The national flag of South Sudan was upside down in Cairo, Egypt, during the visit of President Salva Kiir, sparking protest on social media, with some interpreting it to mean insubordination
The national flag is arranged in a way that the black side, which represents the people of South Sudan, is up, followed by red representing blood that was shed for the independence of the country, green representing the country’s agricultural, natural wealth, land, as well as progress, white representing peace attained after many years of the liberation struggle, Blue representing waters of the Nile River, a source of life for the country and Yellow color which represent unity, hope, and determination for all people was put in a reverse in different places visited by president Salva Kiir on arrival to Egypt.
The display sparked anger and protest, with some commentators blaming south Sudanese diplomats in Egypt for failing to notice the obvious mistake and correct it before the arrival of the president.
Benjamin Abeny Gai-Manoon, one of the commentators wrote on his Facebook page: “What a shamed on those government employees in the embassy of South Sudan in Egypt during the President Kiir short visitation for not paying attention about very important things such as the Security of the President and how our Flag has been represented in every corner the President pass by for it’s the Symbol of who we are as South Sudanese and the Egyptian government has not respected that by allowing their employees to put our Flag upside down like we are still in North Sudan”.
He continued: “That’s absolutely disrespectful for our sovereign nation to be still categories under Sudan and Egypt as they used to rule us. I urge our Minister for Foreign Affairs to investigate this issue which has degrading our country from Egypt government and to hold those responsible for it to be punished by international laws and also fired those morons who were working in the embassy and probably have been influenced by rebels or any other enemies who don’t want the Republic of South Sudan to be what it’s as Independent Nation which could deal with Her problems like any other countries on the world”.
Gatluak War Jock, another commentator adds: “The country has been turned “upside down “by Salva Kiir. The national flag has been turned upside down in Egypt. Its show SS is leaderless. What a nation??”
Riak Gok Majok, a government official and one of those appointed by the presidential decree in December 2016 to advice the national dialogue, described the incident as significant mistake.
“What could have been the reason behind the ridiculing of our country’s Flag in Egypt? Although it is too humiliating to see our beloved country’s Flag hoisted upside down at the airport and the main streets in Cairo, it might have not been a deliberate action, intended to humiliate South Sudan and its people. It could have been a human error, but it is a significant mistake. It is a shared blame in my opinion. Our people in Cairo should have noted that huge and embarrassing mistake before the arrival of the President. It is lack of curiosity of our people that brought upon us such an avoidable embarrassment” he wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday.