Warrington, Balok lead remembrance day observance in Juba honoring war sacrifices

JUBA – The United Kingdom’s Ambassador to South Sudan, Guy Warrington, and South Sudan’s Minister of Defense, Gen. Chol Thon Balok, led a national observance on Remembrance Day in Juba, marked by two minutes of silence in honor of those who lost their lives in the two World Wars.

Remembrance Day, a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of World War I, pays tribute to armed forces members who died in service.

In many countries, including non-Commonwealth nations, the day is marked by wearing poppies, wreath-laying, and a two-minute silent reflection in recognition of the cessation of hostilities on November 11, 1918.

The Minister of Defense, Gen. Balok, representing the government, highlighted Sudan’s colonial history and the involvement of Sudanese forces in the world wars.

“South Sudan was a colony of the British, and in the Second World War, South Sudanese and Sudanese were part of the British army,” he said. “So, they participated fully in all wars by then, and on this occasion, we are honored to be here to honor our martyrs who fell in those wars,” he added.

Balok commended the UK for its continued support to South Sudan in efforts to secure lasting peace.

“So, we are working together to achieve final peace and final democracy in South Sudan,” he remarked.

UK Ambassador Warrington noted the day’s significance as a tribute to soldiers lost in global conflicts spanning over a century.

“We gathered together to remember the soldiers who fell in all the wars, in the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, and I think most people embracing have someone who fought in one of those wars – so there is a deep personal connection.”

Warrington added that the day resonates strongly in South Sudan, a nation that gained independence through long-fought struggles in Africa’s longest civil war.

“It is not just British people who died in British wars, there are people who died in the wars that led to South Sudan’s independence and also the peacekeepers who are here in UNMISS and in Abyei UNISFA.”

The UK envoy highlighted the value of peace, especially for young people.

“We should always remember what a valuable commodity peace is. I think in the UK we have had 80 years since the Second World War where we lived in peace. And it is very important that young people remember just how valuable it is to live in peace in our time,” he said.

He urged South Sudanese to honor the sacrifices made for the country’s independence by striving for a democratic and peaceful state.

“Make sure that the sacrifices that the people made to get the independence of this country are realized in a state where democracy prevails and where peace prevails.”

Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, is observed annually on November 11 to honor millions of allied service members killed in the Great War. It commemorates the signing of the World War I Armistice on November 11, 1918.

This year, King Charles led the UK in two minutes of silence in remembrance of men and women who lost their lives in both World Wars and other conflicts.

Tens of thousands of veterans and civilians joined the King at the annual National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in central London.