Fangak Youth Union expresses its solidarity with the people of Atar in Pigi County .
“Food and medical assistance to Canal and Khorfulus of Pigi County
from World Food Program”. Photo: WFP/Carla Lacerda
.
Press statement – for immediate release!
Quote: “……we live in a single garment of destiny and that what affects
one directly, affects the other indirectly……” (By Martin Luther King
Jr)
November 21, 2011 (SSNA) — Fangak Youth Union would like to seize
this opportunity to express its solidarity with the people of Atar in
Pigi County, Jonglei state, who have been befallen by the pitfall
situation that happened on the 16th of November, 2011. As we’ve heard
and read in the media, Atar and its surrounding villages were attacked
and burned to ashes on Wednesday this week by the rebels claiming to
be fighting the government but are now ending up fighting the innocent
civilians. This fact by its very nature leaves a lot to be desired of
the rebels’ intentions – that is if the rebels took up arms in order
to fight the government of the day but have now ended up turning their
guns against the civilians whom they are supposed to protect and leave
them unharmed!
We in the Fangak Youth Union would like to condemn this act of
violence targeting civilians’ settlements by the rebels, who are using
scare tactics of ‘hit and run’! We would like to assure the people of
Atar in Pigi County that we stand in solidarity with them in this hour
of tragedy as they mourn the death of their loved ones as well as
their destroyed livelihoods/properties. It’s a pity that it had
happened this way! What has befallen the people of Atar this week is
almost similar to what happened to the people of Fangak County in
February early this year, but varies in magnitude as the scale of the
destruction in Fangak was huge – compared to the recent pitfall event
that has taken its toll on the people of Atar in Pigi County!
The purpose of this press statement is not meant to serve a certain
political interest or is not for political reasons as may be construed
by some—— but a genuine solidarity with the people of Atar– the
victims of this circumstance, who share a lot in common with the
people of Fangak County, both historically and geographically. As we’d
mentioned earlier in our press release issued this week condemning the
attack on civilians’ boat in Fangak County, we made it crystal clear
that we do not want any innocent civilian(s) in any part of South
Sudan to be killed for no reason. Contextually, it should not go
without informing the right historical records that Pigi, Ayod and the
mother Fangak County were once under One County called “Fangak
County”(now Greater Fangak) before the decentralization policy that
saw the-one-time one County fragmented into-now -three counties, just
as it’s the case in South Sudan, in order for development to roll out
to its citizens.
Ayod has gone away and is now a County of its own; likewise, Pigi has
gone away and is a county of its own now. But it should not be
overstressed or overstated that the whole fragmentation was an
administrative division, and not people’s division, as maybe conceived
by some people! The three Counties share a lot of things in common.
They share a common border; they have a common language and a shared
common interest for the people that inhabit the Greater Fangak area.
The mother Fangak County has a huge responsibility to ensure that it
keeps and maintains unity of purpose and promote common interest among
the people of Greater Fangak area and beyond. It has always played
this pivotal role. The mother Fangak has always been accommodative
enough and welcome people from the other two sisterly counties with an
open arm and good heart. A good example can be cited of the good
accommodation for the internally displaced persons from Kurway Payam
of Pigi County. And in light of this recent event on Wednesday this
week, the Commissioner of Fangak County, H.E. James Maluit Ruach did a
fantastic job by visiting Atar on Thursday the following day to
acquaint himself and his accompanying delegation of the situation on
the ground after it has been burned down by the rebels. This was a job
well done by H.E. the commissioner and which deserves thumb up! This
was a right visit at the right time, as it showed our sincere
sympathies and genuine solidarity with the people of Atar. Also, the
displaced people from Atar in the recent fighting are now sheltering
in Fangak County.
At this point in time, we would like to appeal to all humanitarian
agencies across the Country in order to provide humanitarian
assistance to the people of Atar at this hour of great need. We also
appeal to the government of the republic of South Sudan and Jonglei
state government to exert necessary efforts in order to protect the
innocent civilians of Greater Fangak area and beyond from the hands
And harm of the rebels. As Dr. King Jr. clearly put it, it’s true, ‘we
live in a single garment of destiny and therefore, what affects one
directly, affects others indirectly’. We are truly saddened and
shocked by this callous act. We fledge our unconditional support in
all forms at this hour of need and tragedy!
God bless the people of South Sudan!
Our sincere and heartfelt condolences to those families who have lost
their loved ones!
Long live the unity of the people of Greater Fangak!
Fangak Youth Union, Information and Publicity department
For contact: email, fangakyouthunion@ymail.com
About Post Author
