Political Quotes

“I rise today to acknowledge the 10th anniversary of South Sudan's independence. July 9 is a bittersweet day for the resilient people of South Sudan. For decades, South Sudanese fought a brutal war with the government in Khartoum in which 2 million people lost their lives. After decades of bloody struggle, the parties to the conflict signed the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, CPA, which provided for self-determination for the South and paved the way for South Sudan's independence in 2011, with the diplomatic support of the United States and others in the international community. Yet the promise of South Sudan's independence has turned into tragedy. Deep fault lines that emerged during the country's long struggle for independence, accentuated by rivalry and rent seeking among the country's corrupt political elite, brought about catastrophe. A little over 2 years after independence, 400,000 people were killed and more than 4 million were displaced during the 5-year civil war between forces loyal President Salva Kiir against those aligned with Vice-President Riek Machar. Unspeakable atrocities were committed against civilians during the conflict, including women and children. In 2017, the war induced a famine that brought hundreds of thousands more to the brink of disaster. The United States and its international partners have invested heavily in diplomatic efforts to support and end to the conflict in South Sudan.…”