An SPLA soldier raises the new flag of the Republic of South Sudan for the first time at the official independence day ceremony. After decades of conflict, Southern Sudan declared independence from the North on July 9th, 2011. Government officials, foreign dignitaries and ordinary people came to the John Garang Memorial in the capital from all over the country and the world to celebrate the historic occation..Juba, South Sudan. 09/07/2011..Photo © J.B. Russell
