Hundreds gathered in Himodonge to pay tribute to Equatoria fighters

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Torit Historic Garrison in 18, Agust 1955

Thousands of South Sudanese from greater Equatoria on Friday set to witness the graveyards of the heroes buried in Himodonge.

The 18th of August is remembered every year as the day when the first bullet was shot as the southerners rejected the oppressive regime in the Sudan government.

The Chairperson of the organizing committee for the commemoration of the Torit Revolution Mr. Eddy William Ponsiano says the war broke out in 1955 when the then Sudan Government wanted to dissolve the Equatoria Corps Forces which was formed to defend the Equatoria Territory.

He narrated that Southerners refused the idea of Arabization and that Islamic cultures were to be introduced to the people by Arabic dominance.

“Why do people go to Himodonge on the 18 August, it is to remember the Heroes who sacrifice their lives in 1955, at that time they reject going to Khartoum because the areas were getting independent from the British.”

“The Corps rejected to go to Khartoum which marks the beginning of the war on 18th August 1955, that is why we are here and South Sudan is peaceful today,” he said.

Eddy mentioned that the Equatoria Corps fighters were ready to sacrifice their lives by saving others accused of killing the Arab

He revealed that others were forced to dig their graves themselves for burial as a means of punishing the beginners of the war.

“I can still remember some of them like Hariha, Oker the grandfather of General Jackson Elia, Itinga, and Pangarasio, so the issue of Pangarasio when he arrested his brother Imugang heard and is going to be killed, he decided to come from Abalwa to died together with the brother,” he narrated.

“The burial was too painful some were asked to dig their grave, others buried a life, they were buried in few 40 to 50 people but most of them were buried 80 to 100 in one grave.”

Eddy is calling on the people of Eastern Equatoria and South Sudan to honor the fallen heroes by refraining from killing each other to attain total peace in the country

He says South Sudan is losing respect from other Nations due to internal conflicts in most parts of the Country.

“To my people of Eastern Equatoria state, we are very great, let us not play on the grave of our people who sacrifice their lives in 1955. The more we kill ourselves shows that we are not respecting them.”

“We South Sudanese, the death of these people was too [painful the songs they were singing were AMANYA HOHOI IKO ARABI TOGELE IN OTHUHO, say we will not stay together with Arabs it is only heaven that will combine us, Eddy mentioned.

He called the South Sudanese to jointly promote peace to honor those who died in the revolution.

“CORPS, ANYANYA, SPLM, even their children no one respecting them, so this person buried in Himodonge  whenever they are told about their dead.”

The speaker remarked on the memorial graveyards of the Equatoria fighters who started the war on the 18th of August 1955 in Himodonge.

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