Gen. Bior Ajang Duot (Bior- Aswad) was laid to Final Dignified Rest at the Heroes/Heroines Acres today!
By: Ateny Wek Ateny
With tears dropping on the cheeks, and tormenting episodes of anxiety and exceeding anguish, mourners from different walks of life, turned up to pay last respect to the most-purified liberator. Gen. Bior Ajang Duot was laid to rest today, Wednesday, August 21st, 2024, at 09:17 am.
Led by Madam Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, Vice President and the Chair of Gender, Youth & Sports Cluster, representing the President who is the Commander-in-Chief of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, and The Most Hon. Justice Chan Reec Madut the Chief Justice, the mourners were lined up to pay the last respect to the hero of liberation. Second only to the funeral of the late hero Dr. John Garang de Mabior, Gen. Bior’s burial was attended by members of all 64 tribes of South Sudan in Juba.
In fact, Gen. Bior Ajang was given a hero burial, at long last. The military parade and funeral honor was observed. He has in fact, made it for himself as respect is earned. As humans, we work on how to love, and to be loved. We work, on what kind of legacy we should leave behind when the eventuality occurs. Even, the way we should be buried, is up to us when we are still alive. Alas, we do it unknowingly. When he was born in his village in Kongor, albeit he was a son of renowned Paramount Chief Ajang Duot, Gen. Bior’s birth was attended by few members of the family, but in his burial he received unprecedented hero’s farewell. So, he made this for him to be loved to this magnitude.
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Fighting for liberation dedicatedly, Gen. Bior earned much respect amongst his colleagues- therefore, accumulating much reverence that he got on the burial. Apart from the extended members of Paan-Bior and the entire Twi, as well as the whole of Jonglei led by Madam VP Rebecca Nyandeng who stood for H. E the President, I saw almost the whole of South Sudan in the Hero/Heroine’s Acre just to say to Gen. Bior “we love you and so rest in peace”. I have seen all the Generals in the Army and Police led by Gen. Santino Deng Wol and Gen. Atem Marol Biar the IGP.
Former SPLA’s Generals; inter Alia, Peng Deng Kuol, Gier Cuang Aluong, Dr. Majak D’ Agot, Gen. Biar Atem, Gen. Akec Tong, Gen. Bona Panak Biar, just to mention few. Government officials, former and current have all come to pay respect. Though neglected after the liberation, he was laid well. The selfless Gen. Bior did not have a house or money for his children, unlike some of his colleagues who have compensated themselves. He will continue to inspire many even in his grave. Live with honesty, and get a dignified burial, or else face it rough even after death if you are a known thief. Gen. Bior was a symbol of righteousness and his children will live to prosper in this rich legacy.
Finally, the hero has rested in the dignified grave, but his wife has remained seriously sick. I was told some other time when I went to comfort her, that she is suffering from partial stroke. Gen. Bior when he was alive, had to sell the car a Good Samaritan had given him, in order to treat his wife, albeit the money weren’t enough to accord her better medical care. One of the late’s sons is incarcerated in America on Immigration’s offense which is solvable, if the government of his country was to step in. All these are what Gen. Bior left behind him unsolved. So, as SPLM to which Gen. Biar spent much of his youth time fighting to achieve independence, we must put on table how to solve the things Gen. Bior left behind. Otherwise, the line to the hero’s/heroine Acres is not closed with Bior’s death.
May almighty God rest the soul of Gen. Bior Ajang in the eternal peace.
The writer, is the former Press Secretary in the Office of the President and the view expressed on this are not influenced by anyone, or requested by anyone. They are my own and so, I am solely responsible for words and expressions. He could be reach by email: atenypuokerwek@gmail.com.
