Youth Activist Achol Jei Miakuach Calls for Unity and Change in South Sudan
Activist Achol Jei Miakuach has called upon the nation’s young people to unite and take responsibility for the future of their country. Speaking on the vital need for peace and cooperation, Miakuach challenged the youth to reflect on what it truly means to create a home in South Sudan.
“Home is a place where our heart can find rest and peace,” Miakuach articulated, urging participants to join forces in unity and love, irrespective of their tribal affiliations. “We must come together, whether from Dinka, Nuer, Shuluk, Bari, or any other group,” she stated, emphasizing that only through solidarity can real change occur.
Despite South Sudan’s reputation as the “hope of Africa,” Miakuach expressed concern regarding the current state of the nation. “Do we really have hope? Are we truly exercising that hope?” she questioned. Her remarks highlighted the troubling reality of internal strife and disunity that plague the country, asserting that the challenges faced today stem from within its own citizens, rather than solely from the government.
Miakuach candidly acknowledged that the youth of South Sudan have often embraced division, leading to ongoing conflict and suffering. “How long are we going to continue mourning the death of our brothers and sisters? Just because we have decided not to embrace peace and love among us,” she posed, inviting a moment of introspection among her listeners.
As a clarion call for accountability, Miakuach insisted that the political leaders are not the sole architects of South Sudan’s challenges. “We have decided to be taken for a ride by our political leaders… we have become the ones encouraging disunity,” she elaborated, advocating for personal responsibility in fostering a peaceful nation.
“I’m not here to expect the whole nation to change overnight,” Miakuach concluded, “but if just one person changes, that’s enough.” She urged the audience to share her message widely, encouraging discussions around unity and support for one another rather than allowing tribal divisions to tear the nation apart.
In her heartfelt message, Miakuach called on the youth of South Sudan to envision a future grounded in cooperation: “Let’s be like a football team where the players cooperate in order to achieve what they want.” Her message resonates as a reminder that the country’s fate lies in the hands of its people, and it is only through collective action that a new chapter can emerge in Southern Sudan’s history.
