South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir on Thursday commemorated the 42nd anniversary of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), honoring the sacrifices of fallen heroes while calling for national unity and continued peacebuilding in the young nation.
The SPLA, now South Sudan’s national army, was founded May 16, 1983, as the armed wing of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). It launched a rebellion against Khartoum’s marginalization, ultimately leading to South Sudan’s independence in 2011.
SPLA Day is a public holiday in South Sudan celebrated annually on May 16 to commemorate the formation of the then rebel group in 1983.
On 16 May 1983, a group of mutineers from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) opened fire in a barracks near Bor and would form the core of SPLA. Colonel John Garang de Mabior was sent to quell the rebellion but instead became its leader.
In a televised address on the eve of the anniversary, Kiir reflected on the struggle’s legacy, paying tribute to late SPLM leaders, including Dr. John Garang de Mabior, Commander Kerubino Kuanyin Bol and William Nyuon Bany.
“This day is not just a reminder of our past; it is a tribute to the courage, sacrifice and vision of our country’s heroes who paid the ultimate price so that we might live in an independent and sovereign South Sudan,” Kiir said.
Kiir, a liberation war veteran, emphasized that the SPLM/SPLA was not merely a military movement but a fight for “justice, equality and self-determination.”
While celebrating past victories, Kiir acknowledged ongoing challenges, urging citizens to uphold the movement’s founding values.
“The struggle that began in 1955 and then resumed in 1983 was for freedom, but also for unity, peace and prosperity,” he said. “Today, we are called upon to protect that legacy by working together to maintain peace, heal divisions and advance development.”
South Sudan, which descended into civil war just two years after independence, has been implementing a fragile 2018 peace deal. Kiir highlighted progress under the agreement but called for renewed commitment to stability.
“As we celebrate the 42nd anniversary, I call upon all citizens … to uphold the values of the SPLM/SPLA and dedicate themselves to building a peaceful, stable and united South Sudan,” he said.
The president framed the anniversary as a moment of “national renewal,” urging South Sudanese to draw strength from their shared history.
“May the spirit of May 16 live on in our hearts and actions,” he concluded.
The anniversary comes amid growing fears of renewed conflict in the world’s youngest nation, already struggling under a deepening humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations warned that a political standoff between Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar — the two principal signatories to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement — has escalated into direct military confrontation.
Kiir placed Machar, his longtime rival, under house arrest in Juba on March 26.