Thanks To Anei Kuendit For Bringing Hundreds people Out of Disaster In Malakal

After coming out of a catastrophe that has stumbled upon me in Malakal, Upper Nile State, with thousand others, one has to take this time to put in the picture how life was sustained. It is imperative to remember the person who has given his time to monitor all the defenseless students in Upper Nile University who were subjected to the worst branch of their life’s experience, “death” if Kuendit did not intervened.
Lewis Anei Kuendit, the former Governor of Warrap State struggled so hard to make sure that we were moved out of hostilities and as well as out of the so much militarized and tribalised city during the days advancing to Christmas while in Malakal. He has coordinated and contracted some important people who were able to find ways and volunteer for our transport to Juba in the far south of this new
nation, another war traumatized city.
Kuendit knows better how he made that deal which has transported over 700 students and many others who were able to benefit from his sympathy and generosity. We were airlifted from Paloch- Tir Airport
in Melut County of Upper Nile state to Juba after we ran out of Malakal and walked dozens of kilometers away from war.
Kuendit is a man who cannot close his eyes and turn his back away from those who might be in frantic circumstances. He has shown to us that he cannot run away from people in problems but join in and be part of problem-solving. He has the correct and the best policy of socialization.
This is a man I cannot know how to really thank him. He stood by us when we were in bad times when everybody was closing phones if we tried to contact them for help. He comforted us and felt so much
concerned and worked out very kind deeds that nobody has ever done if so, not in this country.

“Ariik I don’t sleep if I imagine the kind of sufferings you are facing while in that war state of affairs in Malakal. I know you are the brighter future for our nation and you cannot be left to die inexpensively like the way it is now,” Kuendit told me on phone on 25 December in very concerned frustrated voice, I could feel.
The 25th of December in the rest of the world was a Christmas Day, people were celebrating, welcoming and commemorating the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ but that was not the same in Malakal and elsewhere in Upper Nile state. War was entering into its third day on Christmas Day. People were in yelled settings - seeing their dear ones being killed and waiting to experience all those situations of worthless killings imposed on individuals because they belong to certain tribes.

I am writing to you these notes but still don’t want to tell it. I hate to mention more about it. It is senseless and it should not be the best choice of our politicians to continue doing it. I hate politics that pronounces the killings of some tribes’ members as not a crime. The deaths of my fellow Dinka in some parts in Greater Upper Nile was celebrated by people who are blind and cannot see beyond their nose-bridge. May be some Dinka might have celebrated the deaths of Nuers but both parties might not be doing wise actions. I wish my people could hear my voice and stop any attempt of imposing any
revenge.

Under which circumstances did the war get us in Malakal? We were busy and so much engaged and committed to our academic books in Upper Nile University as final exams were scheduled to commence on 18 December through Christmas time until Jan 3rd.

However, as time emerged we heard of a ‘thrash about’ for a ‘political change’ in the country spearheaded by those believed to be ex- government officials - all active members of the well-known politburo of the ruling – SPLM party. They have been in government for the last 8 years since before independence and refused to bring any democratic change in the government or in their party not until they were dismissed from the government. So are they fighting for positions or to bring democracy? Only God knows.

As university students we could really like to achieve our academic grades in the campus but our dreams and interests were shortly distorted as war surfaced in this juvenile nation’s Capital of Juba, just on December 15. The war which was quickly named by President Salva Kiir as a failed “Coup Attempt” engineered by the SPLM deputy chairman Dr. Riek Machar was also named by his political rival the former Vice President, Dr. Machar as “Presidential Guards’ Quarrels” manufactured by Gen. Kiir to destroy the reputations of the 13 SPLM members who are struggling for transformation in the party.
Our thoughts were that the war would end up in Juba. For we knew a quarrel of Presidential Guards cannot travel a long distance up to Bentiu, Malakal and Bor towns nor should a foil Coup Attempt in Juba move up to villages across the country to be experienced dangerously by innocent population that has never benefited from any politics in Juba since the independence South Sudan, just waiting for the promised services delivery in vain.

Villagers in South Sudan are looking for services delivery and stability. But what came out of Juba this time was a war that has taken their beloved ones and destroyed uncountable properties and many
more displaced like me. The Capture of Bor town 125 miles away from Juba failed all the political analyses posed by analysts and simple citizens in the country about the ongoing politics in what is so-called the World’s newest country and how quickly the unplanned war can so much multiply to the other parts of the country. It has shown to the citizens that the Government has really failed to create a strong foundation of a better security and stability of the country.

The arrival of war to Bor and Bentiu and the consequent downfalls of these strategic towns to the hands of those the country calls now as rebels headed by Dr. Riek Machar was really a threat to the government, the citizens and the region.

So Dr Riek Machar, our former Vice President is now a rebel? Is he rebelling because of his dismissal in the government or because of his plan to bring democracy in his party the SPLM? Why does democracy
bring us chaos and disorder then? Many of us who have read books and understood how democracy can be pursued believe that people cannot take arms against their own country just because of a misunderstanding in one political party subjecting the majority population who are not SPLM members in desperate life situations in what is known as poor management of the party’s affairs. Why should the SPLM make innocent population die and suffer because of their political weaknesses and misunderstandings? How has the innocent population contributed to their misunderstandings? If not who will be answerable and accountable to many properties and lives lost during this senseless war?

The above questions were asked by people and especially students around me who were trying to test their political workouts but could not find any possible equations of why should a leader like Dr Riek Machar puts down his PhD and takes arms against his people. Not only that- how did it happen that certain tribesmen were targeted in Juba? How would you know Nuers who support Riek and those that support Kiir? It should have not been clear how the war would be fought. Nobody knows at whom should the gun be aimed? But in Upper Nile region guns were directly aimed at Dinka, especially those from Bahr el Ghazal just because they hail from the tribe of the president, many people died in these political and military confusions in the region. But how would they supporters of Chol Tong Mayay or those that support Madut Biar or Deng Alor be left untouched by the atrocities? It was just indiscriminate killings against the Dinka.

Definitely it took its tribal dimensions between Nuer and Dinka. The fact that President Kiir is a Dinka, some Nuer elements agreed to fight the government troops believing that the next government will be led by their son Dr. Riek and in this mess we were really traumatized and so much afraid and confused, the fact that Bahr el Ghazal citizens in Greater Upper Nile states were killed and others at threats. Those
alive were being hunted and hooked out if found, beginning from December 17.

As a journalist and a freelance writer in that region I could get some more information that was spoken in secrets about the killings of Dinka – Bahr El Ghazal across the region. The Dinkas residing in Nuer counties across the former Upper Nile province were counting down their minutes of life and it really
happened. I was also counting down my seconds because I was living in the residential area not in the students’ hostels like others. I knew after every breath I may die. I knew I had no reason to die and I was
not guilty of anything but me being Dinka was a definite fact that needs no negotiation to survive.

Many Nuer friends advised me to find a safer place to hide. But did I know anywhere to hide? Where I stayed was not my home. And I think there was no safer place. I don’t know any forest to run to. The dream of all of us was to go to UNMISS Compound, yet the question was raised: Was UNMISS Compound safe? The news of Nuer white army breaking into Akobo UNMISS compound resulting into the death of a dozen human beings believed to be Dinka - was still fresh and rings in our brains.

We could not conclude any idea as a nice decision but yet there was no choice rather than reporting to UN than just dying without being reported anyway that was the advice given to us many friends, relatives and family members. I came to know that it is only South Sudan that citizens can stay united to struggle for independence of their country to defeat their common enemy and later break down easily as simple tribal leaders, just speaking their own mother tongues with words of hatred to commit atrocities that can mount to war crimes pretending that they are nationalists or politicians and of course they cannot prove it right in any possible and logic ways. I wonder why our people agree to butcher themselves on tribal lines in what they traditionally believed as politics at the hands of politicians of tribes’ representatives.

In the University Campus grouping according to tribal lines started, people began to be suspicious, some were afraid and hopeless. We were waiting for our dear death. We were not soldiers not anything but only students but we knew we would die and subjected to it because we are Dinkas. It was really bad but thank God we survived with only few of us sustaining injuries. At the UNMISS we were kept outside the compound but surrounded with UN soldiers with their heavy artillery but yet when war was so much
tensed some of us were killed at the camp and many others wounded. Madhieu Thiep Madhieu, a student of medicine was shot at his ankle when had lay down flat on the ground just to try to avoid bullets during a much tensed shooting around UNMISS compound with rebel intending to kill us.

We tried to talk to our leaders back home in Warrap, Lakes, Western and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states to crack some agreements to drive us out of war but no politicians turn up with any help. Thank God Ustaz Lewis Anei Kuendit made it possible to access us on phones and he was able to communicate with us while in the warring city of Malakal.

The many days we spent at the vicinity of the UNMISS compound were days of no comfort and there was no hope for life. Kuendit was really very sorry and he made it to encourage us that we must stay at the camp but just try to be wise as we stay there. “There was no water, no food, not even shelters and there was no possible security,” I reported to Kuendit, we really want your support and you are the only politician who has accepted to help us,” I added.

Kuendit sincerely asked me of how we could be helped. I told him unless there are planes to airlift us at Paloch airport directly to Juba. The agreement he made and the coordination he has synchronized made
us come to Juba and some of us to Rumbek. As I write am in Juba, trying to experience some peace but in fact interrupted at times. Nearly 700 or more students were transported by this coordination when the four governors of Greater Bahr el Ghazal states kept their good silence. They could not talk to us. Some governors and many MPs have declined to receive our phone calls and others pledged blank promises that did not yield any product while we were in Malakal trying to lobby some help from them.

Kuendit has put onto his shoulders the responsibility of transporting only 200 students from Bahr el Ghazal who were studying in Upper Nile University in Renk and Malakal Campuses but his effort was later on extended to help more than 700 South Sudanese students. These students would die of crossfire if not targeted based on their tribal lines. Kuendit, how could I ever thank you enough? I can say you deserve a standing ovation, genuine, is my gratitude, I really like your attitude and you made it to the best of how you feel the demand of humanity – transporting us out war was another ticket for life you gave you when at the threat of deaths and we are now alive.

A positive person, I must say hardworking. As I exposed this story and a positive effort played by Ustaz Kuendit but know that I am climbing a political mountain to campaign for him but tell what a leader could do to his people whether at good times or bad times. This nation will find it very hard to look up the leaders who are keeping their ears to the grounds. Kuendit has become now the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily even if he has no title or a position in the government
 rather. At periods where there is no leadership like when we were in Malakal, the society stands still but it needs sons of the land with their good hearts to stand against any earthquake and work for God and humanity like Kuendit.

Upper Nile University to Remain Closed For Lack of Students’ Accommodation Funds

By Ariik Atekdit
The Director for External Relations in Upper Nile University
says, “The institution will not open if there are no funds available
for students’ food accommodation in the hostels.”
Dr. Peter Adwok Otto said “the students’ accommodation budget is badly
affected by the austerity measures in the country.”
From 2005, the government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) used to provide
free food and accommodation to all the students in South Sudan
universities until 2012 when the country’s economy faced difficulties.
“The Ministry of Higher Education stopped availing accommodation for
the students,” Dr Adwok added.
In late 2011 South Sudan claimed that the neighbouring Sudan stole the
new nation’s oil which travelled through Sudan’s territory to Port
Sudan for international market.
South Sudan responded by closing down their oil well which was the
backbone of its economy so the leadership is forced to declare
austerity measures in the country. South Sudan economy depends on oil
for about 98%.
Adwok said students cannot manage to study in the university without
any accommodation support.
“Other students come from very far places to Malakal for studies. They
have no relatives to accommodate them. And they might be children from
poor families, nevertheless they need to study. This means there can
be many problems to face them. If their needs are not addressed, it
will be a threat to the university and the state stability”, Adwok
said.
Adwok revealed that the university administration has already
approached Upper Nile state government to support fundraising for
students’ welfare to avail food accommodation for the students in
hostels.
Since October 2012, the students have been for long break whose
deadline is not known update.
“We don’t want to start something which will break down somewhere. We
will not start the supplementary and substitute exams too, because we
are not near to opening. The university is closed indefinitely. We are
doing this so that we can base the opening of the university on things
which are concrete till the end of the academic year,” Adwok added.
Upper Nile state government has responded positively to the request
made by the University to create Students’ Welfare Fund.
The state minister for information and broadcasting, Philip Jiben Ogal
said they will work closely with the university administration to
address some of the issues facing the tertiary institution.
“The state government will take one pound (SSP 1) monthly from every
employee working for the government or civil societies to make the
university stand,” Jiben stated.
Jiben added that the contribution will include constitutionals who are
sons and daughters of the state to also support the infrastructures
and internal roads inside the Upper Nile University campus.
“We have already formed two committees, the fundraising committee and
information and mobilization committee. The two committees will work
towards the success of the program,” Jiben said.
William Mabior Deng, a student representative, said that the
accommodation of the students is very important and hoped the two
committees will sensitize the citizens to support the university
operate again.
Mabior thanked the University for trying hard to offer the
accommodation to the students as well as struggling for better
infrastructure in the university.
“I hope if all mobilization and sensitization is done successful, and
funds are available we should re-open very soon may be in February,”
Mabior suggested.
Upper Nile University was founded in 1991. Due to the Second Sudanese
Civil War, some of the university faculties were relocated to
Khartoum, Sudan, for safety of staff, students and infrastructure.
Following South Sudan's independence in July 2011, the university is
consolidating all activities to its main campus in the city of
Malakal, Upper Nile State, in South Sudan's northeast.

Upper Nile state trains 30 establishment officers to control corruption

The state ministry of Labour and Public Service in Upper Nile conducts three-day workshop for 30 establishment officers in various government institutions.

The workshop begins from 22^nd – 24^th Oct under the theme:  “building honest and effective public service.”

The training was opened by Governor Simon Kun Puoch this morning.

The training was organized to prepare the participants for better layout of pay sheets, recruitment of new employees and how to organize files for workers.

The establishment officers will also keep an eye on how promotion system is done in the state.

Simon Kun told the participants to organize the system of files keeping and better salaries presentation to the government employees.

Kun said if there is an improved system corruption can be easily controlled. He told the officers to curb the complained of losing files in the state

The minister for Labour and public service, Aban Makol, said the officers will look into payrolls to discover cheating names in various government departments in the state.

Aban told the participants to give accurate information and public service regulations to their ministers so that they cannot recruit new employees without vacancies.

Upper Nile University Graduates over 2, 500 graduate

The Vice chancellor said, the university is graduating about 2, 572 graduates.

The graduates are a six-year generation who accomplished their studies in the university from 2006 to 2012.

The graduation ceremony was the first of its kind in South Sudan since independence under theme: “Upper Nile University graduates for Quality education, prosperity and development of the new nation.”

The Vice Chancellor Bol Deng Chol, congratulated students and their parents and relatives for the achievements they have reached.

Professor Bol said, “The University has managed to arrive to the end of the academic year passing through many challenges being lack of teaching staff, infrastructures, students’ accommodations, reference books, laboratory equipment, electronic libraries and scientific research centres.”

He asked the government of South Sudan to avail scholarships and training opportunities to teaching staff so that they become more qualified.

Like any other universities in South Sudan, Bol said the Upper Nile University is badly affected by the austerity measures declared by the government after the closure of oil wells.

“The cut of housing allowances in salaries if not address, may affect the interest of teaching staff and workers in the university,” said the vice chancellor.

Though the Ministry of Higher Education has said that there is no students’ accommodation in the universities Upper Nile University has continued supplying students feeding on its own.

The contractor has not paid student feeding for a yearlong but the university shoulders it.

Bol said, the issue of student feeding is very sensitive and it needs to be looked into by the government of South Sudan.

“If this issue is not treated well the opening of the next academic year will be threatening,” he said.

He appealed, to the government to struggle for the sustainable stability of higher education in the country.

The Graduation was attended by the chairman of the University Administration Council Pagan Amum Okic

Amum called for education promotion across the country especially higher education to cope with development in various sections in the country.

Amum pointed out that taking care of university environment is fundamental to ensure bringing up competent generation that will be capable to work and deliver good services to the country in upcoming period.

Amum said it is a responsibility of graduates to transform the traditional knowledge of our people into the modern ones.

“It is not possible that the country keeps its position of becoming the last to get its independence and also the last in development forever. We must change it,” said Amum.

Amum said the country is rich in resources so it needs qualified workers who are nationals so that they work for the good of their country.

He asked the local communities and leaders in greater Upper Nile to support the university.

Upper Nile University academic registration starts

The new academic registration for Upper Nile University has started on Monday Jan., 16.
The University Secretary of the Academic Affairs, Dr. Wani Anthony said the institution has formally reopened.
“We came out with the resolution of the Dean Board on 3rd of this month that the university is officially opened on the 5th of Jan and the registration and interview of the new students start on 16 respectively,” explained Wani.
Upper Nile University academic activities got closed earlier last year due to the South Sudan referendum arrangements and did not resume very quickly because of lack of teaching staff and infrastructures according to the academic secretary.
Wani exposed that most of the lecturers in the university used to be Northern Sudanese but as a result of South Sudan independence they went back to their country.
“We are starting in spite of the difficulties the institution is facing but we have decided that our students cannot stay away for one year again.”
However, Wani revealed that the difficulties differ from faculty to faculty.
“The faculties of Education, Animal Production and Human Development have no problems. We have 90 percent of their teaching staff.” Citing out that the problems are in Human and Veterinary Medicine faculties.
Regarding faculty of Human Medicine according to Wani, it will operate in Khartoum at Bahri University with all its senior students from 3rd up to sixth year except for the new admission of 2011/2012.
“We have signed a memorandum with Bahri University in Khartoum to allow our medical students to complete their studies in Sudan,” said Wani
Wani said though northern students were asked by Khartoum to go back, some Darfur and South Kordufan students decided to continue in Upper Nile University. According to him they will be given normal consideration.
Dr. Wani said the institution has enough space of lecture rooms that can take 600 students. He added that students’ hostels are arranged two months ago and ready to be used if the students come in. “The contractor is there on ground to give students the needed services in their hostels.”
Dr. Wani Anthony asked the Government of South Sudan to give salary of the university staff on time in order to attract new employees to come from abroad to work in South Sudan universities.

Dowry payments in S. Sudan have bad impact in the country.

By Ariik Atekdit,

ariqdudic@gmail.com

Akoi Madol, an eighteen year-old girl from Kolnyang District of Jonglei State became the victim of love when she decided to marry her long termed boyfriend in her Dinka community of South Sudan. She was beaten with her sister, Agot Ngong who survived brutal torture with bruises.

“I got a call when I was about to eat. They forced me to move where Akoi was and ordered us to remove all clothes and lay us flat on the ground with face down,” Ngong said. “Four people two with each of us came with ropes, one each side and begin to beat us,” Ngong explained to Sudan Tribune.

According to the article published on Sudan Tribune website Ms Madol was beaten to death on February 28, 2011 after she escaped with her groom who was not of their parents’ choice. Madol died for her love in heart, leaving behind her sister, Agot Ngong suffering from bruises and pain and mourning for her deceased sister. “I tried to escape but they caught me after some minutes. They continued beating us till we were unconscious. I recovered but Akoi died the following morning,” said Ngong attending treatment in Bor Private Clinic.

An eye witness in Malual Agorbaar, ten miles away from Bor town on Bor-Juba road where incident happened said, “The late Akoi escaped with her husband on 19 February. She was accompanied by her sister Agot Ngong and spent one week hiding before they were traced on 25 February. Although warned against it, Akoi returned to the man she wanted to marry. The marriage was rejected and Akoi was brought home by group of man including her brother. The father to the dead girl, Madol Alier beat his daughter for violating his orders and ordered his sons and cousins to continue punishing her,” which in result caused death.

The father to the victim survivor with injuries said that his daughter was cruelly beaten against his will, saying the people responsible must be arrested to face justice.

In South Sudan and especially among communities that keep cattle, girls are understood to be sources of wealth to their families and believed to be forced to marry any men that may afford them without considering love relation between the two couples. Girls are said to have no rights of choosing their future husbands or reject husbands arranged for them by their parents. They are believed to be married without a choice, to deliver children and as well as being confined to kitchen.

Doctors in Bor Civil Hospital said that the death was caused by neck fracture. Her case is not the only dowry related case practiced in South Sudan. Some similar cases are said to have occurred in states like Warrap and Lakes and many other cases occur anywhere and remained untold in various states of South Sudan.
In this way parents or relatives to girls never care so much about the lives of their girls as human beings but they have the mentality of getting bride wealth from grooms once their daughters are married. Once they lose that chance they tend to act violently.

According to South Sudan Transitional Constitution; “every person of marriageable age shall have the right to marry a person of the opposite sex and to found a family according to their respective family laws, and no marriage shall be entered into without the free and full consent of the man and woman intending to marry” as stated in Article 15.

However, the written law remains unimplemented and not observed by the concerned authorities in the nation. As the result there continues to be related crimes committed against the interest of young girls & boys and later tried to be solved by customary law as an excuse of avoiding what the constitution says about them. They do so to suit the interests of parents over their daughters’.

Though, the constitution gives right to youth of different sex to found a family of their own choice, nonetheless, the problem of dowry (bride price) remains unanswered. There is no law that regulates bride prices in some communities. The Transitional constitution never tells how much wealth should be paid to the parents of the girl before she becomes a legal wife to the boy. And there are no written customary laws for better referral as well.

A special report from United States Institute of Peace in the research which was conducted between April and May 2011 in some states in South Sudan cited that; “the increasing inability to meet dowry (bride price) demands was the main research finding. Unable to meet this demands many male youths enlist militias, join cattle raids or seek wives from different ethnic groups or countries.” “The skyrocketing dowry demands have alarmingly and negatively affected the female youth,” the report said.
Though every person is entitled to marry a wife/husband of their choice, this has not been the case of the recent years for the reason that parents keep their demands higher and higher on their daughters and rich people also are ever capable to continue marrying wives as many as possible leaving poor men getting married to only one or none at times. The high inflation in dowry (bride price) has kept young men unable to marry and therefore get scared or frustrated by the situation.

The report said that in pastoralist South Sudan, dowries are measured in cattle: “you cannot marry without cows,” one youth explained, “and you cannot be called a man without cows.” In agricultural areas payments can combine money with cattle or other livestock. There were steady descriptions of a difficult situation getting much worse. “The number of cattle in Unity state is declining,” a male youth in Bentiu explained, “while the price of dowry is going up.” “Dowry is the biggest challenge in South Sudan,” an urban male youth stated simply in the report.

Emmanuel Gambiri in his article said that an educated wife in cattle herding Mundari tribe in South Sudan costs 50 cows, 60 goats and 300, 000 Sudanese pounds ($12, 000) in cash. According to Gambiri some boys who cannot afford a bride price turn stealing livestock in order to buy a wife and gain status. In the past in Emmanuel’s village of Terekeka of Central Equatoria wives cost as little as 12 cows and tribal chiefs wielded enough power to call the parents and set an affordable bride price.

An unpublished UN report states that dowry prices have grown up by 44 percent since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Southern Sudan. Some of those interviewed reported that, instead of negotiating a dowry price down, wealth men want to meet the exorbitant demands. The reason given was simple: it provides high public status. “It becomes an ego issue,” a Juba businessperson explained. “The more you pay higher the status of the husband and his new wife received.” Many claimed that Government officials flush with cash were the main cause of dowry inflation. “People who work for GoSS they have money,” a twenty one year old male youth in Juba stated, “So when they want to marry a girl they pay a lot. This makes it more expensive for everyone.”
In South Sudan years before CPA experienced a lot of difficulties with no source of income almost for every south Sudanese because everyone was not employed even the learned former SPLA soldiers. Unlike today some people have got employed as a result of the semi-autonomous government and subsequently with the independence. This has created employment so some people are able to pay more cows or any possible wealth wanted by the girls’ parents.

Some government officials because of no active accountability are involved into corruption, so they can pay high dowry of their wives or wives of their sons using government money.

Now that dowry (bride price) has become so high for an ordinary man strong youths who do not want to die unmarried have decided to join militias to rob or loot people’s properties so that they get wealth for their wives. This has resulted into death of so many people across the country and especially in case of Jonglei state and other states of South Sudan in which cattle rustling is practiced. In view of that Jonglei state’s Governor Kuol Manyang in the 7th Governors’ Forum held in 2009 in Juba, he proposed the reduction or totally abolition of the dowry (bride price) in hope to curb cattle rustling in South Sudan. According to Kuol he said, “We are losing many lives because of the cows and I am telling the house of South Sudan that it is the right time we look into this issue of dowry payment seriously.”

Many lives have been lost as bride price surged. On the other hand girls and women are being denied their basic human rights because of cows. The best example is the story above.