Reuters

NAIROBI: A South Sudanese  civil servant and two humanitarian workers have been freed by rebels who detained them when their U.N.  World Food Program helicopter landed by mistake in a rebel-held region, a WFP spokeswoman said Thursday.The incident came at a sensitive time in the world's newest country with President Salva Kiir  and rebel commander Riek Machar  seeking to seal a deal to end a conflict that has ravaged the oil-producing state since December 2013.

WFP said in a statement that the three had been picked up."It is unacceptable to harass or detain people traveling on a humanitarian asset," WFP said. "We call on all parties to recognize and respect the neutrality of these

humanitarian flights and to refrain from interfering with the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance to people in need."The helicopter was carrying Isaiah Chol, chairman of South Sudan's statistics and census commission, and two South  Sudanese employed by the Lutheran World Federation.They were meant to fly from one government-controlled area to another in the Jonglei region but landed instead in a rebel-held region, government officials said.The Lutheran World Federation  said two of its international workers were on the same helicopter but were not detained.Rebel officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

By Matthew Grimson, NBC NEWS

Hundreds of child soldiers were released in South Sudan on Tuesday, UNICEF said, as part of a broader plan to free up to 3,000 young fighters from the country's civil war.        

The release of 300 kids in Pibor, Jonglei State, is part of a peace deal between the South Sudan Democratic Army (SSDA) Cobra Faction and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).   

An initial 280 children, aged between 11 and 17, were released late January. UNICEF said between 2,000 and 3,000 should be freed from the Cobra Faction as it integrates into the SPLA.        

The use of child soldiers in South Sudan surged after civil war broke out in December 2013, with UNICEF estimating the number to have peaked somewhere around 12,000. Violence was so rife that many of the children joined the Cobra Faction for protection, according to UNICEF spokeswoman Doune Porter.        

"They thought they would be safer in the ranks of the military where they were surrounded by people with guns, and of course many of them were trained in how to use guns," she said.        

However, Porter said the children found life extraordinarily difficult were now "delighted" to be leaving the Cobra Faction.        

"I don't want to be a soldier," one boy, aged 12, told UNICEF. "I will end up with nothing by being a soldier and I know one day I'll get killed if I continue being a soldier. First, I want to go to school, then later I want to study medicine."

Cobra Faction Lieutenant General Khalid Butrus Bura said there was no longer any need for the children to be among their ranks.        

"We want to change the mind-set of the community, so that a father will not need to buy gun and give it to a 10-year-old child so he can take care of the cattle," he told UNICEF. "We want to change that practice so that the community can send their children to school rather than taking to a gun."        

Porter said the children would now receive counseling and a much sought after education.        

"Many of them have never been to school before," she said. "Most of them can't read or write and they are so excited about starting their education."        

UNICEF estimates more than 1.9 million people have been displaced since the civil war broke out, with more than 1.4 million currently displaced within South Sudan. More than half of those internally displaced people are estimated to be children.

Matthew Grimson is a London-based reporter and producer for NBCNews.com. He previously worked as a digital journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Moving to South Sudan with my partner, an aid worker, was a big decision – even though we’d both wanted a change of scene for a long time

Antony Loewenstein in Juba

The Guardian News

The creaking Russian helicopter lands in an open field in remote Wai, a town in South Sudan’s Jonglei state. The sky is perfectly clear; the temperature reaches 45 degrees. Women wave the South Sudanese flag to welcome the UN’s top humanitarian official, Valerie Amos, who arrives with Unesco peace envoy and American actor Forest Whitaker. His peace and development initiative, founded in 2012, works across the region.

They’ve come with a small group from the capital Juba to see how the UN is managing around 25,000 women, men and children who arrived in late December, fleeing a civil war that has entered its second year and claimed tens of thousands of lives.

It’s a remarkable operation, establishing basic but workable services. Local leaders press Amos for more help – especially for digging bore-holes for water – and complain that the central government isn’t listening to their demands. I’m observing as a journalist, as Amos is leaving her position in March and touring nations with the most desperate needs.

Her visit was my introduction to South Sudan since moving here recently with my partner, who works for an international aid organisation in advocacy and campaigns.

Neither of us had been to East Africa before we arrived, but we knew something of the country through friends who worked with the South Sudanese community in Sydney. The country’s political strife felt like a distant issue. I saw the occasional news about communal violence, pleas for Canberra to play a larger role in resolving the crisis and events such as the one organised by my friend, photographer Conor Ashleigh, which helped teach young South Sudanese and Afghan youth how to use a camera (aside from taking selfies).

At first, the idea of relocating to a war zone elicited curious and confused stares from friends and family, but both of us have spent time in challenging nations. We’d both discussed for a long time our desire for a change of scene, away from Australia.

It wasn’t such a leap, then, to leave the comforts of home. We wanted to be more than just temporary bystanders, and had the chance to experience the inner workings of the world’s newest nation. It didn’t take long for my girlfriend to convince me that her job in South Sudan would give me the opportunity to deepen my experience as a journalist, while avoiding the usual fly-in fly-out habits.

Juba, where we live, has poor infrastructure, few paved roads and an excess of dust, but there are also bars on the Nile and a growing use of social media. We live in a simple apartment in a compound in the middle of the city. There’s a strict nightly curfew. Security isn’t excessive – this isn’t Iraq or Afghanistan – but streetlights are almost non-existent and it’s unwise to walk alone when the sun goes down.

It’s safe to walk the streets during the day, though, and I’ve already lost count of the times I’ve been asked whether I know relatives living in Melbourne or Sydney’s big South Sudanese populations. Over 19,000 South Sudanese live in Australia – many refugees, who arrived over the last decade. People I meet are happy that their family members are safe and thriving away from South Sudan.

A government worker last week quizzed me on the Socceroos’ career prospects. He knew far more about them than me. Like many places I visit, apart from areas in the Middle East, Australia is seen as a benign force in the world.

Many of us know Africa as the place Bob Geldof used to visit, a continent defined by aid. That image was false, but it remains the case that without humanitarian aid, South Sudan – created with huge fanfare in 2011 – would likely collapse in many areas.

There are other descriptions: journalist Ken Silverstein wrote in February this year that after its creation, the country became the “world’s emotional petting zoo”. Alex De Waal, writing in African Affairs, argued that “South Sudan obtained independence in July 2011 as a kleptocracy”. The Guardian’s Daniel Howden wrote that the country was born from a “seductive story that could be well told by handsome movie stars” like George Clooney.

I’ll be exploring other questions during my time here, too. What role did Washington’s desperation for an African success story play in creating the current mess? Why is the African Union dragging its feet on human rights? Wikileaks cables confirm that US administrations were deeply involved in funding all sides of the brutal war that led to the 2011 independence; US Christian Evangelicals were key to building support for the soon-to-be independent Christian nation back at home.

Being in South Sudan will also force me to face the complex relationships that exist in a developing nation: between journalists and NGOs, and Western aid donors and their recipients. How much money stays in the pockets of foreign contractors and how much reaches the locals?

During my visit to Wai, the military governor of the rebel-held area said: “We are at war but at the end of the day we are one nation.” It was a hopeful plea, despite all sides committing horrendous abuses, at a time when South Sudan needs unity, reconciliation and accountability. It also leads to the most crucial question of all: what hope is there for a durable peace agreement between the warring parties, to avoid the ongoing displacement of millions of people and save billions of dollars?

Written by Board of Directors for Bor South Development Association, Inc.

Election Announcement!!

The office of the Board of directors for Bor South Development Association Inc. in the United States of America would like to inform the citizens of Bor County in the U.S about their upcoming election during the Memorial weekend in Iowa. All the citizens of the five payams are invited to attend and participate in this important event.

When:

         Sunday, May 24, 2015, 9:00 A.M- 4:00 P.M.

Where:

Des Moines, Iowa

The following candidates have declared their candidacies for the top office:

• Daniel Mabior Achiek Chaw (The Incumbent)

• Michael Ayuen Agook

• Akol Aguek Ngong

For questions related to this announcement, please feel free to contact Ateny Thiong Ajak at

atenyajak@yahoo.com

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

or you may also reach out to other board members as shown below:

Mangok Mach Bol (Chair of the board)     mangokmach@yahoo.com

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Ateny Thiong Ajak (Deputy Chair)            atenyajak@yahoo.com

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Chol Kuch Chol (Member)                         izzykuch@gmail.com

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Sarah Bullen Alier(Member)                      achotbol@msn.com

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Deng Achol Abui(Member)                        dengabui@yahoo.com

Jacob Achiek, VOA News

BOR, SOUTH SUDAN—South Korean peacekeepers have started building a levee to prevent flooding in a village in South Sudan's Jonglei state, local officials said Thursday. Panliet village was bypassed when a 17-kilometer flood-prevention embankment was built by U.N. peacekeepers last year.

Last year’s dike construction has helped to prevent seasonal flooding this year in the Jonglei state capital, Bor, officials said. The mayor of Bor, Nhial Majak Nhial, said the extension of the dike that the Korean peacekeepers are building will measure 2.4 kilometers.

Majak also said a reinforcement levee might be built near the village of Malualchaat to prevent flooding there. Malualchaat is at the starting point of the 17-kilometer dike that runs all the way to Areek village, 5 kilometers north of Bor.

Majak says the dike system is a long-term project that he hopes will become part of the landscape of Bor.  "If we maintain the dike properly, I hope it has the lifespan to go for over 20 years... even go up to 30 years. So we have an embankment that is going to be part of the infrastructure of this city.”

Jonglei state minister of physical infrastructure John Amuor Kuol said Bor residents have not been affected by seasonal flooding since the 17-kilometer dike was built . He said that, based on the good experiences with the long dike, local residents called for the 2.4-kilometer extension to be built.

The dike construction project is funded by the government of South Korea. Members of the Korean military engineering unit of the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) are carrying out the work.

By Majur Deng Nhial



The campaign in an extensive, recently redrawn Bor County in the USA that stretches from all the resided states is shaping up the community social and political competency as Iowa most unpredictable election is nearing this coming May; ….the event considered to be an interesting debate to watch.   Michael Ayuen Agok, supported by his wife Amer Mach Aleu is among the three candidates to contest the seating leadership of Bor Community in Des Moines, Iowa.  The couple had been known for their religious teachings and leadership before coming to the United States.  When it comes to debate, they (couple) are very loud and clear to the point that they can blow the mind of any single voter.  The father and husband looked to have armed his self with weapons of public speaking.  The candidate holds bachelors in Sociology and works for an immigration agency.  Agok earned staunchly supporters last weekend in Guymon, Oklahoma and Amarillo, Texas Panhandle areas.  His platform slogan for the campaign trail is UNITY; however, this motto has been facing fierce criticisms as Ghok Community members divide over Ghokism organization.

The evidence of hope in our community lies within each individual, as we live side by side in peace and unity with rest of the communities in Bor. This unity has been put to the test, as a few people have been preaching hate and division among our people. These very individuals who know so little about the importance of cohesion have been aimlessly advocating the pointless isolation of Gok, in order to dismantle and reduce Bor to very unfavorable standards -------- Deng Kur Deng-Gak wrote it in his article titled “Divided Bor at its worst” (The Bor Globe Network).

All that to the side, Michael Ayuen managed or attempted to justify his involvement with Ghok Association, alluding he belongs to Ghok Community and has to be there before reaching out and sees no guilt in attending the last year meeting in Sioux Fall, South Dakoda; yet maintaining his position after a few questions were asked by his political opponents. 

Unity of Bor is crucial at this hard time and isolation of Gok is not in the best interest of Bor. I hope Alier Mareet have understood how a democratic and a civilize society functions since he has lived in it for the last thirteen years. It is simple. Issues are debated and then voted. Issues that get the majority vote wins and the rest get flush down the toilet. Ater community voted on the issue of Gok in the present of Alier in a teleconference and 80% (17 people) voted no to joining Gok, 19% (4 people including Alier) voted yes. I think this was democratic if it was to be respected. Ater is part of Gok and if majority of Ater said no, this should be a clear sign that majority of Gok community members across US will vote the same.  Alier pursued the second vote and it was chaotic and Ater is now disintegrated. The chairman resigned and a new chairman (Thon Aguek) was elected but Ater community is not united like it was anymore. How can we work together, respect and support our self democratically if we can’t respect this kind of simple vote? Our unity in Bor will make us much stronger. Alier, you are not building a great resume for yourself and what you are pursuing will never succeed. We are just asking you to drop it--------Matiop Maker Ariik wrote it in his article titled “Where in the World can someone become a President without military background?” (The Bor Globe Network).

The other candidate, Akol Aguek Ngong is vying to replace the incumbent, Mabior Achiek Chau who is also seeking a re-election from voters. Experts say, this election offers a rare opportunity to any contender who is able to cobble together the few hundred votes that will probably be needed to win the election because there will be a close range in vote counts among the three.

With incumbent and no clear front-runner, observers say it is unusually hard to guess who will emerge to represent a sprawling array of some Bor Community's more affluent and politically engaged community members.



*The author of the above item of information holds BS in biology at West Texas A&M University; MS in Clinical Practice Management at Texas Tech University Health Science Center

North Denver News

The South Sudan army said Friday its forces killed more than 50 rebel fighters this week in fresh fighting in the Unity state capital, Bentiu, and Ayod in Jonglei state.

Army spokesman Philip Aguer said three army soldiers were killed and 13 wounded in the fighting, which lasted for several hours on Wednesday. He said rebels loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar started the fighting in both places, but government troops defeated them and were in control of both towns.

But rebel military spokesman James Lony said government forces started the clashes in Ayod and Bentiu, both of which were under control of the opposition forces.

Lony said rebels fighters repulsed government troops from Ayod, capturing two tanks, destroying an unspecified number of artillery-mounted vehicles and killing “many” army soldiers during the fighting. He said the clashes  in Bentiu were still ongoing on Friday, but claimed that the rebels had the upper-hand.

The capital of oil-producing Unity state, Bentiu has been the site of fierce battles during 15 months of conflict in South Sudan. The United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonović, said in January last year, after visiting Bentiu, that the town “simply did not even exist any more.”

Radio Tamazuj

BOR (30 Mar.) - The market in Bor, the capital of South Sudan’s Jonglei State, will be closed Monday after local traders complained about looting and insecurity.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, several traders deplored the insecurity in residential areas and the market in particular.

They disclosed that they would hold a meeting today with the local authorities and the chamber of commerce in order to find a solution to the problem.

One of the traders said: "I was attacked at home yesterday at 9:00 pm. They tied my hands and then strangled me. They took everything from me, so people are now advised not to walk alone, unless you have a stick or your are two or three people."

Foreign and local traders have suffered huge losses since the outbreak of war in South Sudan which led to looting, disrupted banking, and road closures.

In January last year, many foreign traders in Bor town complained of losses after soldiers allegedly stole goods from the market. 

MSF


When violence started to spread in South Sudan in December 2013, Bor was one of the first towns to be hit. During December and January the town shifted hands several times between government and opposition forces, and 70,000 civilians from Bor took refuge in camps within South Sudan or in neighbouring countries. The State hospital was ransacked and all the staff and patients fled. 

Brima Vandi is a nurse from Sierra Leone. He was part of the very first MSF team that started working in Bor State hospital in June 2014.

“MSF came in at beginning of June with a team of four. We set up the project to give technical support to the Ministry of Health hospital in five key areas: pediatric, pharmacy, emergency room, waste management and immunisation.

At that time all patients were treated in the same ward, the surgical ward. The pediatric ward didn’t have any medical activity – it was in an unusable condition when we arrived. So we started to clean the pediatric ward, to take out all the garbage, set up beds and equipment, and we moved the children that were in the surgical ward. Then we started the activities together with the nurses that were assigned there by the Ministry of Health.

Vaccinations were given under a tree in the hospital grounds three days a week only. The programme was run by a volunteer, David. He was really committed and doing his best, but he was doing it as a volunteer without benefits from the Ministry. MSF implemented an expanded programme on immunisation (EPI) and moved the activities into the out-patient department. Now, whenever children come to the hospital they get vaccinated. I’m pleased to see that it’s working smoothly. And I’m proud to say that David, after some training and coaching, works independently and he is now employed by the Ministry. 

It has not been easy to get this project going because we have a different approach than in other projects. MSF is principally here to provide technical support and capacity building, and we don’t employ our own medical staff. This can be a challenge but you have to use your skills to inspire and motivate people, and get them to understand the strategy behind MSF’s project here. This is not easy when there are language barriers and differing levels of technical knowledge. But we try different kinds of training, we do on-the-job training and in group sessions with the help of a translator. It’s challenging but I like it.

MSF also identified the Emergency Room as a particular area where support was needed. For instance, we saw that the space for emergencies in the out-patient department was very small and not adequate for examination and stabilization of patients. That’s why we have renovated a new space for the ER in another building, and we are hoping that this will also be an inspiration for the staff.

I think we can already see some of the benefits of this project.  For me it’s clear when I compare the figures for admissions to the pediatric ward now and when we arrived in June. There are many more admissions now. That means the population trusts the services being given there. Regarding the quality, we have implemented MSF guidelines and protocols and the staff as well as the hospital management are realizing that it’s good and it’s working. And the team in the pediatric ward is really cooperative. They see me as part of the team now. I teach them new skills by doing it myself, when they see me participating and working by their side, they understand that they need to follow my example. It’s my way of encouraging and inspiring them.

Unfortunately some patients arrive late to the hospital, and in very bad condition. This is because they first go to private clinics in the market. There they are given sometimes the wrong medication or the wrong dose, and only when the condition has deteriorated too much, the clinic sends them to the State hospital. So when they come here, sometimes it is too late and there is little we can do. This could lead people to think that the services here are not good, because some patients don’t survive. There is a need for sensitization and education about this, because when patients arrive in good time they get very good care here.

One of the moments of satisfaction for me was to practically involve myself in the movement of the immunization programme. Me and the rest of the MSF team were really working hard to get all the rubbish out, cleaning and arranging the space in the out-patient department for the vaccination activities. It felt good that my strength could allow me to do that and I saw it as a good way of inspiring the Ministry of Health staff to join in the organisation of their hospital. Even though it is not their actual job to do that, some of them came to realize that they should join us in cleaning up. After all, it’s their hospital, not ours.  I felt I was doing what I came here to do – to support, to let people know what to do and then train them in giving quality medical service. The movement from under the tree to a assigned space inside the hospital was a big achievement I think.

I like the humanitarian work, and I believe in independency, not dependency. Things will not last if you are always dependent on others. What MSF is trying to establish here is independency, by letting people know that this is for them and they need to take ownership of it.  Gradually it will make a big difference, I really believe that. Maybe not immediately visible over a period of weeks, but in the long run it will have an impact.”

As the rainy season approaches, peace is more essential than ever.

By Vanessa Parra, senior humanitarian media officer at Oxfam America.

Oxfam America

A couple thousand feet from the ground on the propeller plane we’re in, heading to Jonglei state in South Sudan, what I find most striking are the miles and miles of lush green expanse. I’ve taken this route many times back and forth from Juba over several years of work on South Sudan and it never ceases to amaze me: the richness worth its weight in gold that could provide enough sustenance to feed everyone in South Sudan.

And this is still the dry season. In a couple of weeks roads will be impassable and this land will largely be underwater–flooding that provides nutrients and strength to the soil for another planting season.

But there hasn’t been much of that in South Sudan this year, not with the fighting going on and more than a million people displaced from their homes. There is no peace in South Sudan right now and it shows.

It is the greatest shame that a country this lush, this rich in resources, should be facing a food crisis. There are already 2.5 million people facing severe levels of hunger—that number is expected to go up by a staggering million people by June. This translates into families who are worried about where their next meal will come from, how they’ll find clean water, whether they will be safe from violence, and unsure of what will be around the corner.

Imagine not being able to tell your kids how much or if they’ll eat this week, and the next, and then the week after that. That they might not be able to go to school because it would be unsafe, a much-need opportunity for education unavailable to them for the time being.

We land in Lankien and head to Pultruk where there is a food distribution going on. Earlier, planes dropped thousands of bundles of emergency food supplies like sorghum, oil, and salt. Now Oxfam staffers are distributing the bundles to displaced people in areas of great need.

Some of the people here today walked up to 8 miles to get enough food to last them 15 days. They’ll have to come back for the next round of aid in a few short weeks, but until then they’ll have something to eat, and thanks to agencies like Oxfam, clean water to drink.

Driven from their homes by conflict, these families make do thanks to their neighbors—people who have taken them in, shared their food and their homes. And they strive to find their feet again, to possibly farm, or make a living in some other way despite all of the chaos around them.

I’m struck by the kids running around, playing with their toys, behaving like kids do anywhere else. The women in line, waiting to get their food, are chatting and laughing, sharing news. And when you ask them their stories, no matter how grim, they are open, kind, and incredibly brave.

The refrain we heard from the displaced people in Pultruk and around South Sudan is that peace is what this country needs. Without it there is no safe space, no easy way to plant without fear of being driven from their homes, no real security.

We need peace now, especially ahead of the rains in May that will make providing food aid incredibly difficult and expensive. And as the limited food stocks run out, the need for humanitarian aid only increases. When you hear aid workers sound the alarm, this is what they worry about, and why they are running around now getting ready for what’s to come.

But all is not lost. There are people eager to rebuild, who seek peace, who want to return to their homes and their lives. There are families helping each other out with food and shelter and what little they have. There is a sense of family and community wherever you turn. And aid efforts have helped stave off a famine at least so far. People need our help, but they also have each other. And, if nothing else, this sense of what’s possible in South Sudan gives me hope.

Oxfam is reaching people with emergency food, clean water and sanitation services, and other essentials. But to keep pace with the demands of this emergency, we urgently need your support to help protect lives.

By Majur Deng Nhial

Akol Aguek Ngong with his members of the One Bor Campaign held a political rally on Sunday at Presbyterian Church in Guymon, Oklahoma.  Community members in Amarillo, Texas and Liberal, Kansas from Bor County, Duk County, and Twi East County attended the political services.  Members of Duk and Twi have no consensus to vote for the candidate, yet those speaking members commented positively toward Akol Aguek.   The purpose of holding a rally was to promote his candidacy for Bor County Presidency USA in which the election will be held this coming May.  Mawei Garang Deng in collaboration with Nhial Jool Kuot (Chairman of Greater Bor) in the Panhandle areas helped facilitating the political functions as campaign representatives in support of Mr. Ngong.

The candidate presented his vision and why he wanted to run for an elected office to the audiences.  His vision focuses on how Bor County in the USA should explore the venues of other successful immigrants across the United States, and then in turn incorporate those tooling advices to uplift hope and prosperity in diaspora and back home.  He reminded the attendees that if he gets elected, he would be more than willing to advocate the community voice, presenting this voice to the government officials here in the United States.  The perfect example was that he met the Ambassador Samantha Power, who is the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and a member of President Obama's Cabinet some months ago amid the crises that have been tearing apart the nation of South Sudan such as Bor Massacres and other killings around the country.

Above all else, he promised to conduct the community census to know an approximate number of people living in the U.S. by targeting demographics. The reason for doing that would be to identify individuals by age, sex, and economic status, level of education, income level and employment, among others. He would do that with help of the leaderships from boma or payam sections. This could lead to establishing the source of quality data.  Some audiences acknowledged and believed that Akol’s vision may be consistent with his studies.

The One Bor Campaign team members came from various states; these include Dallas and Houston, Texas; Kansas, Missouri; Sioux Fall, South Dakota; and among others.  Their message was to go to Des Moines, Iowa to vote for their candidate.

He holds bachelors in Economics/Political Science at the University of Vermont; Master of Business Administration at the University of Vermont; Master in Public Administration (MPA) at Harvard University.

By Majur Deng Nhial

Amarillo/Guymon – the presidential candidate for the Bor County USA visited the panhandle areas last weekend to promote his candidacy.  Daniel Achiek is the candidate who already holds the office and is running to get re-elected.  He renamed James Agook Manyang Agook to be his running mate.  He was the last contestant to arrive in the area although he did pay a visitation last year in August, 2014; that time, his tour was not meant specifically for a political rally, but also to have the reunion with the community members.  The communities of Greater Bor showed a friendly and generous reception to entertain the political guest in the same degree given to the other two previous contestants who came prior to his campaign.
The purpose of seeking re-election as he says now is to leave something tangible behind – built in a physical structure such as technical school and tailoring to help the disadvantaged members of the Bor Community back home.  According to him, why this strategy would be beneficial because it could produce more carpenters and masons to work independently in producing furniture and building materials such as bricks.  If tailors are well-prepared, they can become sewers to get professional results in sewing clothes for men, women, and children.  He insisted on that local authorities would later generate sale taxes on those business productions and use the collected revenues for security purposes (community policing).  He asserted that the 2013 conflict in South Sudan interrupted his work plans back home.  He presented his collaboration with the former county commissioner Dr. Agot Alier and one of the police officials Gai Manyang Dot to have toured all of the five payams in Bor County and that expedition gave him an idea of what he could have done next if it wasn’t the ongoing war crises in the country.

Both candidates, Akol and Mabior are going head to head, criticizing each other over some issues while Michael Ayuen is enjoying a political ride – less attack from the two candidates.

Daniel Mabior Achiek is graduating on May 16, 2015; with bachelors in criminal justice.

Mabior’s Platform

- Building a vocational school: classes will include carpentry, masonry, welding, electrical, and business among other things.

- Computer training for young people in the community to leverage the most needed skills.

- Tailoring skills to train people in needs specially mothers in Bor, South Sudan.

- To promote sciences and mathematic in Bor County through tutoring program.     

How will the above skills help the community?

According to Mabior, if more people graduated with carpentry certificates for example, they would produce more furniture at different locations within the community and more people would make and sell furniture. The price would go down compare to one person who could make and sell furniture. The same would hold true to masonry.

The below part of the article was adapted from Daniel Mabior Achiek’s work plan:

- Continue lobbying the government to criminalize child abduction in South Sudan

- Will financially support Borglobe website in honoring of our brother and founder, Uncle Loi Deng Nai and in honoring of Bor Community in which the name was adapted from.

- Will continue working with Bor County leadership to improve security back home.

- Will discuss in a community leadership forum whether we can adapt a yearly memorial day for our massacred people or not.

- Will work hands in hands with our leaders back home in order to build monument and memorial park for our massacred people?

- Will work hand in hand with our leaders back home to persuade the IDPS and the refugees to come back home when the war ended.

- Will build upon our unity with our neighboring communities.

- Some other classified agendas  will be shared with those who will make it to the meeting

                      Payams administration

- Each Payam will elect Payam chairperson

- His/her cabinet will be composed of sectional leaders

- The chairperson of Payam will be a member of Bor County Development Association’s board of directors.

Work experience and leadership skills

- He worked as the general secretary and chairperson of a Dinka tribe at Dimma, Ethiopia, from 2004 to 2006.

- He worked as a program coordinator for the Theological Education by Extension (TEE) program for the Anglican Church at Dimma, Ethiopia.

- He worked as a volunteer with ZOA Refugee Care, an international NGO community service partner of the UNHCR.

- He has been certified in teaching, leadership, and peace education.

- An Evangelist at Episcopal Church.

- The current president of Bor County U.S.A


Leadership Qualities

1) Hardworking

2) Have excellent organizing skills

3) Consistent

4) Team player

5) Respectful

6) Committed

7) Caring

By Kwai Akech Kwai

With Bor County election due in Des Moines, Iowa, this month. It is an election that should be about candidates’ personalities; philosophies, principles and candidates’ commitments to the general publics, not about self-seeking interest individuals. Anything short of these are mere propagandas or deceptions of general public in total attempt of harvesting potential voters.

 It is all about progressive philosophies folks, not retrogressive ideas. It should be about a genuine love, not divided and rule tactic.

We, the people of Bor County are united since God’s creation and nobody would ever break that bone of unity. To say otherwise……is complete misrepresentation of who we are? And such thinking must be rejected outright.

Consequently, One Bor Campaign team must explains to the people of Bor County……the true meaning of One Bor Campaign? No explanation……means complete deception. Hence, One Bor Campaign and New Ideas without explanation are insincere and should be discarded outright.

Nevertheless; Beny, Mabior Achiek Chaw and Mr. Michael Ayuen Agok attending Gok’s meeting in South Dakota was brilliant and gallantry move though I do not agree with latter’s position. The former’s position in meeting was crystal clear. He never refused nor did he endorse the agenda in its entirety while on the other hand, the latter endorsed the agenda of the meeting, which is Gok’s community organization in the U.S.A.

Mr. Ayuen Agok’s position is that of a weak leader in which community may disintegrate and crumble under him/her. Likewise, Mr. Akol Aguek’s inflexible position could lead to more antagonism, disintegration or fragmentation of our tenacity Unity. So the duets are not the best choice for Bor County top seat position, folks.

The present of Beny, Mabior Achiek in that meeting was an indicative of an open mind and an open door policies, traits of a good leader. He is not arrogant, but a very humble leader who approach issues with open and sober mind.

Moreover, I applauded Beny, Mabior Achiek Chaw for his unconditional love and obligation for all members of Bor County regardless of their trivial differences. While opposing the agenda of the meeting, he attended the meeting and stated why he refuses to endorse Gok’s organization right there in the meeting. This is the kind of leadership we need at this critical time, not the one who shy away from facing their encounters, and chooses to rule by isolation or segregation. Oh No! No! No! We must strongly reject that kind of leadership style.

One Bor Campaign leader Akol Aguek opted not attend the meeting was spinelessness and appalling big-headed move! I called it a total opportunity missed folks, because brave leaders oppose to their opponents in their present, not at their backs.

You got to look your opponents in the eyes, folks, and give them a frank explanations as to why you are opposing to their ideas. We must look people in the eyes and engage them with due respect in order to effect the change we wanted. This requires an honest discussion at all levels, starting from grassroots to the top office.

You don’t have to shy away from your opponents and think you could bring about unity you claimed. Hence, Akol/Ajok for unity is nothing more than political gimmicks because Bor County is never divided and would never be divided under no circumstances……if you are aware of any division……? Please explain it to the general public, Sirs! This approach is practically unattainable, and mark my word should Akol/Ajok or Michael Ayuen/Akuot Mabiei win this election, I would be a number one person to throw my support behind their leadership in the name of Bor community.

Hence, alienating or isolating the group termed as “radical group” by the One Bor campaign members is not only retrospective, but ridicule solution which would help disenfranchise our enshrined Unity. This is why I think One Bor Campaign slogan is disingenuous and insincere term and must be discarded and throwaway, altogether.

We lived in the United States of America and I do not see how Akol/Ajok’s leadership is going to stop what has already been established. Are they going to use force or arrest them to stop the organization already established? You tell me.  I think working with them pleasantly to force compromise through honest and genuine love would bring harmonious and acceptable solution. Isolation or segregation policies One Bor Campaign employed would create a very disastrous situation and this situation must be avoided by electing the right candidate to the right place at the right time, and that right candidate is Mr. Chairman, Daniel Mabior.

Nevertheless, shying away from real issues facing our community is not only backward approach, but real threat to progressive ideas in our current and modern political arena. So new ideas are just another political gimmicks.

There could be no words that explains a courageous move made by Beny, Mabior Achiek better than the words of Senator Marco Rubio that “we are going to change decisions by changing the people who made those decisions.” Powerful and true, not the other way around. In another word, true leaders must love their people irrespective of their opinions to effect the change they wanted.

Beny, Mabior Achiek and Agok Manyang’s experiences, good-attitudes coupled with excellent ideologies, and their over-all commitments to the community they love passionately would allow them to take our community forward not backward. We must vote Mabior/Agok ticket to maintain the continuity of strong, hardworking and dedicated leadership in the office of Bor County, USA, simple and clear, folks!! Under their leadership, we are matching forward as a community!

by Cassy Arsenault

Fox 17 TV

WERKOK, South Sudan — It’s a country half the world away which shares nothing that West Michigan has to offer.  Decades of war deny any chance of a normal life and basic necessities like food, water and health care are marginalized, which has paved a road to disease and despair.Malaria, pneumonia and wounds of war are prevalent for the survivors of South Sudan. It’s the same survival that’s bred inspiration for a West Michigan man, fresh off his 16th stint into the war-torn region.

FOX 17’s Cassandra Arsenault joined the founder of Partner’s of Compassionate Care (PCC) on his latest journey, accompanied by a team that shares his passion fostered by a love built at home.

David Bowman’s drive doesn’t derive from an infomercial or artificial source. Years ago the decision to sponsor five Sudanese boys who survived civil unrest in their native land brought struggles unrealized to the forefront. He gave his new “sons” as he called them, a new life and taught them lessons no book could.

South Sudan is rich in tradition.  You can find youthful minds that are playful and curious all around the village of Werkok. With no school, they try to draw strength from their elders.  They are stranded in a land of survival where violence, sickness and hunger are any everyday norm.

Michigan is a state more than 6,000 miles removed from South Sudan’s turmoil. One of the world’s newest nations established in 2009, a new land that to most is beyond reach.

The village of Werkok is where PCC has made their mark. A village so remote that no commercial airlines fly there, only a charter plan, and it has to land on a dirt airstrip. The soil of the small area is a new home for Bowman, who is trying to bridge American and Sudanese culture.

“I feel sorry for guys my age. All they think about is their golf score, or some cruise they went on. Shame on them,” said Bowman.

At 78-years-old, he’s just completed his 16th mission to South Sudan.

“I am hoping I can go for another 10 years, but I don’t know. I take it a year at a time,” he said,

Bowman fosters relationships in PCC, building blocks for Memorial Christian Hospital.  MCH is the only hospital in Werkok. Bowman has continued to grow the hospital starting at 12 beds, now 28, over the years.

It’s the work of man far removed from the West’s idea of privilege. He’ll tell you he isn’t a doctor, or a millionaire, or a contractor. He wasn’t even sure how he would be able to start the hospital, but he knew the Sudanese in that area needed one.

“I am an ordinary guy. I am a high school graduate. I didn’t go to college,” said Bowman.

He’s dedicated to a nation with a lot of obstacles. South Sudan is plagued by the worst infant mortality rate in the world at 2 percent, and 27 percent of the population is illiterate. Not to mention most of their money goes to funding weapons and military equipment that is fueling tribal wars.

He opened the hospital in 2006, and it now houses the only x-ray machine and ultrasound available for miles. The hospital has now performed over 2,000 surgeries and helped over 65,000 patients.

The changes made by Bowman and his companions didn’t happen overnight, and wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for the inspiration installed by survivors in South Sudan during the civil unrest during the ’90s.

He now calls some of these survivors his sons.

Tomorrow on FOX 17 news  at 10, we’ll introduce the men that made the journey halfway across the world, bridging cultures for Bowman himself who’s now making a difference.

by Cassy Arsenault

Fox 17 TV

WERKOK, South Sudan.– It’s a hospital that’s giving hope to a community that wouldn’t have basic healthcare needs without it. David Bowman, the founder of Memorial Christian Hospital in South Sudan, has made an enormous medical impact on the Sudanese.

It’s a calling halfway around the world that didn’t come by chance.  The people who truly inspired Bowman’s efforts were his five Sudanese boys that he took under his wing years ago.

Daily surgeries at the Memorial Christian Hospital are one by one giving hope to a community in South Sudan. Bowman knew from his first visit nearly a decade ago that something had to change. Their only hope when they fell ill was prayer. Most people in the villages have never seen a medical doctor. It was a tall task inspired by ‘tall’ young men.

Malaria, pneumonia, and dehydration are just some of the daily struggles for thousands in the war-torn region of South Sudan. They are struggles Bowman set out to change inspired by what he calls his honorary sons. Bowman reunited with two of them on his latest trip to South  Sudan in March.

Phillip Madol and Deng Alier arrived in West Michigan in 2000.

“I had nobody else. I was just looking for a better life,” said Madol.

Madol recalled never seeing snow before that moment. He thought it was sugar covering the ground.

“I was very excited because to us when we lost our parents, we were looking for a mother and a father,” said Madol.

Deng Alier thought the snow was white soil giving Americans their white skin.

“There are so many things I am so thankful about them [the Bowman family]. Things that they did for me personally and things that they did to the Sudanese on my behalf,” said Alier.

Both suffered from illness in the past, unable to receive treatment. They watched their loved ones perish in a forced exodus from war.

“My step brothers, my twin sisters, my cousins they died during that time,” said Madol.

9 years later, both men are grateful their ‘dad’ as they know him is still helping their loved ones in the villages.

“I even know people from my family who have actually benefited from this hospital,” said Alier.

Both men have since returned to South Sudan under differing circumstances. Madol openly admitting to a past abuse of alcohol, fueling a fight with his wife that would change his life.

“One time I put my hand on her, and this is why I got into some problems, and the government say that it’s illegal,” said Madol.

Madol regrets his mistakes. For Alier, the return home was by choice. He achieved degrees in sociology and economics in West Michigan. His education fueled his future path to make his return to his native land.

“I was asking myself how do I pay back? How do I help? And how do I make a difference to the people who have made a difference in my life? That’s why I choose to leave America behind,” said Alier.

Alier encouraged Partners in Compassionate Care (PCC) to bring a team to South Sudan in March. All the people bringing different areas of skill from medical doctors to technology consultants, but the journey is not easy. There’s no phone or internet service here, and food is scarce.

Fear and insecurity is something that the Dinka tribe has to live with on a daily basis. A simple walk down the road could mean losing their life from rival tribes hiding in the grass waiting to shoot them.

The PCC team made the trip despite the dangers they could be confronted with along the way. They introduced new technology like iPads to the hospital staff, spiritual teachings, medical doctors and nurses, and giving business workshops to empower those left behind. The team even made an effort to fix things on the compound like the water wells, tractors and repairing things like their showers.

It’s not just the people who come with the team that help. In third world countries, water is a precious resource. Four rotary clubs in West Michigan donated the money for the water well that the hospital uses to run its facility.

Even in down time, the team worked to bridge cultural divides through common interests. The team let the Sudanese try a popular American candy, Pop Rocks. In return, they let the team try some of their favorites like wheat flour.

Bowman is aware and grateful that he was able to give Alier and Madol a taste of living in the comforts of American life.

            

Alier is continuing to try to repay Bowman by working for PCC in Sudan.

“If I didn’t meet Mr. Bowman I don’t think I would have Memorial Christian Hospital. I cannot afford to pay them back by money. I cannot afford to do everything to everybody who has done something different in my life, but I can sacrifice myself and come here to South Sudan,” said Alier.

Madol is not happy to fall back into a cycle of violence. He has decided to join the military.

“But now I really see where the life is. I just joined it. I wasn’t happy to join because I don’t want to kill nobody,” said Madol.

Madol hopes he can make up for his past mistakes by protecting his village. He says being deported back to his country is shameful, but he is trying to move forward. He hopes other Sudanese will someday get the chances he didn’t take.

“I pray to God that he gives him [David Bowman] more years so he can do more amazing things in Sudan,” said Madol.

Bowman wants to give the Sudanese who will never make it outside of their village a small piece of stability.

“As long as I have breath in my lungs I want to keep going,” said Bowman.

Two places that once seemed so far, now bonded together. Monday on FOX 17 News at 10 we’ll take you through a journey to empower women that have been left behind. Their husbands killed, their children stolen, with little left to live for, a West Michigan based organization comes in to give them hope.

By Gabrial Pager Ajang

I do not in any way want to inject politics into Bor County Community elections (USA) but I will be remiss if I don’t make a statement or an endorsement.  The three sister Counties have been built upon relations not politics. And it is through mutual and exclusive relations set forth by subsequent and current leaders that compelled me to make this statement. Our collective history indicates that we have never engaged in pettiness and divisive politics. We do not put each other down but we build one another up. Famine and war disasters have hit our counties and we withstood them. At time of famine in late 1960s, our paramount chief Ajang Duot said that girls will be given free; there would be no dowry payment. We have never injected toxic politics into three sisters’ counties. I personally ask members to rise above hatred and build healthier community. Development of South Sudan starts in counties. A more developed Bor County would mean a peaceful and prosperous Twic East, Duk, Awelrial, and Mandari counties. And this would mean a more peaceful and stable South Sudan. Stability begins with well-developed infrastructures, build hospital-clinic and schools in 79 counties not Juba.

Therefore, in this campaign for Bor County presidency, I personally thank, the incumbent, Mr. Mabior Achiek Chaw for his commendable leadership in the past years. I do think it is an immense respect to you from the members to honor you with such job.  I also thank and recognize, Mr. Michael Ayuen Agook for expressing his willingness to lead Bor County community in the United States. I do have nothing but respect for all of you.

However, the challenges and demands of this time warrant merited skills of leadership. Bor Town has been reduced to ashes and evident of these are scattered across the county.  With these dire situations of Bor County, I endorse Akol Aguke Ngong for Bor County Community presidency in the United States.  He possess expertise that would allow him to explore and pioneer new avenues for Bor Community reconstructions, development and advancement, and builds better relationship with neighboring counties such as mandari, Awelrials, GPAA (Pibor) and three sister counties.

Akol holds master degree in Public Administration from HARVAD UNIVERSITY, Kennedy School of government and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Vermont. He is currently working as Assistant Director of Admission at the University of Vermont. I want to stress that it is another thing to graduate from the University with higher degree but it is more dignified for the same University to trust you and accepted you as director of their students. The University of Vermont trusted Akol and placed him on its Honorary List. Now, at the University of Vermont students coming from all walks of life apply for Akol Aguek Ngong Scholarships. I do and ask supporters of Mabior and Ayuen to reconsider their positions in this campaign and vote for Akol.

I do think a man with such expertise and experiences can be permitted to lead this great community of an endearing legacy. I do believe that Akol have been prepared and formidable candidate for this job. He will rally University of Vermont and Harvard University communities, and American friends to build and develop Bor County. I have worked with him on classified and non-classified documents. And in the course of tasks, he had demonstrated leadership in the following manners:

1. He appreciates the need to assume the role of leadership with respect to that responsibility;

2. He sticks to a task and see it through regardless of difficulties encountered;

3. He ability to reach logical conclusions and make high quality decisions based on available information; skill in identifying educational needs and setting priorities; ability to evaluate critically programs and issues.

4. He had an ability to perform under pressure and during opposition; ability to think on one's feet;

5. He does have a clear vision about progression of own life and career, as well as where the organization should go;

6. He had an ability to motivate others; the capacity to move people to action, to communicate persuasively, to strengthen confidence of others, to change behaviors;

7. He had a well-established value system which has been tested in various ways in the past

Finally, I do acknowledge that we have professionally disagreed in numbers of issues and agree over other issues and still endorse him today. Hence you do need to like him to vote for him.  You do not need to like his programs to vote for him either. The tasks of this time require his leadership. The challenges of this time require his tools and skills that he acquires from the finest Universities in the United States to lead Bor County Community. The ruin city warrants his experiences. I ask members from the Midwest and across this nation to vote for Akol Aguek Ngong on May 23rd-24th 2 2015, Des Moines, Iowa.  I will ask my own Mother Abanydit, (Abany Kucha Tiir) who recently came from Australia to vote for him, ONLY, if the electoral commission allows her to vote in this election.

By JASON PATINKIN

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan's military has launched a full-scale military offensive against rebels despite calls for restraint, a regional monitoring group said Friday, accusing the government of preventing mediators from accessing scenes of fighting.

The regional bloc known as IGAD, which has been mediating peace talks between South Sudan's warring factions, said in a statement Friday that the latest fighting is "unwarranted and appalling."

South Sudanese government troops have prevented mediators from moving freely in Bentiu, the capital of Unity state, since government troops launched a military offensive late last month, according to IGAD.

Earlier this week, the U.N. announced there were credible reports of atrocities being carried out, including killing of civilians, rape, abductions of boys and the torching of 28 villages.

South Sudanese military spokesman Col. Philip Aguer said government troops have been ordered to pursue rebels in what he called a "preventive operation" in Jonglei state as well as south of Unity state.

Last week, the South Sudanese military moved from Bentiu toward the key rebel stronghold of Leer, forcing international aid workers to evacuate the town and leave civilians behind. This week, the army also moved toward Leer from government-held Lakes state, clashing with rebels in neighboring Panyijar and Mayandit counties.

Rebel spokesman Dickson Gatluak said fighting is ongoing in Mayandit and that government forces were repulsed in Panyijar.

Aid workers fled Panyijar ahead of the offensive, according to international humanitarian agency Mercy Corps, which said it evacuated some of its staff from the county amid heavy fighting.

"The new wave of intense violence coincides with the height of the country's planting season, renewing worry about the adequacy of the food supply in the coming months," Mercy Corps said.

The U.N. says 100,000 people have been displaced by the latest fighting in Unity State and that 500,000 needy people are without humanitarian aid.

___

Associated Press reporter Elias Meseret contributed to this report from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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