[OPINION] – Independence Day Without Celebration Demands National Soul Searching

Happy 14th Independence Day to you all, fellow South Sudanese.

As we mark this significant day, many of us will reflect privately, rallying behind our national flag despite the absence of formal celebrations. This should remind us that our independence was not freely given. It was earned, born out of painful experiences including:

Ethnic marginalisation and inequality

Cultural exclusion and suppression

Religious discrimination

Economic neglect

Political exclusion and authoritarianism

Since the referendum and subsequent declaration of independence on 9 July 2011, South Sudan has continued to face deep rooted challenges that risk undermining the very ideals we fought for:

Ongoing conflict and mass displacement

Severe underdevelopment and poor service delivery

Widening ethnic divisions and erosion of national unity

Chronic hunger and widespread poverty

Weak governance and rampant corruption

Persistent violations of human rights and a weak rule of law

Let this Independence Day serve not just as a memory of our past sacrifices, but as a renewed call to action to unite, to rise above our divisions and to address these urgent national challenges.

Only by working together can we build a South Sudan that lives up to the hopes of its people.

For God and my beloved country.

Boboya James Edimond
Scholar, Policy and Political Analyst

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