Panyijiar News Blog

Revenge Attack Kills Three in Panyijiar

2009-04-14T02:56:00.001-05:00

25 March 2009 - (Panyijiar) - Three people were killed and two others wounded in Panyijiar county in Unity state.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service, Panyijiar county commissioner, Gatkoi Tear said that the dead were victims of revenge killings.

[Gatkoi Tear]: “The problem happened after a person was killed and his relatives then took revenge and killed one person and wounded two people. In another incident, a policeman and a civilian were killed. The Government of southern Sudan should create laws that will help civilians know that if one commits a crime, they will be answerable to the law.”

He said revenge attacks are very common because there are no laws prohibiting such acts.
Source: Sudan Radio Service
URL: http://www.sudanradio.org/viewArticle.php?id=2128

Planting the Seeds of Change

2009-04-14T02:51:00.001-05:00

Planting the seeds of change

Laura Ingalls, Staff Writer

He was one of the many thousands of Lost Boys forced to trek on foot across his homeland of Sudan through Ethiopia amidst Sudan’s civil war, a civil war that lasted 21 brutal years. He was brought to the United States by Lutheran World Relief, then to Fargo, N.D. where he attended Fargo South High School and eventually came to Concordia College. While at Concordia, he came up with an idea.

Panyijiar Community Development Services, referred to more commonly as PACODES, was borne out of his idea. His name is Machien “Justin” Luoi, now a graduate from Concordia. He, along with help from a few faculty members, created an organization designated to build a library in Panyijiar, Sudan. Luoi enlisted the help of professors Roy Hammerling, Mike Bath, Ron Twedt, and Joan Kopperud, with each member serving a specific function, from financial adviser to head of the book drives.

PACODES is a non-profit organization that aims to bring education to Panyijiar through the establishment of a library, set to begin building construction in November. Panyijiar, located in Southern Sudan, has a population of 120,000, with only one percent literate. Ninety-five percent of the county is underdeveloped and only two percent of the water is clean. There are no paved roadways leading to Panyijiar, and during the rainy season, the dirt roads that do lead to Panyijiar are flooded, replacing the roads with tiny rivers. The library, set to be built on land donated by Panyijiar community leaders, is seen as a solution to these problems.

But PACODES wants to do more with this library. For them, this is a long-term project.

“We want to help the community in other ways,” Hammerling said. “We’ll buy two brick-making machines to leave behind when we’re done.”

In Panyijiar, the traditional huts are built typically out of dry mud, and with the yearly rainfall averaging about 40 inches in the rainy season, mud houses aren’t able to withstand the weather. By leaving behind the brick-making machines used to build the library, members of the Panyijiar community will be able to have lasting homes. A well will be added to the courtyard of the library to provide the community access to clean water, too.

In addition, the library PACODES has proposed is self-sustaining, meaning that the library will have a corrugated steel roof, it won’t need to be painted, and it is being built in such a way that the trade winds will keep it cool despite the hot, humid Sudanese weather. The library also has windows on the south side, which will allow natural light into the building. Eventually, electric lights will be installed to allow school to be held later into the evening.

According to Kopperud, this is going to be more than just a library.

“We are changing the lives of families and children in Panyijiar,” Kopperud said.

PACODES has hopes for this library. These hopes, to become a school, as well as a community center for the citizens of Panyijiar, are realized through the organization’s mission, “planting the seeds of change.” PACODES’ goals are to improve the education, healthcare, parenting, clean water, and agriculture of Panyijiar, which is how many of the town’s people survive.

Along with the fundamental parts of a library, a kitchen will be added to help the process of turning the library into a community center and school. The kitchen will allow Panyijiar residents to cook at school, instead of traveling home during the day to do so. And the kitchen will be separated from the library to prevent the library from catching fire in the event the kitchen’s wood-burning stoves do.

PACODES also hopes to bring jobs to the members of Panyijiar. The organization plans to hire people to care for the library and to run the shop within the library. This shop will sell standard stationary items such as pencils, pens, notebooks and erasers, with all the funds generated going back into sustaining the library, which PACODES estimates to cost $35,000 a year to preserve.

While it seems that PACODES has everything in order, the organization had many hurdles in the beginning. First, they needed to be recognized as a 501©3 organization, or a non-profit. Second, they needed to find an architect to build a green, self-sustaining library.

“There were many miracles and hurdles,” Kopperud said. “One door opened after another.”

Once these first two hurdles were overcome, the organization was able to start raising money through a variety of ways. Luoi, along with the help of many other Lost Boys, were able to raise the initial $9,000 out of their pockets. WalkSUDAN, a walk used to raise money for the library, raised $5,000 over four walks, with one in Moorhead, Minn., as well as another in Peoria, Ill.. And with the help of the documentary-film company Endless Eye Productions, another $35,000 was raised, with $5,000 coming explicitly from small donations.

Sean Fahey and Jeremiah Hammerling of Endless Eye Productions became involved with PACODES shortly after it was created. Hammerling attended high school with Luoi, learning his life story and becoming close friends with him.
Once Hammerling shared Luoi’s story with Fahey, he was interested in connecting with the organization. Together, Fahey and Hammerling came up with an idea and created a money bomb on Dec. 14, 2008, on the Web site libraryproject.org to encourage people to donate. A money bomb is, in this case, an online fundraiser aimed at motivating visitors to contribute their money to a cause. Their goal was to raise the $100,000 PACODES needs to build the library, but this one-day money bomb has turned into an on-going project.
Endless Eye is also filming a documentary on Luoi and the efforts of PACODES.

Fahey and Hammerling have been documenting Luoi’s journey with PACODES and are invested in helping raise funds for the library in Panyijiar. Currently, Endless Eye Productions is filming messages from PACODES members to bring to Panyijiar people and are in preparation to fly to Sudan later this month to continue filming. Fahey and Hammerling believe very strongly in the purpose of PACODES and what this library could do for Panyijiar.

“It all starts with this library,” Fahey said.

Hammerling agreed, adding that this is a long-term goal.

“We’re trying to rebuild a country,” Hammerling said.

Cobbers for PACODES, an on-campus student organization started this year by juniors Kaia Sievert, Hope Gust, and Jacquelin Wieland, held a change drive earlier this semester, which garnered $472.89. Along with that, Concordia’s Communion attendees donated $79.76 in offerings for PACODES. Cobbers for PACODES has other plans in the works, such as sponsoring an athletic fundraiser and a barbecue at the end of the year to continue to raise awareness and money for PACODES.

“We don’t want to be a band-aid for the problem,” Gust said.

PACODES is also in charge of book drives throughout Concordia’s campus. At the end of each semester, Bath, who heads the book drives, along with sophomore Jessica Markusen and junior Britta Peterson, place boxes in each dormitory and in some academic buildings for students to donate their used textbooks instead of selling them back to the bookstore or online. In collaboration with PACODES, Better World Books, a for-profit bookseller, is helping PACODES transport books to the library in Panyijiar.

“We can collect books and ship them to Better World Books,” Bath said. “They provide us with shipping crates and boxes to collect [them].”

The books collected by the various drives are either set aside to be shipped to Panyijiar or are sold by Better World Books to help defray the production costs. The first book in the library is one made by a class at Concordia. Heidi Goldberg’s printmaking class made a book for the Panyijiar community to be placed in the library. This book is a collaborative piece made of hand printed originals, wood cuts, letter presses and lithographs responding to the concept of opposites. Each student chose a text, either one of their own or that of another, to correspond to their pictures.

Goldberg’s class project came about from the idea of a student, junior Danielle Gravon, who overheard a conversation about PACODES while in the Concordia Bookstore. Gravon brought this idea back to her classmates and persuaded them to create this book to sell to raise money for the library, as well as a book to donate.

The architect for the library has overcome some hurdles as well. As a woman architect and a Muslim, Uzma Mirza is attempting to bridge the Muslim-Christian gap that has resulted in Sudan from the civil war. She has volunteered her time to design this library for the community of Panyijiar. And Luoi hopes she will be influential in affecting the patriarchal customs that are currently in place in Sudan.

“Girls don’t attend school,” Luoi said. “This will be inspiring and change the way things are.”

Luoi is surprised by the outcome his idea has produced. He never thought that Cobbers for PACODES would exist, and refers to them as his “dream team.” This idea has brought many people from different places across the United States, from Nebraska to Florida to Kentucky, together for one organization.

“It’s about coming together for a common cause,” Luoi said. “It’s not going to benefit you. It’s not going to benefit me or Roy or the board members.”

Luoi appreciates those he has met throughout his trek in starting this library. He has goals for the organization and hopes it continues to flourish in the same manner it has thus far.

“I want this organization to continue,” Luoi said. “So we can inspire the [MSUM] Dragons and the [NDSU] Bisons, too.”

ource: Concordian
Url : http://www.livewiredj.net/concordian/pacercms/article.php?id=754

Dr. Riek Machar Attends Late Ruei Kuong’s Funeral

2009-02-12T02:06:00.000-06:00

2/10/2009

On February 10^th, Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhur-gon, the Vice-President of the government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), flew from Leer to Ganyliel to attend the Late Ruei Kuong’s funeral service. The Funeral, which was to take place on February 09^th, was adjourned for a day to accommodate Dr. Machar’s schedule delays.

Late Chief Ruei Kuong who hailed from Nyuong Nuer sub-clan, passed away last year on December 31^st at age 92. The Late was a former Anya Anya I movement veteran and was a person of unique character. He loved and embraced all people he encountered. The Late called all people his brothers, sisters and beloved “children.” Known as “Gat-Kuong,” the Late was a champion of fair treatment and equality. He was often known by equal treatment of his wives, which earned him the popular saying amongst the Nyuong Nuer, “par ke juoch cha mahn Ruei Kuong,” in English language meaning “equal as the wives of Ruei Kuong.”

His funeral service was scheduled 40 days after his death as Nuer culture demands. Presence of Dr. Machar at the funeral was a grand respect for the Late and his contributions to the Southern Sudan liberation struggle. It also signaled that the Late has a place amongst the greatest elders of the Paramount Chiefs of the Nuer tribe. The funeral was attended by the late Gat-Kuong’s children who some had travelled from Australia, Kenya and various parts of Sudan. The Nyuong people and guests at the funeral were grateful for the contributions of Gat-Kuong to the Nuer and entire Southern Sudan family.

Dr. Machar also had a chance to meet with another ailing Nuer Paramount Chief Malual Wun Kuoth. After the funeral service, Dr. Machar left Ganyliel for Thar Jiath Liech (place believed to be the birth place of the Nuer people), in Koch County.

Forwarded by Sam Lony Geng.

PACODES’ Weekend at Canton Lutheran Church

2009-01-22T14:49:00.001-06:00

On January 17th and 18th, 2009 the Canton Lutheran Church, Canton, South Dakota, invited Machien J. Luoi, the chairman of PACODES, to speak at the church on behalf of the organization. A long with Machien were Gat-kier Machar and Gonyang Ng’anoah, both of whom are members of the Panyijiar Lost Boys Community and the PACODES’ organization.

The event was orchestrated by Dr. Margaret Devick, a member of both the church and the PACODES’ organization. Dr. Devick spoke to the senior pastor, Pastor Tony Haglund about PACODES and the work that PACODES is doing or will be doing in Panyijiar County, Southern Sudan. The pastor was impressed and moved spiritually and hence provoked the event.

The goal of the two-day event was to create awareness and raise funds for the PACODES organization and at the same time for the lost boys to tell their story of faith, hope and perseverance to the Lutheran community.

The pastor, along with other members of the church were so amazed by the story of the lost boys and the fact that they have decided to give back to their rural community in Southern Sudan after horrible traumatic situations imposed on them by the civil war at a very young age.

The church decided, through their “mission of the month” initiative, to choose PACODES for the month of January, 2009 as its “mission of the month” project. So, all the gifts and donations offered to the “mission of the month” will be given to the PACODES organization this month.

The event ended well and it challenged both the lost boys and the Lutheran community on matters related to faith, community (oneness in Christ and spirit) and victory-won on the part of the lost boys and the fact that it’s our task as the faithful to shape the face of this earth by spreading the word of love, hope and unity and hence bringing more individual and communal understanding of ourselves and our surroundings and at the same time prompting us to help in the development process of the whole world.

Finally, the PACODES organization and the Panyijiar lost boys community express a word of “Thank you” to Pastor Tony Haglund and his family, Devick family and the whole Lutheran congregation for their support and making our voices heard, not just in the Canton Lutheran community, but also around the world.

Written by:
Gat-kier Machar
Secretary,
PACODES

Paramount Chief of Unity Dies Aged 92

2009-01-21T11:33:00.000-06:00

8 January - (Nairobi) - One of the paramount chiefs in Unity state, Ruey Kuong, has passed away.

The 92 year-old Ruey Kuong died on 31st of December in his home in Ganyliel in Panyijiar County.

Ruey is survived by 75 children and 35 wives. He went to school in Ethiopia up to class six and became chief in 1944 during the British colonial period.

Ruey predicted that he would die by the end of the year and that he would take all bad spells with him and leave blessings to the living.

He left his seat to his son, Mayul Ruey Kuong.

Ruey loved peace and was very generous. He was famous for calling people - even people he did not know, “Ruey’s children”.

He is well remembered for brokering a successful peace agreement, popularly known as the Unlit peace agreement, between neighboring, Unity, Lakes state and Bahr el Ghazal State in 2005.

During the war, he facilitated SPLA movements by providing them with food when they came to his areas.

His funeral will take place in February and will be attended by government officials from Unity and other neighboring states.

Source: Sudan Radio Service (http://www.sudanradio.org/viewArticle.php?id=1844)

Too few Cells For Growing Prison Population in Unity State

2009-01-21T11:18:00.000-06:00

8 January - (Nairobi) - The head of prisons in Payinjiar County, John Luk Jok is appealing to Unity state government to renovate and build more prison cells to accommodate the rising number of criminals in the state.

Speaking to our correspondent, James Mabor in Ganyliel Payam on Tuesday, Lieutenant Jok said that there is only one cell in which more than 500 criminals are locked up. He said more prison cells would reduce congestion as the number of criminals increases daily.

Jok blames the state government for deploying too few security officers who are often overwhelmed and find it hard to maintain law and order in the area.

He appealed to the state government to tighten security by increasing the numbers of police to help reduce the crime rate.

Source: Sudan Radio Service (http://www.sudanradio.org/viewArticle.php?id=1845)

6 January - Disarmament Exercise A Success in Panyinjiar County

2009-01-06T12:08:00.001-06:00

6 January - (Bentiu) - At least 85 guns were collected from civilians following a peaceful disarmament exercise in Panyinjiar county, Unity state, on Monday.

Our correspondent in Bentiu, James Mabor, reported that there have been increased cases of insecurity in the county.

The arms were collected from 6 of the 9 payams of Panyinjiar county and the operation is expected to be carried out soon in the remaining 3 payams.
The disarmament operation is being carried out by chiefs with support from SPLA soldiers.

According to the head of the SPLA disarmament team, Kachlech Kulang, the exercise was successful but faced resistance from some civilians who claimed that confiscating all their guns would make the county vulnerable to cattle raiders.

Kulang promised to deploy a police force which would protect civilians from any attackers

Source:Sudan Radio Service (http://www.sudanradio.org/viewArticle.php?id=1833)

Panyijiar Annual Community Meeting Outcome – Jacksonville, Florida

2009-01-05T16:25:00.002-06:00

Panyijiar community members in the United State met on Saturday, December 27th, 2008. The meeting this year was hosted by the members in Jacksonville, Florida. The city of Jacksonville has five members who are from the Panyijiar community. The community members who came from various states decided to converge in Omaha, NE so they could drive together as a team since the journey to Jacksonville was going to be quite a long one. The journey began on Christmas day and by Friday morning, December 26, the journey ended at the doorsteps of the members in Jacksonville. We were warmly received and were so glad we made it just a day before the meeting.

In comparison with prior annual meetings, the Jacksonville meeting was quite an exceptional one. Upon our arrival, we took a nap for few hours and were taken to the Jacksonville Beach after a warm satisfying meal prepared by a friend known to the members in Jacksonville. On the beach we saw the beautiful Atlantic Ocean with all its waves coming as far outward to the beach line. We then took a tour of the city and ended the tour at Jacksonville landing where we saw a giant Christmas tree and had a mini-view of the ocean. We stayed there for a while and then decided it was time to go home and rest so we could get ready for our meeting the next morning.

The next morning, we headed to a Lutheran church where we held our meeting. The meeting was meant for the board of directors to report to the community members their annual community progress and to discuss issues that required attention.

Two Thousand and eight has proven to be a very productive and a blessed year for the Panyijiar Community as well as the Panyijiar Community Development Services (PACODES), the mother organization. The organization has created more awareness and made more leads this year than any other year. Various fund-raising and friend-raising events were made this year, which generated more awareness for the organization and at the same time generated more revenue than we’d planned. This year alone, five (5) major events took place. In May alone, there were two (2) events that were conducted. They included a fundraiser event (Book Bash) in Fargo, ND at Ramada Inn Hotel and a WalkSudan Rally in Peoria, Illinois. Another WalkSudan Rally event was done in Chicago, Illinois in June and another one in October in Fargo, ND. The WalkSudan events were done in cooperation with Endless Eye Production, a not-for-profit organization that only specializes in documentary film production. Then in December a brilliant online fundraiser was conducted and was called “Library MoneyBomb”. This event, which was done within a matter of hours, generated close to almost $ 6,000.00 alone. So, the overall revenue raised in 2008 alone by PACODES is about $ 65,000.00.

The fact that we’ve raised this amount boosted the morale of the community members during the Jacksonville meeting. They only hope that we can raise this much again in the upcoming year, 2009! In order to raise the above amount or go beyond that target, the community agreed to create more individualized awareness in their respective states within the United States and do more fundraising events as they could in their respective cities.

The greatest accomplishment this year isn’t the money the organization has raised but the friendship and cooperative efforts we’ve establish with various individuals and organizations. We only hope that the relationships we’ve built will be long lasting.
The community members recognized and appreciated the entire PACODES’ board of directors for a job well done!

Last but not the least; the community has agreed that the next meeting will be held in Kansas City, MO on December 26, 2009.

Finally, the sons of Panyijiar wishes all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Written by;
Gat-kier Machar,
Secretary
January 5, 2009

5 January - Food Shortages in Panyijiar County after Flooding

2009-01-05T15:08:00.000-06:00

5 January - (Nairobi) - Leaders from Panyijiar County are calling for the provision of emergency food supplies following floods which destroyed crops earlier this year. Thousands of people had to leave their homes and the vast majority do not have enough to eat.
Members of different political parties met for a conference in Panyijiar last week to address the issue of food security in the county.
Speaking to Sudan Radio Service on Monday, the coordinator of the conference, Peter Gai Joak, said they have decided to build a 78 kilometer dyke along the river to prevent flooding from the Nile during the rainy season.
[Peter Gai Joak]: “Food security is still a concern. People said there is a need for the construction of dykes because that can help in their agricultural activities. In fact the whole area is flooded. Most of the people could not attend the conference because of the floods.”
Gai said they are writing a proposal to submit to donors, including the state government, to fund the dyke project.
source: Sudan Radio Service (http://www.sudanradio.org/viewArticle.php?id=1827)

“A MILLION MILES JOURNEY START WITH ONE STEP”

2008-12-14T22:50:00.000-06:00

TAKE YOUR USED TEXT BOOKS HOME WHEN YOU FINISHED WITH COLLEGE OR EVEN HIGH SCHOOL
Sunday, 16 November 2008 14:45 Daniel Leek Geu, BGN Your Opinions - Your Opinions
Leek Geu

Leek Geu
“A MILLION MILES JOURNEY START WITH ONE STEP”

To: All Southern Sudanese Students in Diaspora

The illiteracy pandemics in Southern Sudan and other parts of Sudan is a reality known to the whole world. The long civil war in the African history had shunted all kind f educational process in Southern Sudan for the last 22 years, and thus resulted in this widespread illiteracy. The Government of Southern Sudan and NGOs are now in process of eradicating illiteracy in the region. But given the enormity of the need and lack of resources, too many of our people are still not reached by this efforts and that call for everyone to get involved in the fight against illiteracy.

There are no LIBRARIES in Southern Sudan and it will take a long time for the government of Southern Sudan to reach a point of setting up libraries due to lack of resources. We Southerners in the Diaspora are doing our best in many ways to elevate the conditions of our communities, one family at a time and that is worth noting. The efforts to eradicate illiteracy by the GoSS is a paramount step that deserves commendation from all Sudanese, as we know that our government is partnering with NGOs in building educational bases from grade schools to colleges in Southern Sudan.

Having that said, I also think that we in the Diaspora communities across the globe can help by starting simple libraries in our local states back in Southern Sudan. All Southern Sudanese in Diaspora currently attending high schools, colleges and recent graduates of all background have old books that are used up, and may be sitting on the closet somewhere in your residence; these books can help our people who are yearning for education, students and individuals seeking to enrich themselves need textbooks, nobles, and other types of books plus dictionaries in Southern Sudan.

Please take your used books to Southern Sudan; you’ll be helping our country in a fight against illiteracy and ignorance. Your used books will worth more if you choose to take them to Southern Sudan so our people can benefit from using them. Selling them for few cents on a dollar will not equate to satisfaction you will get when you see social coexistence and development in Southern Sudan few years down the road. You may be wondering where the books will be kept, and who will read them and other concerns regarding this idea. But the bottom line is that we have to start somewhere, a famous quote states that “a million miles journey start with one step” and therefore starting a library with old mixed books can be a step.

Keeping the book safe and accessible to everyone will be a task delegated upon the local educational authorities in the region. And it could even involve the office of Education Minister in the Government of Southern Sudan if we all response greatly to the idea and bring knowledge home. Remember knowledge is power, and knowledge come by having access to information and information come from reading different kinds of books in order to get the world’s view of things.

There is a saying in Dinka that say “Göl ne yi nom” , it means that start at your end or your front, so I am traveling to my home State of Jonglei next year and I am taking about 10 books with me. I am confident that somebody will read them, and that there will be a place to keep those books at the John Garang Institute of Technology in Bor.

So, imagine if we all take our books given our diverse field of studies, this can enhance the level of literacy currently emerging in the Motherland and that is worth trying. These books could also be good resources for grade school teachers and local college instructors given the condition in Southern Sudan. The lack of information and communication technology is greatly hindering much needed progress in all fields of education in Southern Sudan.

Therefore, I appeal to all you brothers and sisters in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and even other part of Africa. I am sure that our scholars can agree with me on this point, but if anyone have a better idea then please let us try to confirm the failure of one idea before we throw it away.

I have faith in our ability to seek and secure education as one of your brothers once famously stated that “education is my mother and father”, and so I know that many will embrace this idea without hesitation.

Thanks for your time and may God Almighty bless each and every one of you with wisdom to take courage and seek peace, reconciliation, healing, and progress toward development for our people and beloved country of birth.

The author of this message is Daniel Leek Geu, born in Jonglei State, currently residing in the United States of America. The Author is a student finishing a degree in Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University this December 2008. He can be reached at Daniel.geu@ndsu.edu This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Your Change Can Really Add Up

2008-12-13T23:07:00.000-06:00

December 13, 2008 by theregman
Reggie Brown, NBC5 Street Team

Over the course of the last year ‘change’ has been on the tongues and minds of everyone in America. Right now in the spirit of the holiday season there’s an amazing way for you to help change lives across the world and help educate the people of southern Sudan.This time we’re talking about pocket change. Tomorrow, December 14 is the designated 24 hour donation day for PACODES’ library development project.

The goal is to raise $100,000, this may seem like a lot of money but they’re only asking each person to donate $1. Of course $1 is the minimum donation requested but you are asked to be as generous as possible. The great thing about this fundraiser is that it’s relying on the power of word and the concept of strength in numbers. If the word reaches 100,000 people and they all donate, the goal is attained and you played a vital part in enriching and educating someone who would not normally have that opportunity. Tell everyone, your coworkers, friends, family, the barista at Starbucks, the teller at the bank, anyone you come in contact with.

PACODES is a nonprofit organization that is determined to provide the people of the war and genocide torn Payijar region in Southern Sudan with a habitable and sustainable lifestyle. Right now, the focus of PACODES is building a library to help provide education and spread literacy to a part of the world that desperately needs it, a place where children actually want to go to school.This particular project has been underway for quite some time now and is still in the fundraising stage. With the combined efforts of the you, the supporters of PACODES and the rest of the world, we have the ability to supply a war torn and impoverished region of the world with the simple basic tools they need to provide education and empowerment for their people.

Check out these videos to get more info:
# Video #1
# Video#2
# Video#3

Give a little bit of your love and change tomorrow then give yourself a big pat on the back, you deserve it.

Log onto www.libraryproject.org and tell everyone you know. You’ll be glad you did.

Sudan library project accepting donations online

2008-12-12T00:42:00.001-06:00

By Patrick Springer pspringer@forumcomm.com
Metro/State - 12/10/2008 Supporters of an effort to build a library in a remote area of southern Sudan that lacks electricity are turning to cyberspace to raise money for the project. The project, spearheaded by former “Lost Boys” in Fargo-Moorhead and their far-flung supporters, has scheduled a one-day online fundraiser Sunday to try to complete a $100,000 fund drive goal. To raise awareness for the campaign, supporters have been using social network sites – such as Facebook – YouTube pitches and mass email invitations, which they hope will be forwarded to a mushrooming network of contacts.

“They’re going all over the place,” Justin Machien Luoi of Fargo, a former Lost Boy, said Tuesday. “We’re just trying everything. We appreciate every dollar we get.” To get the word out, he sent e-mail requests to his 400-person contact list, and untold others have done the same. A special Web site, www.libraryproject.org, has been set up to provide information and take donations, by credit card or PayPal. “We’re taking advantage of technology, much the same as

the recent campaign, to raise funds,” said Joan Kopperud, an active member of Pacodes, a local not-for-profit organization that is working to build the library. “It’s the holiday time of the year when some people are looking for extra places to give,” she said. “If everybody does a dollar or two and this e-mail goes to 100,000 people, we’re right there.” So far, Pacodes – shorthand for Panyijiar Community Development Services – has raised $33,000 for the library project. More than 50,000 books were donated, and a carton of books soon will be packed for shipment to southern Sudan.

Luoi plans to return to Sudan – which he fled on foot as a boy in the midst of a civil war – in March to begin preparations for construction. A Chicago architect expects to have preliminary blueprints ready later this month. Readers can reach Forum reporter Patrick Springer at (701) 241-5522

Panyijiar Sports Tournament 2008 Concludes

2008-12-03T02:17:00.006-06:00

Nuer traditional dance at the opening of the tournament ( Picture by James Kuony Kueth (Ganyliel, Panyijiar County, Nov. 2008)

December 1, 2008 – Ganyliel- Unity State

Last year the youths of Panyijiar County, Unity State, had their first sporting tournament in the post Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) era at home. The tournament which had six football teams and six volleyball teams took place in Nyal town - Nyal Payam, on November 15 and ended on the November 18^th, 2007. The tournament at the time was opposed by some community elders and parents who thought of it as too radical and threatening to the Nuer traditional cultures. The parents argued that it would spoil their children specially the girls. However, after the tournament concluded last year, the parents had a change of minds and hearts. They congratulated the youths and said the tournament was exciting and enjoyable than threatening. Thereafter, they gave green light to the youths of all genders to participate wherever and whenever possible.

Two volleyball girls teams fighting for a title (Picture by James Kuony Kueth, Nov.2008)

This year the youths of Panyijiar County did it again. Under the influence of Both Par, Tutbak Makuan Mar, Ruon Gatluak Yieh and James Kuony Kueth, the youths gathered in Ganyliel town - Ganyliel Payam to continue the practice. Even though the number of volleyball teams for boys and girls remained the same, the number of team players increased. Unlike last year, there were ten football teams. Moreover, there was larger crowd drawn from different Payams in the County, who keenly watched and cheered. At the opening of the tournament, Nuer cultural dance and short plays were performed. The events began on November 17^th but did not end until on November 29, 2008. The winning teams were handed trophies and certificates by former Panyijiar County Commissioner Joseph Nhial Ruach and former SPLM- County Secretary Gatkoi Bilieu amongst other elders and leaders.

The Champions of the 2008 girls' volleyball tournament (Picture by James Kuony Kueth, Nov.2008)

The tournament was once again an excitement for the youths who participated as it was to the crowd present. The youth leaders hope to improve the tournament for more youths to pick interest in the games and hopefully participate next year and the years to come.

By James Kuony Kueth, one of the youth leaders.

Cows Confiscated after Inter-Clan Clashes

2008-12-03T00:37:00.001-06:00

1 December 2008 - (Panyinjiar) - Thirty people have been arrested after inter-clan clashes in Payinjiar County last week in which three people died.

Payinjiar county commissioner James Gatkoi Ter, said the accused will be tried in the county court under customary laws after the authorities have finished collecting cows from the their families.

So far the court has collected five cows from every suspect. He said the court has yet to decide whether the cows will be confiscated as part of their punishment if the men are found guilty.

Commissioner Gatkoi believes that he has the situation under control and that incidents like last week’s clashes will not happen again.

source of the news is sudanradioservice.org

Reflections on the Day of Reckoning

2008-10-18T01:48:00.001-05:00

Reed Sorensen, Opinions Columnist

I’m going to step out of my usual semi-objective role this week to share some personal insights I had during the Day of Reckoning. Let me begin at the end. By Saturday evening, after the events were over, I found myself sitting next to the bell tower with my head in my hands. It was all I could do simply not to shout profanities of frustration every fifteen minutes, hoping that maybe my words would be drowned out by the bells.

Here’s why.

In the morning I participated in WalkSUDAN, a fundraising event to commemorate the thousands of Sudanese refugees who walked to relief camps in Kenya and Ethiopia to escape a murderous government. As our group walked from NDSU to Concordia, I talked with some of the Lost Boys, survivors of the months-long trek riddled with disease, starvation, and dehydration. They told me of how they had to sell their clothes for food, and how they had to move on even while their friends dropped like flies. And in the midst of listening to these horrendous stories, I learned about the Lost Boys’ dream to build the first library in Southern Sudan.

In the afternoon I watched Invisible Children, a documentary about the child victims of the war in northern Uganda. I learned about the kids who have been abducted and indoctrinated into the ranks of the Lord’s Resistance Army. I saw the crayon pictures they drew, the guns and knives and blood. The scenes of their families’ deaths etched into their minds, unable to think of anything else. I listened to a little boy weep about the murder of his brother. And I listened to a plea for us never to forget what is happening there.

But here’s the eerie thing: nobody seems to care. At any given event for the Day of Reckoning, only a few dozen people were in attendance. A few dozen on a campus of over 2,800 students! Something is very wrong here. The vast majority of Cobbers kept their eyes and ears firmly shut while the Day of Reckoning called for social responsibility and accountability for one’s actions. Frankly, it creeps me out. At a school where practically everybody knows the mission statement, the status quo remains utterly thoughtless and uninformed.

Any socially-minded individual at Concordia should be pissed off. We live in an inherently unjust world; any semblance of justice only exists due to the dogged determination of someone to put it there. Without that, we get the Lost Boys. We get child soldiers. We get starving grandmothers and stillborn babies. We get the injustices that will always exist until someone decides that enough is enough. Mom and Dad aren’t here to do this for you. It’s time to grow up and take responsibility for the pockets of injustice that apathy has created.

Published: October 9, 2008 Updated: 10/09/08 10:10 AM

Source: http://www.livewiredj.net/concordian/pacercms/article.php?id=490

“What can I do; I’m just a student.”

2008-10-18T01:43:00.002-05:00

Editorial

Emily Meyer, Co-Editor in Chief

“What can I do; I’m just a student.”

“I don’t have the power or influence to make a difference in other countries.”

“I’m just one person, I can’t affect the world.”

Everyone has probably felt small and insignificant at least at some point in his or her life. Everyone has probably witnessed something firsthand or in a movie that has tugged at his or her heart, but has simultaneously wondered what he or she, as an individual, could do about it.

Open our eyes. Let us see the world in a new light. Let us notice and understand things happening internationally, nationally, and locally. And once that awareness has been achieved, let us not stop there. Let our actions match our concerns. Open our eyes, then let us make a difference.

There are many different categories that Concordia students can fit into. Musician. Artist. Scholar. Professional. Student. Adult. Male. Female. American citizen. World citizen. Each category potentially dictates how much of an influence we have and how much of a difference we can make. Open our eyes. Give us the means to make a difference.

The Day of Reckoning did exactly that for those in attendance. Jordan Sing said that if the event reached even one person, and made that person re-evaluate their actions and in essence open their eyes, then the event accomplished everything SGA wanted, and more. So although the attendance was less than SGA had hoped, it was still considered a success for the people who were there.

Coinciding with the Day of Reckoning, there were two more events around F-M with similar objectives. WalkSUDAN was a fundraiser to help an organization called PACODES build a library in Sudan. Hunger and Homelessness week was sponsored by area churches to raise awareness and money for the homeless population in the F-M area.

So what does this mean? This means that F-M residents should all be good and aware about homelessness and poverty within our country and outside of it. We should be all riled up to take action… for about a day or two. But the hustle and bustle of everyday life will inevitably begin to pile back on our shoulders.

We forget about child soldiers in Uganda or the ~1,000 homeless people in the F-M metro area every night, and we start to worry about a paper due next week or an argument with a friend. Pretty soon, large-scale issues become our second priority.

The Day of Reckoning happened a week ago. In these seven days, have we forgotten the emotions that were felt so strongly? Have we forgotten that we all can make a difference in a unique way? Have we forgotten that people without much spare money—i.e. most college students—can still donate their time or talent?

Soulfege is the band that performed during the Day of Reckoning. During a discussion they mediated, one member drilled the point home that we can all make a difference.

“I’m not here to tell you who to vote for,” he said. “But I’m here to tell you to vote. Research who you are voting for and see how they plan to help struggling countries. That is how you can make a difference.”

Don’t let the Day of Reckoning be just another thing you did on a Saturday during college. Let it motivate you to make a difference. Let it impact your life. Let it open your eyes.

Published: October 8, 2008 Updated: 10/08/08 12:10 PM

Source: http://www.livewiredj.net/concordian/pacercms/article.php?id=489

2008-10-12T22:58:00.002-05:00

09 October 2008 – (Bentiu) – Panyijiar County Commissioner James Gatkoi Ter says people in his county displaced by floods are suffering from waterborne diseases and malaria.

Nile River View from above.Panyijiar is located in the Sudd of the Nile. picture is courtesy of PACODES, April 10,2007

Mr. Gatkoi estimates around 80 percent of the Panyijiar population has sought refuge from floods on higher ground.

[James Gatkoi Ter]: “Eighty percent have actually been displaced from Pachienjok payam, Pachak payam, and Pachar payam. The people have now gone to high land. And they are now complaining of malaria. Malaria is severe in the whole county. Now in the county headquarters you can see the sick admitted with malaria.”

Mr. Gatkoi said the people are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. So far he has appealed to the Unity state government and the World Health Organization in the county to help provide medicine. He said the state and WHO have promised to intervene as soon as they can.

source: sudanradio.org

Walk to help Sudan

2008-09-25T03:46:00.003-05:00

Patrick Springer, The Forum www.in-forum.com
Published Thursday, September 25, 2008

Supporters will walk from Fargo to Moorhead on Oct. 4 to raise money to help build a community library in a remote area that once was home to local “Lost Boys” from southern Sudan.

The event, which involves a walk of about three miles, will raise money for PACODES, a local nonprofit organization that is working to build a library in Panyijiar County, home to about 120,000 people.

“The importance of this event is to raise money and awareness of the need for services in southern Sudan,” said Justin Machien Luoi of Fargo, one of the event’s organizers.

PACODES has raised almost $30,000 of the estimated $100,000 that will be needed to build the library, including transportation and logistic costs.

Donors already have given more than 50,000 books for the library, and two organizations – Books for Africa and Better World Books – have pledged to help move the books to the remote area.


Forum file photo Justin Machien Luoi, a “Lost Boy” from Sudan and a Concordia College graduate, is working to establish a library in Sudan.

The walk route begins near North Dakota State University and ends at Concordia College, a route that underscores organizers’ hopes that students from Fargo-Moorhead colleges and universities will take part.

“We’re going to try to organize students at all three campuses,” said Roy Hammerling, a religion professor at Concordia and another project organizer. Fifty Concordia students are active in helping PACODES.

College students in Chicago and Peoria, Ill., participated in earlier fundraising events.

Organizers hope to start construction on the library during the upcoming dry season, which is from November to May.

During the wet times the rest of the year, heavy rains and flooding make transportation difficult or impossible, but some construction work is possible, Luoi said. He is one of an estimated 1,000 in the Sudanese community in Fargo-Moorhead, including perhaps 300 “Lost Boys,” refugees forced to flee by civil war in the 1990s.

If you go

- What: 2008 walkSUDAN fundraiser to build a library in Sudan

- When: Registration from 8:30 to 9 a.m. Oct. 4,; walk from 9:15

to about 11 a.m.

- Where: Walk starts at Roosevelt Park, 10th Street and 12th Avenue North, Fargo. Walk ends at Concordia College bell tower.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Patrick Springer at (701) 241-5522

Graphic: Sudan

walkSudan -Fargo

2008-09-23T01:11:00.004-05:00

Monday, September 22, 2008

walkSUDAN

I just finished interviewing Roy for the High Plains Article on the walkSUDAN event coming up on Saturday, Oct. 4th. Of course we've heard of the Lost Boys - they went to Oak Grove with Erik. It was horrible - boys as young as 4 and 5 forced to walk thousands of miles to get help. Civil war, death, loss. But then what? One of them, Machien went to Fargo South and played soccer with Roy's son, Jeremiah, my nephew. Roy helped Machien get into Concordia, where he's a professor. Roy taught a class called Celtic Christianity, which Machien took. They studied the book, "How the Irish Saved Civilization." When Rome was falling, the Irish saved the precious manuscripts and took them back to Ireland, so civilization was saved through these manuscripts. Roy posed the question: If the US is the modern-day Rome, who's the modern-day Ireland? Machien came up to Roy after class and answered, "Sudan." So began the journey to build the first library in the south of Sudan, where there is none.

Jeremiah started walkSUDAN to raise awareness for the Lost Boys and Sudan, and to raise money to build the library. Our whole family is going to walk (and donate money). I wouldn't miss this for the world - as many Lost Boys as can come will be there. A woman who walked in one of the other walkSUDAN's said the boys chanted (I personally can't wait to hear that). Why get excited? I have no idea, but I really care, and want to help spread the word that this great event will be here in less than two weeks.

If you want more information, you can go to www.pacodes.org. Roy and Machien started that organization right here in Fargo. Who knew? I didn't know, and Roy's family! But now I'm educating myself, and I'm so proud of this good work going on right here in our beautiful community. Why should we care about something happening halfway around the world? Roy told a good story from a Pakistani mystic poet - the poet said that if East and West look into a mirror, they see their opposites, but they are still part of the same body. What affects one of us affects all of us - that is why we should care.

What's neat is that they're starting at Roosevelt Park at 8:30 (right by NDSU), then walking over to MSUM, and ending up at Concordia, joining all three colleges in a show of unity and connection. I don't know - this whole thing is just making me all warm inside, and I can feel the excitement building. I'm going to be there - come join me!

Susie Ekberg

Susie Ekberg
I'm a writer, interested in all things spiritual and enlightening. I have a newspaper column, do public speaking, and help people become empowered. I love communication and discussions - they help us grow and expand. What do YOU think?: Retrieved from http://thenextstepadventures.blogspot.com/

Rasmussen College to Participate in Walksudan- Fargo

2008-09-12T03:58:00.004-05:00

9/11/2008

Rasmussen College in Fargo will join the Walksudan-Fargo. Rasmussen is a business college dedicated to educating business leaders. The school will encourage its students to participate in the Walksudan – Fargo. For those who do not know, Walksudan is a peoples based movement started by Sean Fahey and Jeremiah Hammerling of the Endlesseye Film NPO to raise awareness for Panyijiar County and Southern Sudan Community Development. The walk will occur in Fargo North Dakota on October 4^th, 2008.

In this exercise, interested people are invited to pledge their feet as well as their financial support for PACODES’ Library project and Southern Sudan development.

The walk is meant to imitate the journeys of the Lost Boys in the jungles of East Africa after forceful displacement from Sudan at younger age in the late 1980s. It is also meant to support Lost Boys charitable organizations and in particular PACODES.

Walksudan began last summer in Peoria and Chicago Illinois. This fall it begins in Fargo and will extend to other cities. To get people to walk, PACODES leaders and affiliates visit schools and public places to give directions and sign up interested people to join the walk.

It is in that capacity that through the help of Abraham Bidhal Gatwich an accounting & Finance student at Rasmussen College, also a PACODES member and Beth Marie - a Librarian at the College that on September 9^th Machien J. Luoi was invited to present to students on PACODES, Panyijiar Library Project and Walksudan- Fargo. The presentation included watching PACODES’ Walksudan video, PowerPoint on PACODES’ Library project and Walksudan. Students, teachers and workers at the college attended the presentation. The presentation took place in the morning and evening. At the end of the day it was clear that Rasmussen students and faculty members were interested and will join the Walksudan – Fargo. They took sign up sheets, pledge sheets and maps of the Walksudan route.

PACODES’ members hope Walksudan Fargo will help “raise money and friends” to support the organization’s mission. Proceeds from Walksudan- Fargo will go towards building the Panyijiar Library.

By PACODES

BWB Fund Shipment to Panyjiiar, Southern Sudan

2008-08-01T00:52:00.001-05:00

July 29, 2008

We are writing to confirm that Better World Books will use the BWB Fund to ship books to Panyijiar, Southern Sudan for the PACODES March 2009 deadline. Better World Books will provide the 25,000 books for the library with their inventory.

Better World Books will front the money for the shipment of books through Books for Africa to arrive in Sudan for the March deadline, estimated cost of shipment is ~$15,000. Better World Books will withhold client commission and per unit payment up to 50% of the shipment cost ~$7,500.

Walk Sudan’s client commission will be used to cover client’s percentage of shipping cost. Once their balance of ~$7,500 is paid off they will receive commission for the sale of the Newberry Library books or other books brought in on behalf of Walk Sudan.

For Spring 2008 the following commission/per unit deal has been approved.

Illinois Central College: all books received by July 31^st will receive 75 cents per accepted book, this money will be withheld by Better World Books to pay for 50% of the shipment.
Newberry Library: 12.5% client commission to Walk Sudan and 7.5% to Books for Africa. The client’s commission of 12.5% will be withheld by Better World Books to pay for 50% of the shipment.

Walk Sudan will continue to send books to Better World Books through the Fall 2008 school year to help pay for the 50% balance. There is no deadline to pay off the 50% balance. Commission paid to Walk Sudan will be determined on a case by case basis.

Better World Books will provide 25,000 books for a sea container shipped to Panyijiar. Walk Sudan, Endless Eye and PACODES will need to provide Better World Books with types of books the library would like to receive. Books for Africa may be able to help in this process.

We look forward to working with Walk Sudan, Endless Eye and PACODES to fill the library in Panyijiar, Southern Sudan.

Sincerely,

Yanna C. Ogilvie – Better World Books

ICC group helps rebuild Sudan village with stocked library

2008-07-29T00:33:00.006-05:00

By Erin Wood

of the Journal Star

Posted Jul 24, 2008 @ 09:40 PM

EAST PEORIA —

Many college students have a hard time committing to weekend plans, let alone a pledge to rebuild a community in Sudan.

But recent Illinois Central College graduate Matt Hoffman vowed to make a difference - one book at a time - in the lives of the "Lost Boys."

Over the past two decades, more than 27,000 boys have escaped villages in southern Sudan during a civil war that has claimed millions of lives. While their parents and sisters were being slaughtered, the young boys banded together for the 1,000-mile walk to refuge.

Though the violence mostly has subsided, the survivors have had little incentive to return to their war-torn villages. But Hoffman and other members of ICC's honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, want to give the Lost Boys a reason to go home.

The fraternity recently partnered with Chicago media company Endless Eye Productions and national bookseller Better World Books to conceive a plan to build and stock a library in Sudan's Punyijiar County. Over the past few months, the effort, called "Walk Sudan," has collected more than 8,000 books, which volunteers loaded onto a truck Thursday to be shipped to Africa.

"We wanted to start with a library because education is a way to empower them," said Hoffman, adding that most of the Lost Boys have seen no more than three books in their lives. "We want to give them something to come back to."

Hoffman, who graduated from ICC in May, sat down with friend Sean Fahey from Endless Eye earlier this year to devise a plan about how to help Fahey's friend, Justin Machien Luoi, a Lost Boy who was educated in the United States as a refugee.

After just an evening of brainstorming, the two set out to raise awareness and money to rebuild part of Luoi's country. Nearly 50 members of Phi Theta Kappa began speaking at area schools and churches during the spring semester, asking for monetary donations as well as books. They also sponsored a 3-mile walk from Bradley University to the Peoria riverfront in May to raise awareness about their campaign and to simulate the trek the Lost Boys made to refuge.

While Hoffman has remained involved in the effort, his graduation from ICC and move to Loyola University in Chicago required him to pass on the reins to new Phi Theta Kappa president Thomas Aguilar, who is just as devoted to the cause.

Aguilar was covered in sweat Thursday, as he and other volunteers loaded the hundreds of boxes of books onto a truck. Better World Books also is donating texts and shipping the first batch to Sudan shortly, as construction of the library is scheduled to begin within the next few months. Endless Eye will follow along to capture the effort in a documentary called "A Library for Panyijiar."

Walk Sudan has promised the library is just the beginning of the effort to rebuild the African community over the next 20 years. A school will follow, Aguilar said, then a water treatment plant. The project has no limit."This is our way of showing that Peoria can make a difference for people on the other side of the world," he said.

Erin Wood can be reached at 686-3194 or ewood@pjstar.com.

This article can also be found at the below link.

http://www.pjstar.com/homepage/x1816443738/

ICC-group-helps-rebuild-Sudan-village-with-stocked-library

27 May 2008 - Cattle Raid Violates Wunlit Peace?

2008-05-27T15:32:00.001-05:00

27 May 2008 – (Panyijiar County, Unity) – Three children were abducted and 360 cattle stolen in Panyijiar County last month.

Panyijiar County paramount Chief Nyuong Danhier blamed the raid on people from Tony County in Warrap state, saying that the alleged act is a violation of a peace agreement signed last year in Wunlit in Warrap between the communities of Panyijiar and Tony Counties last year.

[Nyuong Danhier]: “I was among the people who initiated peace between Dinka of Tony and Nuer of Panyijiar. My people and I are committed to that peace. I do not know why they are violating it now. If they have disrespected our agreement, then I can tell because I alone cannot keep peace. I will let my people know so that they protect themselves.”

The information officer in Panyijiar County, Ruot Goak, said county authorities are planning to initiate talks with the people of Tony to address the issue of cattle rustling between the two counties.

Sudan Radio Service was unable to reach Tony County authorities for comment.

source: http://www.sudanradio.org/viewArticle.php?id=1209

Head Of The Class

2008-05-13T19:59:00.000-05:00

May 12, 2008 by theregman

Reggie Brown, NBC5 Street Team

For the past 15 years, students in Jane Canepa’s Special Events and Promotions class at Columbia College have been required to choose a nonprofit organization and promote a fundraising event.

This year’s Jammin’ with Jane event was held at Pint at 1547 N Milwaukee and benefited the development of the PACODES Panyijiar Community Development Services’. Their goal is to construct a library for the people in the Panyijiar community in Southern Sudan.

I was invited by Danielle Barrera, a student of Jane’s and former Street Teamer, and was happy to see that they had a great turnout, the room was packed ,and the energy was high. Check out the documentary God Grew Tired of Us. It is a testament to the will and perseverance of a group of Sudanese refugees that sought a better way of life for themselves and their homeland. The Lost Boys Of Sudan is an organization that was set up to increase awareness and assist in providing continuous development to the much-needed and deserving region of Sudan. With the combined efforts of the students, The Lost Boys, members and supporters of PACODES and the rest of the world, we have the ability to supply a war torn and impoverished region of the world with the simple basic tools they need to provide education and empowerment for their people.

I was able to catch up with the highly accredited Dr. Roy Hammerling (co-chair of Pacodes), and his son, Jeremiah, at the event. This dynamic duo is in the development stages of shooting a new film documenting the construction of the new library. It is inspiring to see and be a part of an amazing group of people that are actively making the world a better place for everyone. I challenge you to do your part.

(Pictured Above:Jeremiah Hammerling, Danielle Barrera and Dr. Roy Hammerling)

http://nbc5streetteam.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/head-of-the-class/

Cattle Raids in Panyijiar Leave 17 Dead

2008-05-13T19:45:00.002-05:00

13 May 2008 – (Nairobi, Kenya) – A series of cattle raids around the Pachar area of Panyijiar County in Unity state over the past month have left at least 17 people are dead and over 1600 head of cattle stolen.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service by phone on Tuesday from Unity, Panyijiar County Commissioner James Gatkoi blamed the raid on a neighboring county.

Mr. Gatkoi said cross-border raiding continues because neither the Government of Southern Sudan nor the area state governments have disarmed civilians. He said disarmament must now be undertaken.

[James Gatkoi]: “My appeal to both governments of Unity and Lakes states is to take serious actions by mobilizing the military forces in both sides along the borders to disarm and take away guns from those who are raiding cattle and killing the people.”

He urged government to take strong measures to prevent civilians from getting new guns once disarmament has taken place.

The commissioner said his community has already been disarmed, which leaves them vulnerable to raids by neighbors who are not disarmed.

Source: Sudan Radio Service
http://www.sudanradio.org/viewArticle.php?id=1156

‘Bash’ builds library

2008-05-07T13:55:00.003-05:00

Patrick Springer, The Forum
Published Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Patrons who turn out for an evening of jazz at a fundraiser May 22 will be helping to build a library in a community in the Sudan that once was home to “Lost Boys” who grew up in Fargo-Moorhead.

The “book bash,” which includes a silent auction of donated artwork, will raise money for a library in Panijiar County, an area of southern Sudan that is 95 percent undeveloped and has a literacy rate of 1 percent.

The Panijiar Community Development Services – a non-profit organization headquartered in Fargo-Moorhead that goes by the acronym PACODES – is working to build the library in a remote region of the Sudan.

The region is home to refugee boys who fled on foot to escape civil war in the 1980s, the so-called “Lost Boys” of the Sudan, including some who were resettled in Fargo-Moorhead in 2001.

“We all feel passionate about helping people in Africa,” one of the local “Lost Boys,” Justin Machien Luoi, formerly of Fargo, said Tuesday. Now in graduate school at the University of North Dakota, he serves on the PACODES board.

The nonprofit already has plans for a $20,000 library, and collected hundreds of donated books. PACODES now is working with Better World Books, which specializes in getting books to Africa, and the International Rescue Committee, a nongovernmental organization active in the Sudan.

A PACODES fundraising walk was held earlier this month in Chicago, where a documentary film team that is making a film on the library project is based. More fundraising walks are planned for Peoria, Ill., as well as Fargo and Minneapolis.

“This idea for PACODES is catching on with people who want to get involved,” Hammerling said. “It’s really been exciting.”

After the fundraising events, organizers will meet to decide on a schedule for the library building project, which faces logistical challenges involving obtaining building supplies and transportation of the supplies, given the remoteness of the region, west of the Nile River in southern Sudan.

The Panijiar community lacks electricity, but PACODES is exploring sustainable energy possibilities to be implemented in the library, including solar power and laptops that can be powered by hand cranks.

If you go

- What: Book Bash for Panijiar

- When: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., May 22

- Where: Ramada Plaza Suites, Fargo

- Info: Tickets, $25 in advance and $35 at the door, are available at Hornbacher’s. Proceeds will help build a library in the Sudan.

- How to help: Donations also can be made online: www.pacodes.org

Readers can reach Forum reporter Patrick Springer at (701) 241-5522

Source: Fargo forum Newspaper

Visit the forum at http://www.in-forum.com/News/articles/200410

For this news on the Book Bash.

English professor lives up to the phrase she coined in book: transforming citizen

2008-04-25T12:32:00.001-05:00

Tamara Titsworth, Freshman

In a fairly large office, lit only by sunlight streaming through un-blinded windows, sat a small desk with stacks of books and consumed by loose papers. I was soon to find out that its comfortable atmosphere as well as its outstanding number of books was a direct reflection of its inhabitant. On the desk lay an unfolded pamphlet titled “Panijiar Community Development Services,” also known as PACODES. I curiously pondered this term PACODES when a woman appeared in the doorway. She kindly apologized for keeping me waiting, introduced herself as Dr. Joan Kopperud, and graciously invited me to take a seat at a round table in the corner. I had heard about Joan from a student of hers who told me about the wonderful program she has been involved with which is building a library in Sudan, Northern Africa and I was very intrigued. Before ever meeting Jan I knew she was a compassionate and driven individual.

Joan sat across the table with interested eyes and a genuine smile across her face. She seemed quite organized, ready with pamphlets and a newspaper article to give me more information about the project but when asked how she believes she is viewed by others she suggested with a grin, “I think others would say I am very organized, but I don’t think it is as true as they think.”

Along with the previous statement she believes others see her as a level-headed and open-minded. How did she become such an open minded individual? Aside from her liberal arts education at Concordia (yes, she is a fellow Cobber,) which she refused to reveal a graduation date for, she said her biggest influence was her parents. She is one of four children in her family and has a great relationship with her mother as well as a great deal of respect for her struggles being a breast cancer survivor and widow.

“I am in awe of the woman she is and I admire how she is so positive,” Kopperud said.
Her parents are responsible for teaching her to be respectful of differences, which has truly shaped who she is today.

“ I didn’t grow up with jokes about other religions or people; they were inclusive about the values of others,” she said while pushing her reddish-brown hair behind her ears.
She also said that both her parents really valued education and made it a priority in the house. It is her ability to see beyond differences and her value of education that caused her to reach out to the youth of Sudan.

Joan has been working with PACODES, run by Justin Machien Luoi, a ’06 Concordia graduate and Concordia religion professor Dr. Roy Hammerling to build a library in the city of Panyijiar, Sudan. PACODES is a non-profit corporation organized for charitable, educational, religious and scientific purposes. They are beginning to improve areas such as: education, sports, basic health, humanitarian aid, agriculture, faith and peace building. It is because of the shocking statistic that 99 percent of people in Sudan are illiterate, meaning only 1 percent are able to read and write, that they began with the gift of a library, the gift of literacy.

It was at a faculty workshop that Joan was first introduced to PACODES and its service in Sudan. Hammerling was one of the workshop speakers and mentioned the project.
“It’s hard to explain.” she acknowledges. “I just thought I need to know more. I have to get involved.”

She did just that and is now a part of an organization committed to improving the lives of those in deprivation.

You may wonder what has inspired Joan to become involved. Aside from being a self-stated “curious person,” she says it is Luoi and other Lost Boys of Sudan and their stories. She says that he wants to give back to his home country what he has experienced in America. His selflessness and generosity are an inspiration to her.

It is clear that being a lost boy provides many challenges and it is because of Joan’s knowledge of this that when asked what her greatest life challenges have been she answered, “How can I say that I have faced any challenges when comparing my life to the Lost Boys and my other?”

She feels unfit to say that she has come across any major challenges in her life, as of now, and considers herself to be lucky. However, after much thought she did come up with a thought-provoking answer. She said that we all face the challenge of living up to what we are called to be; whether it is as a teacher, student, mother or wife. Also, she discussed a challenge that has crossed her path with the project in Sudan.

“We all have money but no materials. You cannot go to the local Menards,” she said using her undeniable sense of humor.

Her service in Sudan has heightened her interest in assisting other areas in Africa. When asked where she would most want to go on vacation and what she would do, she answered with the latter statement. By choosing to go to Africa to work with those struggling, she displayed her passion for service. According to Joan’s book, “Service-Learning Companion,” she would be a transforming citizen.

“This person critically assesses social, political, and economic structures to see beyond surface causes, educates others and forms partnerships around a deeper view of community issues, and acts to change injustice through policy and social innovation.”
When asked if she considered herself to be in that category she said, “In some areas of my life. I am aware of the problems and if I get the opportunity to change things I will.”

Also, by informing others about PACODES she hopes she is living up to the name of transforming citizen. By realizing there is a problem, and helping to create change anyone can become a transforming citizen. Joan thought it was important to state that one does not need to win a Nobel Peace Prize or join the Peace Corps to make a lasting difference.

“Look around you at the opportunity for change, you could be the one to take the first step,” she said.

As students we are making a difference everyday by becoming informed citizens and opening our minds to change. People say that fear of difference leads to hate which leads to war and destruction. If we are aware and accepting of difference we can slowly eliminate fear and hatred, which is causing the current problems in Sudan.

“There is an inner voice that calls you to serve but we let our iPods, Internet, everything drown out those voices,” she said. “Just listen.”

If your inner voice is calling you to assist with the PACODES project there are a few opportunities available on campus. One of which is to donate books at the book drive. There will be a book drop at the bookstore at the end of the semester for all unwanted textbooks and novels. A second way to get involved is to help pack all of the books and send them to the organization, Books for Africa, which will stock the library shelves when construction is complete. A third way to get involved is to donate finances to PACODES, where 95 to 100 percent of the donations go directly to the project.

The project in Sudan has become very successful in obtaining its goals to provide a better life for its citizens, but does Joan consider herself a successful individual? She would like to consider herself successful as a teacher by creating a positive influence and enriching the lives of her students.

“Success can’t always be measured,” she said. “Part of success is in the journey not just the end result.”

After about 45 minutes of discussing PACODES and getting to know Joan the interview came to a close. I found myself not wanting to leave, wanting to know more about the project and just talk to her. Joan has this presence about her that makes you feel as if you have been lifelong friends when you have only just met. She is confident, compassionate, open-minded, life-loving individual. She is so thankful for what she has an generous enough to want to provide the same for others.

I gathered my things and headed for the door. The pamphlet that was earlier sitting on the desk I held in my hand, and on the cover it read, “To love is to care.” Joan is a woman who truly lives by this statement. Whether it be teaching, caring for her family, or assisting those less fortunate she shows compassion in all she does.

Published: April 24, 2008 Updated: 04/24/08 5:04 AM
http://www.theconcordian.org/

Fundraiser for Sudan

2008-04-20T23:45:00.001-05:00

By Nishi Gupta
Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 3:46 p.m.

EAST PEORIA -- An Illinois Central College student is trying to make a difference in the African country of Sudan.

Matt Hoffman and the Phi Theta Kappa honor society hope to build a library in a region torn by civil war.

Volunteers have already helped collect over 50,000 books from around the country, some even donated by ICC.

There's even a walk coming up in May to raise money for the library's construction.

"Sometimes we get up in our own lives and if things aren't convenient its difficult to get involved. (The walk) is a very simple event and I've kind of just watched the enthusiasm that people have had. It's taken off like a powdered keg and I think people are relishing in the opportunity to get involved in something bigger than themselves," said Hoffman.

The fundraiser walk is scheduled for May 24th.

http://whoitv.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=122819

Nyal-1 fails to deliver the good

2008-04-11T01:13:00.001-05:00

By Upstream staff

04/10/08

Swedish explorer Lundin Petroleum said the Block 5B partners have plugged and abandoned the Nyal-1 well, drilled in the Muglad basin block in Sudan, as a dry hole.

Lundin said the well, drilled on the Muglad basin's western flank, reached a total depth of 2363 metres.

Nyal-1 found the target Aradeiba and Bentiu sandstones as forecast, underlain by shales of the Abu Gabra formation.

There were minor gas shows from 1475 metres to target depth, but no oil shows were recorded.

The well is the first of a four-well programme planned for Block 5B this year.

Nyal-1 was drilled using the ZPEB 747 rig on a dry land location to the south-west of the Nile swamp.

The next two wells will be drilled on the eastern flank of the basin, in the swamp, and will be drilled using a barge-mounted drilling rig complex.

The first of these wells, Wan Machar-1, formerly Umm Dandalo, will spud this month.

The Block 5B partners are Petronas Carigali (39%), Lundin Petroleum (24.5%), ONGC Videsh (23.5%) and Sudapet (13%).

The partners are set to assign a 10% stake in the block to the National Oil Company of Southern Sudan, with the interest to be allocated on a pro rata basis from each of the partners' shares.

The operator of Block 5B is White Nile Petroleum Operating Company a joint venture between Sudapet and Petronas.

From: http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article150344.ece

UNITY STATE STOPPED OIL EXPLORATION IN BLOCK 5B WELL NYAL-1

2008-03-26T19:42:00.001-05:00

Gatluak Pech Dak- Juba

3/25/2008

The drilling operations in block 5B was announced by the Lundin Petroleum AB Swedish company last year in December,that the exploration well Nyal-1,located on the western flask of the basin was to be spudded on Thursday 7 February 2008.

The well is located in the “dry land” area of the block where several prospects have been

Identified as a result of the recently acquired 2D Seismic program. This program was started in the Nyoung area in early 2006 to help carry out an intensive survey, which resulted to the discovery of Palual,Nyal,Pathiel,Taiyar and other minor wells.

The 2D Seismic program caused damages in the areas of oil discovery.

The damage includes destruction of crops, huts, natural forest, and creation of further flooding routes. As a result of such damages was historic flooding which hit the county bitterly last year and the water is still up there and has not yet dried up? Next rainy season will find the water there and will further make the flooding catastrophic in the areas where Seismic program was initiated. The causes of these are the opening of river Nile outlets which were closed for a longtime by fiber reefs. The ZPEB [Ziongyany Petroleum exploration bureau Chinese company] which uses ferries and boats to do their surveys may be responsible for the damages caused by the opening of the fiber reefs which previously had slowed the water to the mainland.

After all these mess and mass destructions the operator company which is [WINPOC-2] White Nile Petroleum Company stopped the operation without compensating for the damages made and shifted their programme politically to Wan Machar [Umm Dandalo] in Guit County. Accidental or coincidental, Nyuong people think there is political intention behind the activities of these oil companies. The Nyuong community term this as a political cold war imposed on their community by the Governor of the state for having legitimate candidates for his position. The community leaders condemned the state government for punishing because political differences between the governor and other politicians in the state. The community termed this act as apolitical issue because they were left out when the nine counties were connected with road and when the company started road construction in the Greater Leer area they were told to leave the area. In addition, when the company, [WINPOC-2] management met the commissioner and the community leaders, they complained that there was no oil found in Panyijiar counties which contradicted the 2D Seismic program results that was published by their partnered Lundin Petroleum AB company, that exploration well Nyal-1 with planned depth of 2,100 metres, will target the Upper to lower cretaceous sandstones reservoirs that have proved highly productive in other producing fields in the Muglad basin. The gross unrisked recoverable prospective resources for the Nyal prospect are estimated at 176 millions barrels of oil [mmbo].

The Commissioner of Panyijiar County was Ambushed in Lake State

2008-03-23T13:14:00.003-05:00

The Commissioner of Panyijiar County was ambushed in Lakes state

3/22/2008

The Panyijiar county commissioner Captain James Gatkoi Ter was ambushed on March 17, 2008 by armed civilians in Lake state while heading a delegation to assess the insecurity issues with the bordering county Commissioners of Rumbek East, Central and Akot. He leave Panyijiar for Rumbek when forty Five herds of cattle was raided by armed Dinka civilians from lake state in Pachar Payam. The raiders wounded three helpless civilians who unsuccessfully resisted using spears.

The commissioner says it was last year in June when the commissioners of bordering counties met in Rumbek to discuss the disarmament issue of their communities for peaceful coexistence amongst the people of Panyijiar and bordering Lake state counties. He says in the month of August last year he did peaceful disarming of civilians in Panyijiar County in which six hundred and nine [609] rifles were collected. The Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) commission were invited to witness the disarmament process from Bentiu but due to the lack of transportation and communication net work that connects Panyijiar County to the State capital, they never turned up .

The Panyijiar County Commissioner is requesting H.E the governor of Lakes State Lt .Gen Daniel Wet Akot to disarm his civilians and return the raided cattle on 14/03/08.This will create good coexistence among the neighboring communities. On this trip he was accompanied by the county clerk Major Ruot Goah Teny who is also an advisor on development issues. Ruot said that since December last year the county was affected by the insecurity from the neighboring state. He says our ambush on 17/03/08 in Timwut area gives us clue of the rampant insecurity.

It is estimated that Panyijiar Commissioner Office receives two to five cases of complains in regard to cattle raids by neighboring communities from Lake State every month.

In addition, the commissioner was also going on a trip to assess marram in Rumbek that could be use to construct a road that connects the two states. This was a request from the Unity State Governor, Brigadier Taban Deng Gai. Unity state is plain area which survive from the metamorphic rock from Southern Kordofan and this seem to cost for the state which her civil servants never receive salaries for four month.

By Gatluak Pech Dak - Journalist

Public Information Officer

GOSS - Juba

0129342559 or 091449823

Swedish Oil Firm Resumes Drilling in South Sudan

2008-02-18T22:46:00.001-06:00

Text of report in English by Paris-based Sudanese newspaper Sudan Tribune website on 13 February

[Unattributed report: "Swedish Lundin Petroleum Starts Work in Sudan Block 5B"]

Swedish Lundin Petroleum AB has started drilling operations in Block 5B, the oil firm announced today.

The exploration well Nyal-1, located on the western flank of the basin was spudded on Thursday, 7 February 2008. The well is located in the "dry land" area of the block where several prospects have been identified as a result of the recently acquired 2D seismic programme.

The exploration well Nyal-1, with a planned depth of 2,100 metres, will target the Upper to Lower Cretaceous sandstone reservoirs that have proved highly productive in other producing fields in the Muglad Basin. The gross unrisked recoverable prospective resource for the Nyal prospect is estimated at 176 million barrels of oil (mmbo).

In parallel, preparations for the start of the "swamp" area drilling campaign with the first exploration well Wan Machar-1 (previously Umm Dandalo) are ongoing.

Following accusations by HRW [Human Rights Watch] of fuelling fighting in southern Sudan, at the end of November 2003, the Swedish oil company sold most of its oil interests in Sudan to Petronas, a Malaysian state-owned company, in June 2003.

Rights to the concession of Block 5B were awarded under an Exploration & Production Sharing Agreement signed on 2 May 2001, to a consortium composed of Petronas Carigali White Nile (5B) Ltd (39 per cent), Lundin Petroleum AB (Lundin Block 5B BV) (24,5 per cent), ONGC Videsh Ltd (23,5 per cent) and Sudapet Ltd (13 per cent).

Furthermore, the partnership has accepted the recommendation of the National Petroleum Commission to assign a 10 per cent share to the Southern Sudan Oil Company to be allocated on a "pro rata" basis from each of the partners' shares.

The Block is operated by WNPOC [White Nile (5B) Petroleum Operating Company Ltd], a joint operating company between PETRONAS and Sudapet on behalf of the consortium members.

Block 5B is located in the Muglad Basin and covers an area of 20,119 square kilometres. Muglad is the main oil-producing basin in Sudan and has seen the development of several large oilfields over the past few years. So far the consortium has been active in reprocessing and reinterpreting existing seismic data.

Originally published by Sudan Tribune website, Paris in English 13 Feb 08.

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

LUNDIN PETROLEUM COMMENCES EXPLORATION DRILLING IN SUDAN BLOCK 5B

2008-02-15T00:21:00.000-06:00

13 February 2008

Lundin Petroleum AB (Lundin Petroleum) is pleased to announce the start of drilling operations in Block 5B, Sudan. The exploration well Nyal-1, located on the western flank of the basin was spudded on Thursday, 7 February 2008. The well is located in the “dry land” area of the block where several prospects have been identified as a result of the recently acquired 2D seismic program.

The exploration well Nyal-1, with a planned depth of 2,100 metres, will target the Upper to Lower Cretaceous sandstone reservoirs that have proved highly productive in other producing fields in the Muglad Basin. The gross unrisked recoverable prospective resource for the Nyal prospect is estimated at 176 million barrels of oil (mmbo).

In parallel, preparations for the start of the “swamp” area drilling campaign with the first exploration well Wan Machar-1 (previously Umm Dandalo) are ongoing.

The partners in Block 5B are Petronas Carigali White Nile (5B) Ltd ("Petronas") (39%), Lundin Petroleum (24.5%) , ONGC Videsh Ltd (23.5%) and Sudapet Ltd (13%). Furthermore, the partnership has accepted the recommendation of the National Petroleum Commission to assign a 10% share to the National Oil Company of Southern Sudan to be allocated on a “pro rata” basis from each of the partners’ shares. The operator of Block 5B is White Nile Petroleum Operating Company (WNPOC) a joint venture between Sudapet Ltd and Petronas.

Ashley Heppenstall, Lundin Petroleum CEO and President of Lundin Petroleum commented: “The commencement of exploration drilling in Sudan Block 5B is a major milestone for Lundin Petroleum and our joint venture partners. This 20,000 square kilometre block contains numerous major exploration prospects which have remained unexplored for many years. We look forward to an extended drilling program in Block 5B which if successful will result in the discovery of new hydrocarbon resources for the benefit of all stakeholders particularly the people of Sudan. "

Lundin Petroleum is a Swedish independent oil and gas exploration and production company with a well balanced portfolio of world-class assets in Europe, Africa, Russia and the Far East. The Company is listed at the Nordic Exchange, Sweden (ticker "LUPE"). Lundin Petroleum has existing proven and probable reserves of 184,2 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) as at 1 January 2008.

For further information, please contact:
C. Ashley Heppenstall,
President and CEO
Tel: +41 22 595 10 00

or

Maria Hamilton
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 595 10 00
Tel: 08-440 54 50

http://www.lundin-petroleum.com

Lundin Petroleum Begins Exploration Drilling in Sudan

2008-02-15T00:06:00.000-06:00

Lundin Petroleum Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Lundin Petroleum AB started drilling operations in Block 5B, Sudan. The exploration well Nyal-1, located on the western flank of the basin was spudded on Thursday, 7 February 2008. The well is located in the "dry land" area of the block where several prospects have been identified as a result of the recently acquired 2D seismic program.

The exploration well Nyal-1, with a planned depth of 2,100 meters, will target the Upper to Lower Cretaceous sandstone reservoirs that have proved highly productive in other producing fields in the Muglad Basin. The gross unrisked recoverable prospective resource for the Nyal prospect is estimated at 176 million barrels of oil (mmbo).

In parallel, preparations for the start of the "swamp" area drilling campaign with the first exploration well Wan Machar-1 (previously Umm Dandalo) are ongoing.

The partners in Block 5B are Petronas Carigali White Nile (5B) Ltd (39%), Lundin Petroleum (24.5%) , ONGC Videsh Ltd (23.5%) and Sudapet Ltd (13%). Furthermore, the partnership has accepted the recommendation of the National Petroleum Commission to assign a 10% share to the National Oil Company of Southern Sudan to be allocated on a "pro rata" basis from each of the partners' shares. The operator of Block 5B is White Nile Petroleum Operating Company, a joint venture between Sudapet Ltd and Petronas.

"The commencement of exploration drilling in Sudan Block 5B is a major milestone for Lundin Petroleum and our joint venture partner,". Ashley Heppenstall, Lundin Petroleum CEO and president of Lundin Petroleum commented. "This 20,000 square kilometer block contains numerous major exploration prospects which have remained unexplored for many years. We look forward to an extended drilling program in Block 5B which if successful will result in the discovery of new hydrocarbon resources for the benefit of all stakeholders particularly the people of Sudan."

SPLM Begins Democratic Transformation in Unity State

2008-02-13T10:38:00.002-06:00

2/12/2008

The efforts to transform the SPLM to a sound National Political Party commenced late last year in Unity State. This process had begun in other states earlier since the GOSS was in place but with little head way in Unity State as the movement was still recovering from legacy of accepting the change, individuals resist change in favor of monopoly. For a while since the signing of the CPA, people have kind of wondered as to whether people in Unity State would ever be given a chance to elect their own leaders. This call is now getting answered.

This February, a team of SPLM leaders led by Aguer Deng Bol was dispatched to Unity State and began their work of transforming the SPLM structures over there. Since the GOSS and Unity State government was put in place, SPLM leaders at the state and county levels were hand picked and that process hindered peoples’ way forward in many areas of development and political processes, as the appointed individuals pledged strong allegiance to certain leaders, those who influenced their appointment than to their party, people and the nation’s interest. The SPLM team therefore is changing that style of commissioning leaders for public office. The SPLM team led by Mr. Aguer Deng began their work in Panyijiar, Mayendit and Leer counties in the South and will be moving North to Kock, Guit, Mayom, Rubkona, Abiemnum and then Panriang counties of Unity State. They are letting the people vote and letting people choose who they want to lead them. This is a very significant progress towards democratization. According to Mr. Aguer Deng Bol, “the choice belongs to party members (community); it is up to them to call upon them to elect a military or civilian leader to a public office.”

In Panyinjiar County the SPLM team was assisted by some Unity State SPLM Legislative assembly members led by Hon. John Tap Malual Wun (Speaker-Unity State Legislative Assembly), Hon. Galuak Doar, Hon. Mading Kok and Hon. Maria Nyakor Waat. Boma after Boma, Payam after Payam, county after county, the SPLM want to make it clear that democracy needs to start from down up. The SPLM team is also making sure that County Assemblies are well in place. This is a provision in the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan and the SPLM want it implemented for peoples concerns and voices to be heard. The composition of the SPLM county leadership and County congresses are to be in line with SPLM guidelines, Southern Sudan Constitution and State Constitutions.

The following are the results of elections in Panyijiar, Mayiendit and Leer Counties.

Panyijiar, Panyijiar County

At around 10 pm 10^th Feb 08 elections began. People lined up behind their candidates and the SPLM team counted the supporters of the candidates one after another. The election was believed to be free of corruption.

New Panyijiar County SPLM Secretariat

William Gai Riak – SPLM Panyijiar County Secretary
Simon Bentiu Yar SPLM County secretary for Political Affairs
Martin Mabor Rout Secretary for Finance and Administration
Sarah Nyagok Gatluak SPLM County Secretary for Culture and Information
Marko Maker Ruach Syndicate for Popular Organization
Philip Lam Marial research and planning

Mayiendit, Mayendit County

The election was conducted on the February 11^th, 2008

New SPLM County Secretariat

John Riek Madut Machar SPLM County Secretary
Philip Kutey Chuol deputy and Secretary for Political Affairs
George Gwor Top Chuol Secretary for Finance and Administration
Nyakan Chany Reer Dak Secretary for Culture and Information
John Chuol Tap Bechok Secretary Syndicate for Popular Organization
Nyatueng Chuol Secretary for Research and Planning

Leer, Leer County

This election was conducted on the Feb.12^th, 2008.

The election in the Leer County was unique that coincidentally, the Vice President of the GOSS, Dr. Riek Machar and his wife Angelina Jany Teny-the State minister of Mining in the Government of National Unity happened to be in the county for a funeral of a lost family member. On his part Dr. Riek Machar , “encouraged participants to respect the process.” “SPLM is our party, people have the right to nominate and elect whoever they wanted to occupy any position within the party, last year’s approach had some misunderstandings, the attempt to obstruct SPLA officers/NCO who are not active in military assignment was a misconception, any officer, commissioned and non-commissioned soldiers nominated by community and party members have the right to participate, those individuals who work as civil servants or with NGOs should not be denied their rights,” he added.

New SPLM County Secretariat

Yuach Beding Jagey SPLM county secretary
Peter Gatkuoth Malual, county secretary for political and administration
Deng Tot Pech SPLM county secretary for finance
Mrs. Ruth Nyaboth Touch, Syndicate for Popular Organization
Gatiek Tiw-tiw Nyang for culture and information
Daniel Kuong Nyuap secretary for research and planning

In this process the citizens of these counties gives credit to Mr. Aguer Deng and his SPLM team for getting them exercise their right to decide who should or shouldn’t lead them.

This information was obtained with the help of

Paul Machul Kuol – Reported from Panyijiar County

Mayiel Ket – Reported from Mayiendit County

Kai Gaw and Matik Mulpiny Koah- Reported from Leer County

Samuel Lony Geng- Coordinated the effort to get this information to the people of Unity State wherever they may be. Will have results for the other remaining counties in the near future when their elections take place.

Slgeng450@yahoo.com or mjluoi@yahoo.com

2008-01-16T14:55:00.001-06:00

Panyijiar Youth Association for Development meets Samuel Luony

Ganyliel, Panyijiar County, Unity State, S. Sudan

1/16/2008

Meeting with the youth that are calling themselves Payinjiar Youth Association for Development (PYAD)

The meeting was opened by the chairman Simon Gatdiet, who thanks me for availing myself before their board, the chair emphasized that I should brief them on what happen to earlier announced (declared) Payinjiar people meeting that was expected to take place this time round (December), why other people said to have been coming home not turn up.

The purpose of the meeting from my side is to have glimpse of what the youth role is in Payinjiar County and whether the youth in Payinjiar are aware and understand their political environment which is categorized by burdens of underline marginalization issues, imposed on their County by unfeelingly ruthless politicians thus affected development of infrastructure and provision of social services in this particular county.

As I always do, I first begin by moralizing the unity in the county therefore dismissing the ideas from self motivated individuals who would want to divide this cross border exposed county into what is called Nyoung in one hand and Dor in the other hand, this discernment has been made public by self yearning individual aiming to disunite people of one common heritage, common problem, one interest, one purpose, common values and practice.

There are no people called Door. Dor is a name for the land I said; the people who are inhabiting Dor at the moment pay allegiance to Nyoung “Tut wec” and (Jang Deel), if you want, the Door in real term are the Dinka Ador who are currently found in Dor Manyang Joak area

I went on and asked whether PYAD is networking with Payinjiar youth in other places such as Bentiu, Khartoum and Diaspora, PYAD affirmed that they are indeed in contact with all Payinjiar youth associations in other places, the statement that I doubt but could not dispute

I explained a bit of what happen to the meeting that was scheduled for December 07; the reason for postponement was given as lack of resources that facilitates transport and accommodation here at home. Haven said that I turn the microphone to the youth so as they express their thoughts to the viewers.

Remarks from individuals:

Paul Chithok Riak in short notes said, we want you to tell us whether we are together or not, chance comes once please tell the youth what you want.

John Nhial Gatluok

PYAD is not in communication with Payinjiar youth outside the country, PYAD funding from IRC is coming to an end this year, this means PYAD shall have no source of funding in the future. We are united no division among us so far.

Mayen Chop Kul

In this forum, we should speak out openly not fearing anything, PYAD has a Goal, Objectives, Mission and Vision, this will be avail to you by the chairman, here youth have freedom of speech.

John David (Lony)

Unity is important but unity sometime has disadvantages, John did not elaborate on this, he further asked, is it true that we accepted to discuss our problems?

James Kuony Kueth

We are the youth here but I must admit that we are not active in our role as youth, PYAD has different aim, and truly the youth organization should have clear direction. We have no freedom of speech in this county, our freedom is being denied, we did not realized the difference between days before signing of the CPA and after CPA, insecurity is denying us from being active, our togetherness is affected by Payinjiar geographical scattered

We are asking elders/leaders of this community to listen to voice of the youth so that when we call upon you, you should be able to listen to us, regarding leadership, we the youth shall pick among you who should raise in one particular time and who should step down. The youth are being discriminated against at state capital; Payinjiar students pass interviews for jobs and higher education in Bentiu but they are denied opportunities.

James Khor

I have never met you before but I have seen your photo in the manifesto that you had circulated in which you had asked for the post of governorship. Here in Payinjiar we are facing deliberate imposed hardship, road is not been connected to Payinjiar, a plan to keep this county remote and in darkness, this action is prompting Payinjiar people to get angry and perhaps cause conflict that will further displace the community and leave this county with no better future.

Dar Hok Nguen

We can not discuss politics here, we shall wait and discuss all these in Payinjiar head quarters in the presence of everybody, my question is when will the Payinjiar community meeting happen again after it has failed now? We must meet as a community that is where we shall address why we are lagging behind.

Conclusion

I was amazingly stroke by the level of resilience our people have been persevering, they have resisted all sort of human made and natural agony, after signing of CPA 9^th Jan 2005 the government call upon SRRC to relocate from Nyal to Ayod, as that was not enough, state government ordered withdrawal of NGO’s field head offices from Payinjiar to Bentiu town contrary to the late chairman and commander in chief famous call quoted “The SPLM vision, policy and slogan shall be to take the towns to people in the countryside rather than people to towns, where they end up in slum” despite all the intended marginalization yet I saw happy faces of youth playing in the playground (Ganyliel).

PYAD is educating youth on HIV/AID awareness, also promote development projects, however they said to be lacking source of funding, their only hope was IRC that is already mounting exist strategies to move away from the area. Government do not understand role of the youth and how can this wasted energy and talent could be nurture.

Women are still lagging behind even in the mid of these youth, I could not see girls participation, the only young girls around are teenagers who are below 18 yrs, you don’t find a young girl above 20 in the society, early marriages is rampant, therefore girl child development is zero.

I shared with the youth initial PACODES idea of establishing library in the county, this was overwhelmingly embraced, I did not hesitate to share with the youth how negative I was about library be installed here and not in Bentiu, this was to stir up a debate.

Question of road was predominantly shadowing ever talk, river barges passing not stopping at Taiyar port was another annoying issue, who is responsible for this marginalization? They asked.

Attendance

1. Simon Gatdiet Khor Chairman of PYAD

2. John Kulang Reath

3. James Kuony Kueth Mabor

4. Paul Yong Puol

5. Gai Par Kai Goi

6. David Gatkoy Tuok

7. S Chuol Kuok Machar

8. John Mayen Chop Kol

9. Paul Chithuk Riak

10. Marco Tut Banguang Deang

11. Khor James

12. Lam Keat Peter

13. Nyuong Ezikiel Pouch

14. Daniel Lonny Kai Pouch

15. John Nhial Gatluak

16. Jinub Maker Duach

17. Philip Lam Marial

18. Gatluak Puol Kacha

19. John Bak Mabor

20. James Ker Matiek Kai

21. Joseph Kai Manyal

22. James Makuei Bol

23. Martin Mabor Ruot

24. Abraham Char Mabor

25. Thomas Chak Yieh

26. Stephen Kuet Joak

27. Peter Kai Dak

28. Paul Weijang Gai

29. Michael Gatluok Dak

30. Luca Mathiang Ter

31. Stephen Mead Ruot

32. John Koak Marial Mabor

33. Phar Keal Chuol

34. James Nhial Mabany

35. Andrea Darhok Nguen

36. David Nyuat Dual

37. Thomas Gatlauk Bajuong

38. Samuel Marnath Malual Wuon

39. Simon Mador Biel

40. Marnath Ter Geng Magok

41. Majuang Thiech Chuol

You can also read this document at the www.pacodes.blogspot.com

For any concerns regarding this document please contact

Samuel Luony

Slgeng450@yahoo.com or

Machien J. Luoi

mjluoi@yahoo.com

The Death of the Pilot

2007-12-11T22:00:00.000-06:00

The Death of the Pilot-Capt.Samuel Tap Yol

December 11, 2007

The Panyijiar Community members abroad and at home are deeply saddened by the death of former SPLM/A Pilot, Captain Samuel Tap Yol. Captain Samuel Tap Yol was born in Gakal Payam, Panyijiar County- Unity State Southern Sudan in 1928. He was Anya Anya I veteran and a war hero of the Second Civil War of Sudan which began in 1983 and ended with signing of the Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement simply known as the CPA on January 9, 2005. He flew SPLM/A helicopters back and forth between SPLM/A controlled territories in Sudan and main gathering headquarters in the neighboring countries. Captain Samuel Tap even flew the Late Dr. John Garang in many occasions.

Samuel Tap was relieved of his pilot duties in the late 1990s and settled with his family in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In 1999, he had a chance to be resettled to the US, first to Dallas Texas and moved from there to Omaha Nebraska. He lived in Omaha until in November, 2007 when he felt ill and was taken to Huachuca Arizona for treatment by his daughter. On December 8, 2007 he was pronounced dead by the Huachuca Hospital authorities. Captain Samuel Tap Yol died at the age of 79. The cause of his death is still under investigation.

Bentiu Lich Community USA, Panyijiar Community and Southern Sudan Government are working together to arrange for his burial. With his family’s consent, Southern Sudan Government has offered to take his body for ceremonial and heroic burial in Juba Southern Sudan.

Captain Samuel Tap Yol has left behind three sons and three daughters all live in the US. The captain was an outgoing man and social person. The entire Southern Sudan and Panyijiar Community have lost a war hero and a father. We all pay our condolence to his family and friends a cross the globe. May the almighty GOD rest his soul in peace.

By Machien J. Luoi – Chairman of Panyijiar Community USA

Contact: mjluoi@yahoo.com or 701-541-6209

Death Announcement

2007-12-11T20:55:00.000-06:00

Nuer Community Development Service U.S.A

Death Announcement

Ladies and Gentlemen: we are sorrow, the Nuer people here in Diaspora and oversea have lost great man the SPLM/A Commander Tap Yol the freedom fighter of our movement, and the first former Pilot of South Sudanese who has experienced in aversion as maintenance has passed away in Hospital around 3:30 PM at Huachuca Arizona on Saturday December 8, 2007.

Late Tap Yol was born in Bentiu, South Sudan, he serviced in SPLM/A for many years, he was co-pilot of late Dr. John Garang the former chairman of SPLM.

On Behalf of Nuer people everywhere around the world, let us stick as one family and send our sincere condolence and sympathy to late pilot Tap Yol’s family, and let us pray the almighty God to gives them strength and courage to go through this period of bereavement.

The more information about the death of Late Tap Yor’s “Funeral Service Arrangement” will be announced soon through media, and if you need contact person, please feel free to contact Liech Community Chairman Santino Turuk Gatluak at 402-515-1362, and Koang Chany the elder at 402-217-2209 both live in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska.

Thanks

Komach Deng Dey

By Komach Deng Dey

source: http://www.southsudan.net

Condolence Letter for Captain Samuel Tap Yuol

2007-12-11T20:33:00.001-06:00

Condolence Letter for Captain Samuel Tap Yol

Tuesday 11 December 2007 03:35.

Government of Southern Sudan

Mission – USA

1233 20th Street, NW Suite 602

Washington, DC 20036

Tel: 202-293-7940 Fax: 202-293-7941

December 10, 2007

RE: Condolence Letter

Dear Family and friends,

It is deeply saddened to hear the death of Captain Samuel Tap Yol, Captain Samuel Tap was a brave, committed, and overall an hero of our time. Late Samuel Tap was one of the few South Sudanese who were flying our helicopters during the liberation struggle. Late Samuel Tap also had been flying our leaders, including our late Chairman of the SPLM, Dr. John Garang De Mabior.

On behalf of the Government of Southern Sudan, the Government of South Sudan Mission in the United States, and the citizens of Southern Sudan living in the United States of America, our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Captain Samuel Tap Yol. May the almighty rest his soul in peace?

Thank you,

The Government of Southern Sudan Mission-USA

Note: Captain Samuel Tab Yol was born in Panyijiar County (Nyuong Nuer), Southern Sudan, came to the US in the late 1990s and resettled in Omaha Nebraska USA. He got ill and died in Huahuca hospital, Arizona- USA on December 8^th, 2007.

Source of the news: www.sudantribune.com

One barrier broken

2007-12-10T00:02:00.000-06:00

One barrier broken

Patrick Springer, the Forum
Published Sunday, December 09, 2007

Justin Machien Luoi found a welcoming party waiting for him when his airplane taxi landed on a dusty strip on the edge of an African village he’d fled on foot years before as a child.

His relatives, eager to be reunited with their lost cousin, gave the pilot a gift to show their appreciation: a sheep, which the pilot accepted on behalf of a relief agency.

But before Luoi could meet his mother, another sheep had to be sacrificed in a cleansing ceremony, and he had to wait a week for his older brother to return home to preside over the important occasion.

He’d last seen his mother almost 20 years earlier, at the age of 4, and couldn’t remember what she looked like. He was forced to flee when the civil war arrived unexpectedly in his village one day.

Luoi was swept up in an exodus that eventually wandered out of Sudan to refugee camps in neighboring countries – one of thousands of boys who became known as the Lost Boys. He ultimately was resettled in Fargo, entering Fargo South High five years ago.


Justin Machien Luoi, a “Lost Boy” from Sudan and a graduate of Concordia College, is working to establish a library back in Sudan. Dave Wallis / The Forum
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The former Lost Boy’s return last spring marked not only a joyous reunion after a journey of more than 8,000 miles, but an early milestone in a development project with ties to Concordia College, where Luoi graduated last spring.

Today, hundreds of books are piled in a storeroom in Moorhead’s former Riverside Elementary School – waiting for the day they can be shipped to Luoi’s native Ganyiel province in southern Sudan, where a

Fargo-Moorhead nonprofit plans to build a library.

Blueprints call for a humble building – no electricity is available in the community of Panyijiar – to house the assortment of donated books, everything from a law library to novels and used textbooks.

The library, with an estimated price tag of $20,000, is the first project planned by the nonprofit Panyijiar Community Development Services, based in Fargo-Moorhead.

“We have to do something that makes a difference,” Luoi says. “To me, knowledge is power. We can only do that through giving books.”

There is so much to learn in Panyijiar, where people live in grass huts with their livestock and walk on dirt streets. In Sudan, per-capita income averages $2,400 a year and the life expectancy is 49 years.

Books can help villagers learn how to grow crops, how to protect themselves against diseases, how to build with masonry, to give just three examples Luoi rattled off.

“They’re starting from the ground up. They need everything,” says Roy Hammerling, a religion professor at Concordia and one of those helping Luoi and fellow Sudanese refugees rebuild their homeland, ravaged by years of civil war but now at peace.

In fact, Luoi’s idea to build a library back home had its improbable origins several years ago in a discussion in Hammerling’s classroom.

The class was reading “How the Irish Saved Civilization,” and learned how Irish monks had helped save important texts, copies they’d made when visiting the library in ancient Alexandria, which later burned.

The notion occurred to Luoi: Some day in the unforeseeable future, somebody might lift a book off a shelf in the province of Ganyiel in southern Sudan, and read of a fallen empire called the United States of America.

‘Now is the time’

When he finally was reunited with his mother on that homecoming journey last spring, Justin Machien Luoi saw a woman, her head wrapped in a traditional shawl, who sang and dropped her walking stick as she rushed to meet her son.

He had been unable to remember what she looked like, but could listen to her voice on a tape-recording he received from relatives nine years ago. He was surprised to see that her hair was gray.

Luoi had brought a second bag with him, filled with clothing to donate to family members. But he had already given away most of the clothes, having met so many needy people along the way.

In turn, the few remaining gifts he had for family members were quickly given away, in keeping with tribal customs of the Nuer people – a culture now foreign to him, with its cleansing rituals for important guests.

“It was exotic,” Luoi says. “I never associated myself with such welcoming.”

He and many of his fellow Lost Boys, who number between 150 and 200 in Fargo-Moorhead, are dedicated to doing whatever they can to improve the lives of those who remain in Sudan.

Luoi had joined an association of other refugees from his area who agreed to donate $50 a year for a fund to help rebuild the country – modest sums, but small numbers can make a big difference in a place like Panyijiar.

“The Lost Boys have been helped,” he says. “Now it is the time for Lost Boys to help. Nobody is shooting at each other now. Now is the time to fight ignorance.”

Their cause was taken up by Hammerling and others, including the Conmy Feste law firm in Fargo, which donated legal work to establish the nonprofit and a library of law books.

“They just wrote off the cost,” Hammerling says of the law firm’s assistance. “It was kind of the first big hurdle to get over, and they just swept it away. I just can’t say enough.”

Panyijiar community leaders donated land for the public library. Meanwhile, Luoi, Hammerling and the others have long-range plans, including humanitarian assistance, clean water and agricultural assistance.

“It’s taken a year to really get it off the ground,” Hammerling says of the nonprofit organization. With the framework now in place, he hopes to raise enough money for the library building by May.

“These people need to see some action,” he says. “We all feel the obligation to do something as quickly as possible.”

Luoi moved recently from Fargo to Grand Forks, where he is pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at the University of North Dakota. He also works four days a week at Wal-Mart, just as he did while taking an extra course load at Concordia.

But he expects he will have to interrupt his graduate studies from time to time to return to Ganyiel, a place that is both familiar and foreign to him now, to help rebuild. He won’t go back until the time is right, when he can bring tangible signs of hope.

“I don’t want to go back empty-handed,” he says. “It has to inspire them. Make them believe in what we’re doing.”

How you can help

- To learn more about Panyijiar Community Development Services: www.pacodes.org

Sudan glance

- Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

- Area: 2.5 million square kilometers (slightly more than one-fourth the size of the U.S.

- Capital: Khartoum

- National holiday: Independence Day, Jan. 1

- Voting age: 17

- Unemployment rate: 18.7% (2002 est.)

- Population below poverty line: 40% (2004 est.)

- Internet hosts: 21

- Internet users: 3.5 million

- Climate: Tropical in south, arid desert in north

- Natural hazards: Dust storms and periodic, persistent drought

- Factoid: Largest country in Africa

- Population: 39.4 million (July 2007 est.)

- Population growth rate: 2.08%

- Life expectancy at birth: 49.11 years

- Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%

- Literacy: (Age 15 and over can read and write) 61%

Source: CIA The World Fact Book

Readers can reach Forum reporter Patrick Springer at (701) 241-5522

Justin Machien Luoi embraces his mother when they were reunited for the first time in almost 20 years after he returned to his home village in southern Sudan, which he fled at age 4. Now he is working with others to help rebuild the community. Special to The Forum

for the article visit forum at www.in-forum.com

Results of the Panyijiar Sports Tournament

2007-12-02T01:46:00.000-06:00

Panyijiar County, Unity State, Southern Sudan
11-30-07

The tournament which began on the 15^th -19^th November 2007 was designed by sport boys and Lost Boys of Panyijiar. Thanks to the Commissioner of Panyijiar, James Gatkoi Ter who sponsored the tournament. Unity and peacefully living is essentially needed in Panyijiar. For this reason, the tournament was aimed at uniting youths as well as the community. Moreover, it was aimed at challenging the culture that prevents women and girls from participating in sport activities. It is peoples’ perception within Panyijiar localities that when the girls are involved in sporting activities, they would be “spoiled.” However, that was challenged in this tournament. Those whose daughters participated in the tournament were the “happiest” of all the parents. They could not believe their eyes when they saw their sons and daughters interact to amuse the community as well as displaying their unknown talents. It was amazing.

Those who were at the events felt like they were watching “wrestlers in the wrestling ring.” Parents after the tournament were convinced by the joy brought to them by the participation of their children in the tournament. The parents also pledged after the tournaments to let their daughters go to far places for sporting activities. A step has now been taken to challenge the culture that domesticates girls without giving them a chance to be who they want to be talent wise. The following were the results of the Panyijiar Youths Sports tournament.

Football

1. Rialthin-Nyuong FC: Champions of the 2007 Youths Football tournament and recipients of 1,000 Sudanese Pounds ($ 500) 2. Niang FC: Runner up 3. Ngundeng FC 3. Malual Wun FC 4. All Eyes Stars FC 5. Al Shabab FC 6. Tiap Payam FC 7. Pachar FC, 8. Zuordong FC 9. Majak FC 10. Nyabang FC 11. Thornhom FC 12. Pachienjok FC.

Volleyball

1. Nyal Girls: Champions of the 2007 Girls’ Volleyball tournament and the recipients of 500 Sudanese Pounds ($250) 2. Yub Girls: runner up 3. Ganyliel girls 4. Chuk Girls 5. Majak girls 6. Dong girls.

The best players of the tournaments were awarded with their prizes. The best midfielder, defender, striker (top score), goal keeper and the best coach in football were given some awards. The best volley awards were given to the best controller, Spikier, server, booster and best coach.

The boys and girls of Panyijiar will participate in the Unity State sporting tournaments that will begin on January 9^th, 2008.

Panyijiar Sports Association has now understood that sports can bring broken hearts and war-torn localities together to learn new lessons about how to poster peace. Change is coming and Panyijiar is ready to change for good.

By: Thomason Tutbak Makuan Maar, tutbak@yahoo.com.

PACODES’ member, Nyal- Panyijiar County

Youths make a difference in Panyijar

2007-11-26T18:15:00.000-06:00

Panyijar County, Unity State

11/19/2007

Transition from Civil War to normal life is still a problem in many parts of Southern Sudan. Schools are not yet vibrant forces in speeding up transition from war to peace. Community activities lack financial support and youth recreational facilities are very rare to come by. Moreover, sporting supplies are very scarce. However, armed with experience from their past safe havens in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia youth in Southern Sudan are trying hard to make a difference in their localities.

Recently, a youth group from Panyijar County in Unity State, Southern Sudan found some way to help bring their community youth together for sporting activities.

Led by Thomas Tutbak Makuan Maar, a former Holy Cross-Black Eagles Football team member in Kakuma Refugee Camp- Kenya and Both Par, a former Nuer Boys team member from the same camp, the youth organized sports tournament. They helped the youths form 12 boys’ football teams and 6 volleyball teams for boys and girls.

According to Thomas Tutbak Makuan, “it has come to the best time of live in Panyijar County this month, a month we call togetherness month for youths of Panyijar County.” “For the first time in our history we are able to have a tournament in Panyijar County since the time immemorial,” he added. The league is aimed at “uniting the youth of Panyijar County.”

The winning football team and Volleyball teams will be rewarded with 1000 Sudanese Pounds ($ 500) and 500 Sudanese Pounds ($250) respectively. They hope that the tournament will help bring youths closer to work together to make a difference in their county. It is also their hope that the tournament will inspire their community members to work for other activities that will bring not only the youths but all community members together.

For comments about the tournament contact Thomas Tutbak Makuan Maar at tutbak@yahoo.com

Panyijiar News Blog

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5 January - Food Shortages in Panyijiar County after Flooding

“A MILLION MILES JOURNEY START WITH ONE STEP”

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Sudan library project accepting donations online

Panyijiar Sports Tournament 2008 Concludes

Cows Confiscated after Inter-Clan Clashes

Reflections on the Day of Reckoning

“What can I do; I’m just a student.”

Editorial

Walk to help Sudan

Patrick Springer, The Forum www.in-forum.comPublished Thursday, September 25, 2008

walkSudan -Fargo

Monday, September 22, 2008

Rasmussen College to Participate in Walksudan- Fargo

BWB Fund Shipment to Panyjiiar, Southern Sudan

ICC group helps rebuild Sudan village with stocked library

27 May 2008 - Cattle Raid Violates Wunlit Peace?

Head Of The Class

Cattle Raids in Panyijiar Leave 17 Dead

‘Bash’ builds library

English professor lives up to the phrase she coined in book: transforming citizen

Fundraiser for Sudan

Nyal-1 fails to deliver the good

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UNITY STATE STOPPED OIL EXPLORATION IN BLOCK 5B WELL NYAL-1

The Commissioner of Panyijiar County was Ambushed in Lake State

Swedish Oil Firm Resumes Drilling in South Sudan

LUNDIN PETROLEUM COMMENCES EXPLORATION DRILLING IN SUDAN BLOCK 5B

Lundin Petroleum Begins Exploration Drilling in Sudan

SPLM Begins Democratic Transformation in Unity State

The Death of the Pilot

Death Announcement

Condolence Letter for Captain Samuel Tap Yuol

One barrier broken

One barrier broken

Patrick Springer, the ForumPublished Sunday, December 09, 2007

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Youths make a difference in Panyijar

Patrick Springer, The Forum www.in-forum.com
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Patrick Springer, the Forum
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