William Lu Long

We cried together during the war for freedom.
But today, we are silent while destroying each other.”
My brothers and sisters,
There was a time when the pain we felt was the same.
A time when our tears fell for one purpose.👇
freedom.

We did not ask each other, “What is your tribe?”
We asked, “Are you one of us?”
And we were.
We were united by suffering.
United by hope.
United by the dream that one day, this land would belong to all of us.
We cried together.
We buried our loved ones together.
We stood together against a common enemy.
But today. something has changed.
Today, we are no longer crying together.
We are watching each other suffer in silence.
Worse still. we are the ones causing that suffering.
How did we reach a point where a brother sees another brother as an enemy?
How did we move from unity… to division?
From sacrifice… to selfishness?
The same hands that once lifted each other.
are now the same hands pushing each other down.
And the most painful part is this:
We have become silent.
Silent when villages are burned.
Silent when innocent lives are lost.
Silent when hatred is spread among our people.
But silence, my people.
Silence is not peace.
Silence in the face of suffering is agreement.
Silence in the face of division is surrender.
We did not suffer for years just to destroy ourselves.
We did not lose so many lives just to become the reason others are dying today.
This is not the dream we fought for.
The freedom we wanted was not just freedom from others,
it was freedom to live together, to grow together, to build together.
So I ask you today.
Will we continue this silence?
Or will we rise again, not with weapons, but with wisdom?
Not with hatred, but with unity?
Because the future of South Sudan is not in the past.
It is in what we choose to do now.
Let us not be remembered as the generation that destroyed what was built with blood.
Let us be remembered as the generation that chose unity.
when division was easier.
Thank you.

Thank you, Hon. Nhial Malual, for your vision, courage, and commitment to a better South Sudan.
In a time when our nation needs hope, unity, and development, your message of change inspires many young people to believe that a brighter future is possible.

May your efforts continue to encourage peace, accountability, and progress for all South Sudanese.
The journey to a better nation is not easy, but every voice calling for positive change makes a difference.
May God bless you and guide you as you serve the people of South Sudan. 🇸🇸🙏