South Sudan has not achieved much apart from raising its flag as it prepares to mark 13 years of independence on Tuesday, a veteran politician said, adding that the country is still suffering from fragile institutions and weak economy.

The country was proclaimed independent on July 9th, 2011 – becoming the world’s newest nation after decades of ferocious civil wars fought between the north and the south of Sudan.

Tens of thousands poured into the streets of Juba city and other towns on a Saturday morning of that day – while hoisting flags and chanting “freedom”.

But following a nationwide instability that started in 2013 and ended in 2018, many cities in the country including the capital Juba have continued to mark the independence anniversary in silence.

Dr. Lam Akol, the Chairperson of National Democratic Movement under the SSOA coalition, described the independence day anniversary as a “subdued occasion for South Sudanese.”

He said the government is now proving right the Sudanese scholars and politicians who believed South Sudanese would hardly govern themselves.

Dr, Lam said there is need to work hard to change the country to a better one for all South Sudanese.

“Let us take stock, what did we achieve apart from raising the flag and singing the National Anthem and having a code of arms for South Sudan,” he said in an exclusive interview.

“Our institutions remain fragile, our economy is weak, our unity is suffering, a lot of strains. Our community got divided because we dragged our people into war twice in 2013 and 2016.”

Dr. Lam said the scars of the devastating wars are still with the South Sudanese people up to the moment.

“The peace agreement tried to correct that or provide a beginning for the correction, but we are not implementing it and that’s why we are still debating. There is a lot of uncertainty on how to go forward.”

Dr. Lam said he believes that despite the hardships facing the country, South Sudanese are still happy to have a country and to mark the 13th anniversary of independence.

In January 2011, then Southern Sudan voted for independence through a referendum.

Although Sudanese President Omar Bashir acknowledged this result, the road to independence was marred with unresolved issues of sharing oil revenues, defining disputed borders, and deliberating citizenship laws.

Moreover, Southern Sudan, now South Sudan continued to suffer from challenges of severe underdevelopment, poor governance, and persistent ethnic divisions.

However, South Sudan gained independence on July 9, 2011.