THE AWEIL COMMUNITY IN THE LAND OF KANGAROOS HAS LAUNCHED THEIR LONG AWAITED UMBRELLA BODY.

Sunday, December 26^th 2010 (Sydney, Australia). The days leading to and from 18 to 19 of December, 2010 were characterised by new euphoria that is hard to describe. .For Aweilians it was a day that united them more than ever before.  This is because the umbrellas constitution is full of goodies for the current and the future generations. It was also a day that warned all the cynics and sceptics who think that (a) Aweilians can never be united in purpose; (b) status quo is the order of the day; (c) we were building a mountain out of ant hills and (d) the umbrella was doom to fail, to think again. Gone are days when personal interest always wins over public interest.

The days conference was a fulfilment of a need which came out from Brisbane conference (April 10-11, 2009) to form Mading Aweil Community umbrella in Australia (truncated as MAC Australia). After months of constitution ratifications among all Aweil members and negotiations with state leaders to host the conference, the said  conference just came at the nick of time as we are about to say bye to North Sudan. The mood among conference attendees was, other people first attitude.  

This spirit of community service was cemented into the hearts and minds of umbrella leaders and members alike, when Rev. Santino Rang Yuot Malek opened the conference with a word of God. He began his address by outlining the qualities of a good leader according to bible. In addition he said that for you (as a good leader) to unite your people, you must provide a loving environment. After you achieved this condition, happiness will join in and then peace/unity will cover them all. This was exactly what has happened. After almost two years of talk and hard work, Mading Aweil Community in Australia finally came together and launched their umbrella on this historic day.

However, for non-Aweilians, it may be a bad or a good day. One of invited guests put it correctly that Aweil has been known for their unity and strong stand against Arabs. He added that if it were other communities who happened to be in your area, Arabisation and Islamisation would have overrun the whole of Southern Sudan long time ago. This suggests that other people may look at this day as a day that will consolidate our unity for better security of South Sudan. Whatever other people are thinking about, the fact remains the same: that Mading Aweil Community in Australia and all over the world are set to ever move forward. This means that every step towards Aweil unity will never be retracted.

As historic as it is so do those who are lucky to be elected and lead this association. The following are the names of officials of MAC Australia.

Name                                                     position

1.       Mr James Wieu Mayol               Chairperson

2.       Mr Garang Aher Arol                Vice Chairperson

3.       Mr Garang Pioth Deng              General Secretary

4.       Mrs Chama Mayuen                  Treasurer

5.       Mr Kuol Deng Kuol                  Vice Treasurer

6.       Mr Simon Henry Angok            Public Relation Secretary

7.       Mr Thiik Ring Lual                   Information Secretary

8.       Mr Dut Akot Dut                      Organising Secretary

9.       Mr Adup Aguer Ngor                Culture and Elders Council Secretary

10.   Mr Atak Malek Tong                Youth Affairs and Sport Secretary

11.   Mrs Atong Awan Anei             Women Affairs Secretary.

Due to long distances and being also the historic moment in the history of Sudans successive Government to grant Southerners the rights for self determination-voting, six states delegates who are suppose to be among the MAC officials were either in Sudan by the time or   could not reach the conference in Sydney on time. Their names and positions will appear in our next press release. The umbrella will be informing all the Aweil Community about new developments as they happen.

The prime objective of forming this umbrella is to initiate a unity of people in purpose. MAC Australia started work the followed day by tackling the internal challenges attached to main objective. Other social and humanitarians affairs objectives would be implemented as funding become available. Short terms plans for the umbrella such as establishment of umbrella website and health/social project would be announced soon. We have several numbers of Mading Aweil well wishers and friends who are willing to help us in any way.

MAC Australia would operates in five states of Australia, namely; New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Plus other states and territories in which substantial number of Aweil members shall become available.

Mading Aweil Community are people who came from former province of Aweil, in the state of Greater Bhar el Ghazal. Aweil is currently the capital city of the new Northern Bhar el Ghazal State in South Sudan. It is located along the railway line and major highway to North Sudan. It borders South Darfur and South Kordufan to the north. Aweil was badly affected by last civil wars due to it easy access by road and rails from north Sudan. According to the fifth Sudan Population and Housing Census (2008), the Northern Bhar El Ghazal state is believed to have 720,898 people. These results are less than 50% of the last credible Census of 1983 in which Aweil province was the second most populated in the Sudan with over 2 millions (2,1000,590) inhabitants (3^rd population census results, 1983). The cause of discrepancies in the census figures of the third and fifth population and housing census is likely to be ascertained as normality return to the region and internally displaced persons return to their areas as well. The apparent differences in the two census figures are subject to many interpretations.

With these few words we would like to thanks everybody who has helped us in achieving this goal. A tall building starts with a single brick. The problems that are currently facing Aweilians need a new mindset, unity and a new perspective. If we dont try new ways, we will never see the light out of this dark political tunnel. 

 All the best
James Wieu Mayol

Chairman for MAC Australia