The Indian Community in South Sudan celebrated the 72nd Republic Day in the capital Juba. Raising the flag clad in a plain black suit in front of the embassy building with Indian UN battalions saluting in the midst of the country’s national anthem, Ambassador S D Moorthy leads the community during the colourful ceremony.
Held in compliance with the covid-19 safety measures, hundreds of Indians in South Sudan, including business groups, religious leaders and Indians serving in various humanitarian agencies gathered at the embassy to celebrate their national day. In his key note address, Ambassador Moorthy called on Indians in South Sudan to be COVId-19 cautious and work to normalize relations between India and South Sudan. “Corona pandemic is still active in South Sudan.”
The infection rate is slowly going up day by day. I request you to take advised precautions to guard yourselves from the deadly virus,” Moorthy urged. He added “The Indian Embassy is trying its best to strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and South Sudan and I request your support and cooperation to make it a success.”
Moorthy pleaded with senior Indian community members to give correct advice to new Indian business entrepreneurs coming to South Sudan and extend all possible help to setup their establishments to create employment opportunities for South Sudanese and for their country’s own progress. The Republic Day is a national holiday in India, which honours the date on which the Constitution of India was effected on 26th January 1950 – replacing the Government of India Act as the governing document of India and thus turning the nation into a newly formed republic.
It is a day that signifies the right spirit of Independent India. The important symbols of the festival include the exhibition of military equipment and the national flag. The Indian Embassy with support from the Indian community have provided series of humanitarian supports to the people of South Sudan in recent times of global pandemic, including food aid to thousands of flood-affected community, orphans, blind people, and street children.
The government of India through its embassy has also donated a number of lifesaving drugs, COVID-19-personal protective equipment and school materials to students in South Sudan. Moorothy promised his country will continue to stand in solidarity with the government and people of South Sudan to ensure lasting peace and mitigating suffering of the vulnerable people.