Martyrs Day – Our Memorial Day for Freedom Fighters of Wars of Liberation
By Manon Aleu Jok Aleu, New York, USA
July 31, 2015 (SSB) — I believe we are free at last!! I pledge to protect and safeguard to the Flag of the Republic of South Sudan; and to the New Republic an earth that build on foundation of over two millions martyrs, for which it stands, one nation, one people, under one God, with liberty, justices and equality for all our people.
Every moment, we remembered you, during our moment of silences in saluting millions of our liberation martyrs, we feel proud, we feel thankful for those who experiences a hard won freedom, because they do not die for no reason; I take time to think about our veterans that have served the nation to keep South Sudan a free nation.
Our Martyrs Day is one of the most important day in every year, where we honors our martyrs and veterans, whose pay a heavy price in protecting our nation, after all they have done for South Sudan, we must ensure that Martyrs Day shall fulfills the duty of honoring every sons and daughters who serves this great nation from all our armies forces policemen, military, security agencies, to men and women in the all armies forces who wear military uniform.
Our Martyr’s Day is a day of reflection and celebration for all martyrs and veterans past and present day for those who are continues to carrying duty in the frontlines and protecting our borders and the nation in Upper Nile Region battling with Khartoum Face rebellion of Dr. Machar in South Sudan.
However, just the fact that we still pay a high price in many frontlines to protect and safeguard our freedom and live in a free country, with dignity, sovereignty, we shall never allow any coward groups to turn all our achievement back to darkness days of Khartoum regime; to honor them means providing basic necessities needs for our Martyrs families, orphans, widows and wounded loves one.
For example, our responsibilities in providing them, with education supports, social welfare assistance, housing program, for the most providing safety, security and peace to our nation. To honor them means to recognition and gratitude by making this nation reflecting martyrs dream, liberty, prosperity and justices for all the people of South Sudan.
On Martyrs Day, we have organize parades to celebrate, all men and women wear-uniform and different braches of the military come to marching down the all freedom squares across our land. People of South Sudan in every villages, town, and city wave our national flags while giving a standing moment of silences in honoring and respect for our martyrs.
This is how our martyrs would like us to remember them at Martyrs Day. People of South Sudan at paradise all over our homeland let everyone know and recognize how much their sacrifices and duties have done for all of us.
I lost my cousin Reing Deng Dau in the SPLA war of liberation, I remembered in 1987, when he told me that this War will take longer and some of you who are young men, may not serve or experience the liberation era, but your education investment will serves this great nation in different battles in the future, he asked me to go back to school rather than joining SPLA army as child army I was 12 years old by then, today my beloved Cousin Reing Deng Dau, was not amongst us and when we witnessed the freedom day on July9, 2011.
However, I am proud for him and South Sudan is proud for his sacrifices in contributed to this nation liberation and his many comrades who follows his way; My cousin Rieng Deng Dau lost his live in 1990s battled enemy in protecting our citizens in the Northern Behar El Ghazal, Aweil West County; under command of the Current Chief of Staffs of SPLA National Army General Paul Malong Awan; when I observed with our South Sudan flags flying high in all corner of South Sudan land, I respect for the people like him.
This freedom we enjoyed today in South Sudan, it was all made possible by those who fought in order for us to be free nation, and it is painful to see many of them do not witnessed the final day of July9, 2011, because many of them lives were lost.
I would like to say, we they living ones, shall build a memorial cemeteries for our veterans across ten states of South Sudan in honoring them and recognize them, in making their present with us a live; where the generation to generation come will experiences and recognizes those who served our nation and let us know our hearts were with them. I believe it would be great if our government and civil societies take this initiative to build cemeteries for our martyr’s “memorial cemeteries” across ten states of South Sudan.
Finally, thank to men and women who helped us to be free at last; our liberty, justices and prosperity shall never be compromise in any prices, we shall pursuit our happiness, dignity in making peace to our nation and ourselves. SPLA oyee, Our Martyrs Oyee and South Sudan Oyee.
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