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Ailing S Sudan skips Independence Day celebrations

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South Sudan marks its sixth independence anniversary on Sunday, with no festivities to mark the day due to lack of funds and the on-going civil conflict in the country, according to government.

The UN Children’s agency, UNICEF, has described the situation “a catastrophe for children.” UNICEF says more than 2000 children have killed in the on-going conflict and at least 2 million are displaced.

The World’s youngest nation got her independence in July 2011, but civil conflict broke out in December 2013.

With no solution in sight, a group of young South Sudanese drawn from the country and the diaspora have resolved to come together to end the war.

A total of 4 million people have been forced to flee their homes, while 6 million which is half of the country’s population, do not have food to eat.

Children have borne the brunt of the conflict, they have been killed, recruited to fight as child soldiers in a war they know nothing about, millions have fled to neighbouring countries.

Regional campaigns director of Save the Children Nahashon Odhiambo says the situation is dire.

“As we speak 2.2million South Sudanese children are out of school.”

It will be an independence day with little to celebrate.

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– By Sarah Kimani

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