NAS is an idea that cannot be killed – Chairman Thomas Cirillo tells members
The Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the National Salvation Front (NAS), Gen. Thomas Cirillo Swaka, has reaffirmed the resilience and permanence of the movement, declaring that NAS is not dependent on external support but rooted in an unbreakable revolutionary idea carried by its people.
He made the remarks during a global virtual briefing organised by the NAS Salvation Council (NSC), which brought together hundreds of NAS members, leaders, and supporters from across Africa, Europe, North America, Australia, and the Middle East. The briefing formed part of ongoing leadership engagements aimed at strengthening unity, political clarity, and coordination across the movement.
Self-Reliance Is a Source of Strength
Addressing questions frequently raised by members regarding the absence of international or foreign backing, Chairman Cirillo made it clear that NAS does not measure its legitimacy or strength by external recognition.
“We are supporting ourselves alone, and that is not a weakness,” he said. “It is a pride. It is a strength.”
He stressed that the movement is sustained politically, morally, and materially by its own members and supporters, describing self-reliance as a defining revolutionary principle rather than a temporary condition. According to the Chairman, the more NAS depends on its own people, the stronger its discipline, commitment, and clarity of purpose become.
Diaspora Sacrifices Recognised
A significant portion of the briefing was dedicated to recognising the sacrifices made by NAS members and supporters in the diaspora, whom Chairman Cirillo described as a vital pillar of the struggle.
He acknowledged the immense pressure they face as they support families back home amid widespread suffering caused by unpaid salaries and economic collapse inside South Sudan.
“Our people inside the country are suffering. They have no salaries, and every one of you is receiving messages from home asking for help,” he said.
“Whatever little you get, you share it with your families, and at the same time you continue to support the struggle.”
He praised diaspora members for standing firm despite these hardships, offering revolutionary salutations to NAS branches and supporters abroad who continue to support forces on the ground.
‘NAS Will Not Die’ – A Moment of Collective Resolve
As the briefing progressed, Chairman Cirillo directly challenged narratives suggesting that NAS is weakening or approaching collapse. In one of the most decisive moments of the meeting, he delivered a message that resonated strongly with participants across the world.
“The National Salvation Front will not die,” he declared.
The statement triggered an immediate and emotional response across the virtual platform, with participants flooding the screen with raised-fist emojis, applause icons, and messages of encouragement, offering moral cheers and revolutionary salutations in real time.
NAS is an idea. NAS is an ideology – for freedom, for justice, and for a dignified life… It is already in our blood.
“NAS is an idea. NAS is an ideology – for freedom, for justice, and for a dignified life,” he continued. “It is already in our blood.”
He emphasised that the movement transcends individuals and cannot be extinguished through repression or violence.
“Even if you kill us, the vision of NAS will remain until our people are liberated,” he said.
Youth and Women at the Centre of the Revolution
Building on the tone and substance of earlier contributions during the briefing, Chairman Cirillo identified youth and women as central to the future of the revolution. His remarks directly connected to two prior speeches delivered by the youth and women representatives, whose interventions highlighted both the challenges faced by communities and the determination driving the struggle forward.
“We have two strong elements in this revolution that we must strengthen — our youth and our women,” Chairman Cirillo said, responding to the perspectives raised earlier in the session.
Describing them as the vanguards of the revolution, he made clear that their role is not symbolic but strategic. He directed the NAS Political Secretariat to urgently develop clear mobilisation and political orientation programmes aimed at engaging young people and women wherever they are and bringing them into the struggle in large numbers.
“The day we succeed in properly orienting our youth, you will not believe the speed of our struggle to liberate our people,” he said.
Honouring the Role of Women
The Chairman also paid tribute to the critical role played by women under the current political and economic crisis. He noted that despite the absence of salaries and state support, women continue to hold families together by caring for children, finding food and medicine, and sustaining communities in both urban centres and rural areas.
“Our women are doing everything,” he said, calling for special honour and recognition for mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters for what he described as a noble and historic contribution to the struggle.
A Call for Unity, Political Education, and Commitment
Concluding his remarks, Chairman Cirillo urged NAS members to deepen their understanding of the movement’s vision and ideological foundations, stressing that political education, unity, and discipline are essential for sustaining momentum and achieving liberation.
The global briefing, organised by the NAS Salvation Council, reinforced a clear message from the leadership: NAS remains united, rooted in its people, and driven by an idea that cannot be killed until freedom, justice, and a dignified life are secured for all South Sudanese.
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