National Salvation Front (NAS) Chairman and Commander-in-Chief Gen. Thomas Cirillo Swaka has urged the people of South Sudan to use the country’s 15th Independence Anniversary as an opportunity for deep national reflection.
He called on citizens to recommit themselves to the principles of justice, democracy, accountability, freedom, and the rule of law.
In an Independence Day message released on Thursday from The Hague, the rebel leader congratulated South Sudanese on the occasion while lamenting that the high hopes that drove the 2011 independence referendum have been eroded by prolonged poor governance, corruption, and political failures.
Gen. Cirillo recalled how South Sudanese voted overwhelmingly for independence with dreams of building a nation rooted in dignity, development, and equal opportunities — a country where children could access education, healthcare would be available to all, civil servants and security forces would be respected, and citizens could live in peace and prosperity.
Instead, he said, those aspirations have given way to widespread suffering, insecurity, and the breakdown of state institutions.
“The dreams and aspirations of the people of South Sudan have been betrayed,” the NAS leader stated.
He highlighted ongoing economic difficulties, collapsing public services, unpaid civil servants, mass displacement, and persistent violence against civilians.
Gen. Cirillo sharply criticized entrenched corruption, tribal politics, and the plundering of national resources, which he said have weakened institutions and further divided the country.
He encouraged South Sudanese not to despair but to once again take charge of shaping their nation’s destiny.
“Just as they did in 2011, they must reclaim their freedom, rights and dignity,” he said.
The general added that the sacrifices made for independence must not be squandered by what he called a kleptocratic political elite.
Gen. Cirillo reaffirmed NAS’s dedication to the ongoing struggle for freedom, justice, human rights, and the dignity of all South Sudanese people.