The slain commander of the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF), Lt. Gen. David Majur Dak, was laid to rest at the Heroes Cemetery at Simba Grounds in Juba on Wednesday with full honors and a 21-gun salute.
Late Lt. Gen. Majur was killed alongside 27 of his bodyguards in Nasir County in Upper Nile State on 7 March during an attempt to evacuate him by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, Vice President in charge of the Economic Cluster, led the country in giving the late Lt. Gen. David Majur Dak a befitting sendoff attended by several senior government and military officials, and urged for composure and cautioned against reprisals.
“We all call for dialogue, and dialogue brings peace. We call for the unity of our people in South Sudan, we must unite and live together. Yes, it is a painful time to see such incidents, but all in all, we have to be very strong,” he said. “To the youth, we call for calm all over South Sudan, refrain from revenge because revenge does not take people anywhere.”
For his part, Senior Presidential Advisor Kuol Manyang Juuk expressed gratitude to President Salva Kiir Mayardit for granting the late Gen. David Majur Dak a state funeral.
“We would like to thank our President, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, commander-in-chief of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and other regular forces, for granting our brother, Gen. Majur, who was killed in Nasir alongside his soldiers, a state funeral,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief of Defense Forces Gen. Paul Nang Majok said the late SSPDF commander died a hero and a real symbol and the identity of SPLA soldiers.
“We are very proud of Lieutenant General David Majur Dak, who died as a hero and as a man. He really symbolized the identity of the SPLA soldiers and has never turned his back against his enemy,” he eulogized. “What I would like to tell the public is that we at the SSPDF are happy to have David Majur put to rest in the presence of his colleagues and his family.”
Gen. Nang said the SSPDF will retrieve the bodies of the troops who were killed in Nasir County with David Majur.