Rhino: Follow up – The Sudan Founding Alliance mourned on Wednesday Lieutenant General Joseph Laqo, former Vice President of the Republic and leader of the First Anania Movement, describing him as “a towering national figure and a prominent historical symbol of the struggle and politics.” The Coalition added in a statement that Laqo passed away after a life filled with dedication, sacrifice, and service to the nation, during which he wrote glorious chapters in the history of the struggle, defending rights, equal citizenship, and social justice.
The statement read: (History will remember Commander Joseph Laqo as one of the figures who profoundly shaped the political and military landscape, as his struggle and national achievements were embodied, beginning with his remarkable success in the 1960s in unifying the factions of the First Anania Resistance Movement under a unified military and political leadership for the first time, and in transforming the military effort into an organized political movement advocating for an end to marginalization and the equitable distribution of power and wealth. The late leader also possessed the courage and political wisdom to sit at the negotiating table and sign the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement for Peace in the South with the government of President Jaafar Nimeiri, which ended a 17-year war and granted the Southern Sudan region regional autonomy, thereby securing his place in history as one of the region’s most prominent peacemakers).
The statement added: (The late leader took a historic and courageous stance by integrating the forces of the Al-Anania Movement, calling for the establishment of a single national army that embraces Sudan’s diversity, thereby bringing an end to the bloodshed among the people of a single nation and fostering peace rather than allowing armed conflict to continue. Upon assuming the presidency of the Supreme Executive Council of the Southern Region, he sought to consolidate development, build service, educational, and health institutions, and lay the foundations for administrative stability. Throughout his career, he remained committed to the path of dialogue and advocated for laying the foundations of a Sudan that embraces ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity, while rejecting all forms of marginalization and political exclusion).
It continued: (General Joseph Laqo served as a model of a well-rounded leader, having served as Vice President of the Republic, ambassador, and permanent representative to international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), where he represented his country with competence and distinction in international forums. The late leader was also known for his tolerance toward political opponents and his disdain for personal gain; on many national occasions, he prioritized the public interest and the people’s desire for stability over any narrow political or power-related gains).
It added: (As the Sudan Founding Alliance mourns the passing of Leader Joseph Laqo, it affirms that his passing constitutes a great loss to the legacy of the national and regional struggle, and we note that the principles championed by the late leader—namely, the establishment of a state based on equal citizenship, the equitable distribution of power and wealth, and the recognition of diversity—align with the foundational principles for which the Alliance strives to rebuild the state on just and sustainable foundations. We extend our deepest condolences and sincerest sympathy to the noble family of the deceased, to the brotherly people of South Sudan, and to the Sudanese people as a whole, asking God Almighty to envelop him in His vast mercy and to grant his family, comrades, and loved ones patience and solace).
