As we mark May 16 a day symbolizing the struggle and sacrifices made for South Sudan’s liberation we must pause and ask ourselves: Are we truly free?
Our current reality tells a different story.
We are witnessing a government that has adopted the very tactics of the oppressive Khartoum regime we fought to break away from. Our Constitution is being ignored. Our people are suffering. And our leaders remain silent in the face of injustice.
The Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan guarantees basic rights and freedoms. Yet today, these constitutional promises are being violated:
Article 19 (4):
“A person arrested shall be informed, at the time of arrest, of the reasons for his or her arrest and shall be promptly informed of any charges against him or her.”
Article 19 (6):
“Any person who is arrested or detained shall be brought before a court of law within twenty-four hours from the time of arrest.”
Despite these clear legal protections, political figures such as Dr. Riek Machar have been detained beyond the lawful time limits, without due process. This is a clear contradiction of our Constitution.
Even more alarming, our people are being bombed. Hospitals and civilian areas are being deliberately targeted. Women, children, and the elderly are suffering the consequences of a war that continues to ignore the sanctity of human life. This is not the freedom we fought for.
Article 11 of our Constitution guarantees the “Right to Life”:
“Every person has the inherent right to life, dignity, and the integrity of his or her person, which shall be protected by law.”
The bombing of hospitals and civilians is a war crime under international law. These acts must not go unpunished. Those responsible must be investigated, held accountable, and prosecuted—whether they are in uniform or in power.
We cannot, and will not, celebrate May 16 while our fellow citizens are dying, while our laws are violated, and while the cries of the oppressed go unanswered.
We must rise as one people, united not by fear, but by a shared vision for justice, dignity, and peace. We must demand that our Constitution be respected. We must protect our citizens. And we must ensure that justice is not selective, but equal and fair for all.
Only then can we truly honor May 16. not just as a date in history, but as a living reality of freedom, democracy, and national unity.
By Ernest Ogwaro
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