Saturnino Ohure
Encyclopedia
Saturnino Ohure Hilangi, or Saturnino Lohure, (c. 1938 - 22 January 1967) was a Roman Catholic priest and a politician who played an important role in the early movement for secession of South Sudan
.
Saturnino Ohure was of Lotuho origin. He was born around 1921 and baptized at Torit
, now in Eastern Equatoria state, in 1931.
He studied at the Okaru and Gulu
seminaries, and on 21 December 1946 was ordained a priest at Gulu.
He and a companion were the first Lotukos to be ordained to the priesthood.
In 1957 Father Saturnino and Ezboni Mondiri Gwanza, founded the Southern Sudan Federal Party
(SSFP), which beat the Liberals
and won forty seats in the 1958 parliamentary elections
, the first after independence in 1956.
Saturnino ran successfully for the Torit constituency, and became a leader of the southerners in the Constituent Assembly.
When the SSFP spoke up in parliament for the north to consider Sudanese federation, as promised, the government arrested Mondiri and the SSFP broke up.
In its place, Father Saturnino formed the Southern Block, with 25 members.
The military government dissolved the assembly in November 1958. In 1961, Saturnino fled to Uganda
to avoid arrest.
Saturnino Ohure and Joseph Oduho
moved from Uganda to Kinshasa
, Zaire
, where they were joined by William Deng and founded the Sudan African Closed Districts National Union (SACDNU) in 1962.
Saturnino was killed by a Ugandan soldier near Kitgum
on 22 January 1967.
In January 2009 his body was exhumed from its grave in Kitgum and transported to Torit for reburial.
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
.
Saturnino Ohure was of Lotuho origin. He was born around 1921 and baptized at Torit
Torit
-Location:The town is located in Torit County, Eastern Equatoria State, in the southeastern part of South Sudan, close to the International border with the Republic of Uganda. Its location lies approximately , by road, east of Juba, the capital and largest city in that country...
, now in Eastern Equatoria state, in 1931.
He studied at the Okaru and Gulu
Gulu
Gulu is a city in Northern Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The city is located at 2˚46'48N 32˚18'00E, on the metre gauge railway from Tororo to Pakwach. Gulu is located approximately , by road, north of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city...
seminaries, and on 21 December 1946 was ordained a priest at Gulu.
He and a companion were the first Lotukos to be ordained to the priesthood.
In 1957 Father Saturnino and Ezboni Mondiri Gwanza, founded the Southern Sudan Federal Party
Southern Sudan Federal Party
The Southern Sudan Federal Party was a short-lived political party in Sudan, formed in 1957.It was successful in the 1958 parliamentary elections, but left parliament when it was clear that its federalist constitutional proposals would be rejected, and shortly afterwards broke up.Sudan gained...
(SSFP), which beat the Liberals
Liberal Party (Sudan)
The Liberal Party, at first called the Southern Party and later the Southern Liberal Party, was formed in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan before the Sudan became independent in January 1956....
and won forty seats in the 1958 parliamentary elections
Sudanese parliamentary election, 1958
Parliamentary elections were held in Sudan on 27 February and 8 March 1958.The first elections since independence in 1956, they were supposed to be held in August 1957, but were postponed by the ruling council, who claimed that flooding would affect the vote...
, the first after independence in 1956.
Saturnino ran successfully for the Torit constituency, and became a leader of the southerners in the Constituent Assembly.
When the SSFP spoke up in parliament for the north to consider Sudanese federation, as promised, the government arrested Mondiri and the SSFP broke up.
In its place, Father Saturnino formed the Southern Block, with 25 members.
The military government dissolved the assembly in November 1958. In 1961, Saturnino fled to Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
to avoid arrest.
Saturnino Ohure and Joseph Oduho
Joseph Oduho
Joseph Oduho Haworu was a leading politician from South Sudan who was active in the struggle for independence and a founding member of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement .-Early years 1929-1960:...
moved from Uganda to Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
, Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
, where they were joined by William Deng and founded the Sudan African Closed Districts National Union (SACDNU) in 1962.
Saturnino was killed by a Ugandan soldier near Kitgum
Kitgum
Kitgum is a municipality in Kitgum District, in Northern Uganda. The town is administered by Kitgum Town Council, an Urban Local Government within Kitgum District Administration...
on 22 January 1967.
In January 2009 his body was exhumed from its grave in Kitgum and transported to Torit for reburial.