among the diverse communities in the country.<\/p>\n This year’s celebration was significant as it took place at a historical site\u2014the very location where South Sudan’s flag was first hoisted in 1996, following a pivotal victory in the fight for independence from Sudan.<\/p>\n Participants were treated to vibrant performances by cultural groups, schoolchildren, and the army, adding a festive atmosphere to the day\u2019s proceedings.<\/p>\n Brigadier Arobo Ojulu Deng, the Pochalla Army Commander, reiterated the call for unity and peace, stressing that Independence Day should serve as a tribute to those who made sacrifices in the fight for freedom.<\/p>\n “Forty-two of my colleagues from Equatoria, Bahr el Ghazal, and Upper Nile regions died in a single battle while liberating Pochalla from the Khartoum regime in 1996. For me, this day is a tribute to them and those killed elsewhere. I am proud we have freedom despite hardship,” he remarked.<\/p>\n Goc Royal Dynasty King of Anyuak, Cham Odiel Gora described independence, as hard-won and urged communities to bury political differences in preparation for the country\u2019s transition to democracy.<\/p>\n “This year\u2019s anniversary comes amidst economic hardship and insecurity in parts of the country. However, this should not compel us to forget our struggle for freedom,” he stated.<\/p>\n Chief among the concerns voiced during the celebrations were the ongoing challenges of insecurity, including road ambushes and violence against farmers.<\/p>\n “We should stop these harmful practices and embrace peaceful coexistence so that we can enjoy our freedoms and cultivate the land,” His Majesty Cham urged.<\/p>\n Pochalla South County commissioner, Othow Okoti Abich called for tolerance and forgiveness and emphasized the historical importance of the site for the celebrations.<\/p>\n “As a country, we have chosen to hold these celebrations at a site where our flag was first hoisted, to remember our martyrs. It is vital to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom,” he said.<\/p>\n “Let us unite, stop inter-communal feuds, and embrace agriculture,” Othow added.<\/p>\n South Sudan’s path to independence was arduous, marked by decades of conflict beginning in 1955 and culminating in the establishment of an independent state in 2011.<\/p>\n The struggle resulted in the loss of over 2 million lives and left countless others wounded, highlighting the immense sacrifice endured by individuals and families.<\/p>\n In Pochalla, the legacy of this struggle is deeply embedded in the community’s history. It was here, during a decisive battle on March 24, 1996, that the flag, which would later represent the nation, was first raised. Unfortunately, this victory came at a high cost, as over 40 freedom fighters lost their lives.<\/p>\n During the celebrations, their names were called out in reverence and remembrance of their bravery and sacrifice.<\/p>\n The commemoration, serves not only as a reminder of the cost of freedom, but also as a call to all South Sudanese to come together in peaceful coexistence as they prepare for a future of democracy and stability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Manas James Okony Greater Pibor Administrative Area’s (GPAA) town of Pochalla, on July 9, 2025, witnessed huge turn-up to commemorate South Sudan\u2019s 14th Independence anniversary. The event gathered government officials, traditional leaders, and members of organized forces, where key speakers emphasized the importance of peaceful coexistence among the[Read More…]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":37425,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[80,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","category-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-14th-Independence-Day-Celebration-in-Pochalla.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37424"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37426,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37424\/revisions\/37426"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}