Angelos Mangok,

Thanks for an information though.

However, I don't understand what you meant by this. "The frog jumps according to its capacity."

Mangok, I beg your pardon if I didn't understand you well. The war started in 1983 and most of us at our age didn't know we would be trained to carry guns and fight Arabs. We thought our grow-ups would finish the mission quickly prior to our recruitment into army but that didn' work out as it was expected. Mangok, the same thing is more likely to happen as far as the political situation in South Sudan is concerned. Most people have been so critical of John Garang not because they want to topple him nor do they want his position, their objective together with other people in South is to condemn his wrong deeds based upon his political monopolization and dictatorship. My point here is that, the current situation in the South under John Garang's leadership is inescapable if not rectified early. You and I are now painfully experiencing it and we will never escape it my brother. Let's be realistic and watchful about this situation. This is not easy as most people might think. We are not leaders of Aweil community but we are not longer kids to be silenced nor barred from participating in the community issues, and moreover, I hope our leaders will never be tempted to denigrate our importance and level of maturity.

"Democracy is not the best system but there is no better system than democracy." By Winston Churchil, the former British Prime Minister.

Thanks,

Mayik Aher

Aher, what I’m saying is not to overlook our enemy but let’s keep our eyes on while we are seeking the ways to confront our enemy. I’m not recall John Garang’s neglecting Aweil community but the neglect came as result our fathers (those whom we call they are educators of Aweil community.) Let me ask, if you are sick or ill do you look for doctor or doctor seeking for you? For me, I cannot blameworthiness John Garang but I will turn that blame to our elders, look what happen Bol Akok and George Kauch is anyone from still searching their case how they death? But for Kuach was sick and he should be treated what about does he died because sick or nobody know how he got disappeared? Let’s forget and get back to Mr. Aldou’s foundation, I was putting it out to the public to let me get negative and positive of this foundation, how it will benefit Aweil community but nobody state about Deng’s foundation.

I have questions regarding the link of Deng’s foundation to Aweil community.

During Mr. Aldou leadership as vice president of Sudan, what kind of development did he bring to Aweil community? At the conference, he stood and spoke negative things that “people challenging others on Internet.” He also states to the youth “ frog jumps according to its capacity” and no one tackled him. He also states, “Why people are claiming for things that they are not taxed or try to insult or to be rude to others that he is using our benefit or he is eating our things (money)?”

THE STATEMENT IS TO COMPARING HIS LEADERSHIP AS V-PRESIDENT VS DENG’S FOUNDATION and what development we should think we will get from him? HOW CAN WE TRUST OR CONSENT TO HIM AGAIN TO MISUSE US?

At the conference I was annoying and stood to ask him but crowds rejected me not to ask him even one question, that why I said so (I & II)

1. We don’t blame ourselves whether you did wrong or right.


2. We also don’t appreciated the past and present.

 If you folks saying so, who care than let’s watch.

Thank you,

Angelo Mangok

Dear Angelo Mangok,

I nearly misunderstood your first posting too and was in fact about to give my view accordingly but now I see your point. If Ajou said clearly that he no longer wishes to lead public life, then we will assume that he is currently prepared to build on his legacy. He undeniably made mistakes in the past and as per Dhor Aher's report, he asked people to forget what went wrong in the past and focus on the future instead. In other words, he admits his failures and wants people to begin on a new chapter with new blood (new leadership), that is how I understood it. So the schools he promised to build in Aweil may not necessarily be political ploy but it is good to be critical and analytical. I also respect your views on Mr. Aldo's past and his present promises. What we can not do is turning away help from someone for "sinning in past". Let's hope Mr. Ajou will keep his words; that of building schools.

I don't agree with one thing though whether be it from Ajou or you. The idea that politics is for "elders" and that we (youths) should wait untill "our time" is ripped. The question one would ask is; when is that time going to come? This is the right time in which we the youths must have a big say in the political destiny of our country and communities. It is just that Sudan is a backward country otherwise it would be clear by now that politics itself is "manufactured" in schools particularly colleges and universities. That said, it is undoubtedly that most of the southern Sudanese internet users are in fact in the "political warehouses", differently put, majority of the internet users are in colleges and universities where politics is theoretically "cooked" and send to the real world for practical application. What our leaders need to do is not to shut us up but to respect our views. Youths are well versed with the political realities of the contemporary world, so there ideas are very important in shaping our war torn country.

Kuot Kuot.

Dear Mr Angelo Mangok,

Although I don’t have any clue, as to what is Aldo Ajou’s Foundation, your comments in the subject matter, had prompted some unwanted remarks when you have said and I quote “ we people of Mading Aweil are very good with:

1. we don’t blame ourselves whether you did wrong or not;


2. we don’t appreciate the past and the present�.

First, concerning blaming the person for wrong doing, the people of Aweil are the most open and frank peoples in the South, if not the whole of Sudan. Their frankness had almost always made them to look as if they are the weakest link of the whole South. Name calling against people of Aweil, such as “Foolish Majorityâ€� or “lacking Leadersâ€� was a result of their too much frankness to each other. The peoples of Aweil would rather tell their man/woman that you are not a leader, than leaving such a person to contest the South Sudan Political leadership, an act that had deprived our community in seeing themselves, as major players in Southern Politics for so long . In term of personality and intelligent, Aweil had even at the time when they were labelled as “Foolish Majorityâ€� had some very intelligent politicians like, late Benjamin Bol Akok, Late Deng Deng Akot, Kawac Makuei etc. However, our peoples thought they did not have enough intelligent leaders to rule the south at that time. Instate the SANU party’s politicians of Aweil looks to their Joseph Lagu, as their an undisputed leader of the South, whilst the Southern Front party opted for their Abel Aleir, as another heavy weight champion. What follows, God knows.  Not did our peoples rejected their leaders to contest for the presidency of the Post- Addis Accord South Sudan Regional Autonomy, they voted against Benjamin Bol, when he contested the post of the Speaker of Parliament in Juba. Do you have to call this a lack of frankness, or too frankness? That action was not due to the fact that, we don’t blame ourselves as your comments seems to imply, rather, it was because we blame ourselves too much. I thought you would be saying that, Aweil peoples do not believe on the strength of their leaders and that we had to adopt new tactics in order to prevail, not the other way round.

Appreciating the past and the present, I don’t know in which sense did the people of Aweil began not appreciate their past, present? May be you need to elaborate more on this issue, before my comment on it. Mangok, you might be better in putting the meaning of the words you have chosen better than I do, however, in my opinion such conclusions tend not to serve any purpose for the well-being of Aweil peoples. As genuine son of Aweil, do not be surprise to see your words being pick-up tomorrow and use against the people of Aweil, by those who would always be better-off when Aweil is said to be in chaos within itself. Try to look carefully at the words you choose for your comments. If there is any where in the South, where peoples do not blame their leaders for wrong doing, I am afraid it is found elsewhere, but not in Aweil. May be we need to adopt the attitudes of not criticism to our leaders in order to rise to be “a community of Leaders�. Otherwise, the opposite is true.

Kind Regards.

Ateny Wek Ateny    

Molana Ateny Wek,

As a learner, I am always inquisitive to know things much better. I am interested to know the political history of sophisticated and well-informed politicians of Aweil community.

In your well presented and supported article, you mentioned the history of our former politicians: Late Benjamin Bol Akook, late Deng Deng Akot, and Kawach Makuei.

My question is, did these individuals get enventually politically victimized because they didn't have political support at home (Aweil)? I am afraid we might fall in the same  trend.

Tong Deng,

What did you mean by junior and senior? We are not biased to give an unfavorable support to somebody because of his level of education or age. Nevertheless, what is prompts the immense majority this time to simultaneously turn to the same direction is the desperate need to get an immediate help for that destitute multitude of Aweil population. On the contrary, I can't maintain that, this need for the immediate assistance should rule out the genuine disclosure of mistakes somebody did in the past. Aldo and other leaders in Aweil including Lual Diing Wol will be held accountable for their past mistakes;that is, they will face a tough grilling in the future relative to the issues they didn't carry out very well. More importantly, both Mangok and Aldo, on th one hand, have right to express their opinions in Aweil, both have voice to talk about issues concerning Aweil development or dirction. Mangok, on the other hand, has absolute right to critique Aldou Ajou because he is currently his leader, and moreover, he (Aldo) was his leader in the past. However, that dosen't make him (Mangok) a bad person in Aweil community either. Equally important, they (Mangok and Aldo) both have right to hold any political office in Aweil as long their capacity allows them to do the job.

My point here is, Mangok and Aldo views will be equally respected and treated by Aweil people irrespective of your words "junior and senior." No biasness nor prejudice. Democracy is about views and not personalities.

Thanks,

Garang Aher

Kirnyang Kirnyang,

Multitude of thanks for your nice article. Your article has a strong and cogent message to all of us. Though you contributed last, I believe and perhaps most participants will congratulate you on this particular article. This is why it is extremely important to have many views so that we can see which one helps most.

With respect to Aldo Ajou's promise and his past political failures, I believe and so do many of Aweil people that his past performances were not satisfactory. However, the reason why most of us seem to be overwhelmingly concerned about the promise he made is because of our desperate need for those institutions to help that destitute population of Aweil. Obviously, you are aware that some areas in the south Sudan except Aweil, are rapidly moving toward perfection or development. Aweil today has no dream of clean water projects nor plans for imroving food production at the district level. What causes that delay or lack of plans? I would say it is simply because the leadership is not well organized in the way could bring help to forgotten people of Madingaweil. Moreover, Aweil has been avoided by the most of organizations because of fragile security and that situation has therefore left us behind in the period of war.

"I doubt if Aldo would fulfill his promise to the community." Considering his past political performances, you have right to keep your doubts until he fulfills his promise. More importantly, this period is particularly unique in the sense that he (Aldo) and others are dealing with completely different people. Therefore, any attempt to mislead the community or play the photo politics, I can't affirm, but I will never falter to say that it will permanently deform someone's political future. This is the difficult time in the history of South Sudan, and political game or vacillation will not be tolerated by the people. Equally important, we have to know that Aldo Ajou is not assigned by the Aweil community to this job but his instinct or intuition tells him to find assistance for the desperate multitude of Aweil, especically young people who are the future of that community. I am of opinion, if he (Aldo) has realized that his past political performances will hit him in the future and therefore he has decided to erase his past misdeeds by first starting with voluntary work, then I suppose we should give him this second opportunity to see he will erase them.

Next generation is paramount.

Thanks,

Garang Aher

Hello my friend Ateny W. Ateny,

Thank you very much for peremptory the topic, you real back it up but I do highlight alot from your message you are conveying. It seem that you know more but you haven't do none, it is my surprise to hear a word that Aweil Community has been labelled as "Foolish Majority politicial" from you and that is awful. What was you waiting for that ignorant of Aweil Community that is not even closed to insulted it is ignorant. How do you see individual person insulted two to five people and they won't say anything, how do you called those people are they well informed humanily or they are just dump people? I don't think so, no body is dump even to let somebody chew a piece of food in his/her mouth and you just pass it though that is a BIG NO! No!; it is not true otherwise you don't call yourself a human.

My friend, I tell you what since this topic was up or posted only one person caught my attention, he say a magic word very powerful that "Aweil today will not be campared with past Aweil" state by Garang Aher regarding this article of Deng'sFoundation.com. I'm still have a word of  argument or more regard Deng's Foundation and it will be a form of question to everybody view in any different angles of perspective. 

This is a kind of advice to youths of Mading Aweil, please folks charity begin at home. If we don't see our fail, neither John Garang nor those who labelled Aweil Community as "a foolish Majority" can see what is wrong with us.

Back to my friend Ateny W. Ateny's point, I don't need to be fool. I have philosophy which I believe, I' m pragmatist but not bigoted person.

Thank you,

with faith and love,

Angelo M. Kuach.

Dear Tong Deng Anei!

I will dispute a lot of your argument tomorrow because at the moment, Iam still finishing my final exams.

Just to leave you at the moment, I dare that you read the report. That conference was Aweil usual annual conference and Aldo Ajou was just invited and thereby introduced his son's Foundation.

Have a nice time.

Dhor Aher Arol.

Dear Tong Deng Anei!

As promised, Let me use this time to respond to some of your argument. First let me dispute your assertion of the venue of the meeting not be relevant. You are intermingling a lot of things here. The meeting is correct in it venue and time as it was Aweil community  Association in the USA yearly calender of holding annual conference to evaluate their progress in planning for reconstruction of post-war Aweil and progress of their kids here in their studies.

"Mr. Aldo Ajou held a big position in the government leave alone is personal project and he did nothing in Aweil. Now he is trying getting your attention through empty promise called Deng’s Foundation."(Quote, Tong Deng)

I cann't depend Hon. Ajou's past record but let us not hold ourselves slave to the past deeds. Aldo Ajou himself did admit to his past mistakes but urge to look at the future. Whatever he promised is not to buy him any political aspiration since he already declared an end to his political career. Again, you called Deng International Foundation 'empty promise'. who knows, you might be right but isn't it too early to dismiss  it? I know it is resent phenomena in Aweil where the only sole provider is Garang and Aweil event at the point of deprived would rather die other than accepting any bread from other provider  than Garang makings. That bring us to the fundamental questions, " Are we better off now under Garang's leadership?"

Friends, we are trading our natural rights at alarming rate in the name of liberation than the rest of Southern Sudanese. how many sacrifices had we made in the name of liberation? Bol Akok gone, many kids in slavery, starvation, many youngmen lost their lives depending other areas at the expense of their mums, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, properties been burned in their land. In Aweil culture, a man duty is to defend his land from invaders. That duty had been compromised in the name of liberation. That bring us to the question of what this liberation is all about if people could not exercise their freedom?

"And the people who try to create awareness to the community to follow the correct path may either remains with no friends in Aweil and I could foresee the same scenario may be likely happening to you. So for you brother to survive just maintain the low level or join them and preach lies together."

Looking at the above quotation, I have to dismiss it as assertion and assumption which doesn't have place at all. We have not lost sight in seeing truth in the light of truth and false in the light of false. The fundamental difference comes when one use John Garang as the only messiah sent to save Aweil. We have lost faith in that leader and it gonna take enormous time to restitute his image once more. We are being told to concede to sycophants demand to stir Aweil into the hand of their master whom we will live under the mercy of sycophants and tehir master. Even Aldo Ajou whom many of you discredit acknowledged his mistakes and apologized for.  

John Garang is clever but he let one thing haunts him day and night. Does it cost him to apology to people of Aweil whom he failed to accord protection during his leadership? Powerful world leaders like Bush sends his message of sympathy to victim of terror, tornedo ...etc.

We are so much obessed with how to crown Dr. Garang as 'king' while the rest of the Southern Sudan are diligently focusing on how to build their communities. Isn't it not absurd to establish research instution to do research on our leaders other than devoting all these emphirical ideas doing research on kids still in slavery, iliteracy level, povery level, water project, educational progress in Aweil?

We are coming down to the level of Palestinian people who couldnot imagine life without Yasser Arafat. Saddenly nature had proven them wrong and currently Palestinian people are able to see that live vested upon them and not on single individual. live without Arafat promises them a good leadership free from corruption, nepotism and uncommitted to peaceful settlement. Likewise, it is time for Aweil people to start preparing for lives without 'king Garang'. Those who had been advocating perfection in Garang's leadership, last month standoff and subsequent conference in Rumbek had proven them wrong.

"Just one for Ateny wekdit but don’t take it as confrontation, it is a reminder, last year you and Aldo plus others in UK launched the project called Oxford Declaration. What happened to that project? Why don’t you finished it first and show us the impact before you could move to Deng’s Foundation."

You neend to elaborate more on the Oxford Declaration because there are two version addressed in Oxford. one declaration on Slavery and the other one on South-South Dialogue.

So which is which?

Our demands are simple. We opposed our minds being enslaved. Aweil has to be masters of their own destiny for we had lived without importation of leaders and Aweil was better off with their traditional rulers. We will never denounce our leaders for the sake of out siders. Aweil contribution has to be in line with the rest of the Southerners.

Dhor Aher Arol.

Dear brother Angelo Mangok,

I read your comments in an attempt to understand it, and know exactly where your comments stand. However, as I read again and again, I couldn’t know what the core subject you are trying to bring was. I have already stated that, I do not have any clue, as to what is Aldo’s project, nor do I need to know it. Aldo was a participant in the recent American-Aweil community conference, which I did not attend. I also didn’t get any resolutions, as to what the Aweil community of that part of the world had to reach. However, my comments was not meant to engage anyone for whatever reasons – that is why I had to comments on the two things only i.e the question of Aweil people, being the one who do not blame themselves whether they are wrong or not, and that of the lack of appreciation of the present and the past by the people of Aweil. My comments on the matter was just, to show to our readers who are not from Aweil that, Aweil people do question those who wrong, and can appreciate the present and past. The people of Aweil I was talking about, brother Mangok, included you, me and every son/daughter of Aweil. I was not talking of myself. If, you believe the people of Aweil do not appreciate, or correct themselves, then please accept my apologies for offending you. Let s not be dwelling on this matter. I thought my comments would highlight the fact that, some people there, whom I can call the enemies of Aweil, are the one who labelled Aweil as “yes” going area. If, that suited the people of Aweil, then let it be. I am not the only Aweil son brother. Take it easy.

Brother Tong Deng,

I do not take questions as confrontation – as grown-up we tend to differs in opinion and that does not mean confrontations. To come to your question about the Oxford Declaration, of which you have thought was Aldo’s other project. In fact as Dhor Aher, put it there were two Oxford Declarations: 1. Oxford Declaration for the Slavery Reparation; 2. Oxford Declaration for South-South Dialogue. I was the signatory in the former and I had no clue in the later. Slave Reparation as its name seems to imply, would convince any conscious person, whose homestead is under slavery. Aldo and Bona were signatories not as politicians, but as the citizens of the areas affected. SPLM/A’s agenda for peace negotiation with the NIF, did not include the slave reparation program. Although I was the Secretary General of Aweil Community in the UK, I was excluded from the first meeting in regard to the subject matter. But, when I realized my signature was required, so the victims of the slavery, mainly the people of Aweil could be compensated, I could not resist, but to sign the document. I love Aweil and so the people of Aweil, and that, if the document is clear and does not call for any political matter, but just for the compensations of the victims of slavery, I do not see any reason why it was seen even by some people from Aweil, as a collaboration with Aldo and Bona?

As for the Oxford II, please not I have nothing to do with it. Again, when I felt I had to resign my position as Secretary of Information of the Aweil-UK community, when I had differences with the certain guy, who had betrayed and bullied the people of Aweil in UK for so long, I did not follow-up what had transpired in the Slavery Reparation program ,so far. So, if you think it was Aldo’s project, the best way is to direct your question to him, or to his family members, who will be happy to answer you. Aldo is living in his own house here in London. Likewise, I do have my own house and family and pursue different project from that of Aldo.

Again Tong, Aldo is Aldo, and his Dengs’ Foundation had nothing with the public issue matter. He had a right, both in law and in facts to form whatever foundation he had wanted to. Though, I am not and will never be part of Deng’s foundation, I do encourage such a foundation, if any to operate in Aweil. As independent person, I may have Wek’s foundation in my own right, but that won’t be a matter for the people to say where or how  should I be doing it, as I will never anticipate to have any contributions from whatever community, for whatever matter. So, if Aldo is running is Kush in both Nairobi and Rumbek since last year, and now he is going to run his Deng’s Foundation, plus is political adventure, if he wanted to – all this would be for him, not for you or me. No one amongst us is a regulator of another. You may fail in politics, but private enterprise is a matter for one’s own credibility.

As for Garang Aher, I would like to answer your question tomorrow, separate from this topic. Your concerns are well-taken.

Best Regards.

Ateny Wek Ateny     

Dear brothers,

I am beginning to sense that there is a huge misunderstanding on the issue in question. All of you in my opinion are not very far a part in what you are saying. I must however say that your discussion is going really really good but let's try to control our temper so we don't get carried away. I will throw in my view tomorrow cuz it is kind of late here now. I hope most of you are done or almost done with your whatever now. Any way have the best wherever you are. See you tomorrow.

Kuot Kuot.