"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.
“They start killing people just randomly. On the side of the street, you [saw] bodies of the people just thrown like that. Nobody to bury, nobody even to take [the dead] because everybody ran for his own life.” – Rachel Mayik, former schoolteacher, now in a UN Protection of Civilians Site, Malakal
“The two [civil] wars [with Khartoum] were wars of liberation…people were fighting for their rights, against repression and oppression. This one is a war over power, and has no justification whatsoever.” – Lam Akol, SPLM-Democratic Change
“The leadership of South Sudan got accustomed to being indulged, to being treated with kid gloves and even to getting away with murder.” – Alex de Waal, World Peace Foundation, Tufts University
“Remember that South Sudan never existed as a government, as a country, that transforming a guerilla movement into a government is one of the most difficult things that can possibly be demanded of a people. That’s what was demanded of the people of South Sudan.” Eric Reeves, Professor and Sudan Expert, Smith College
This Monday, April 13th at 10pm ET/7p PT, Al Jazeera’s Emmy Award-winning “Fault Lines” presents “South Sudan: Country of Dreams,” an hour-long special exploring how South Sudan – the worlds newest country – spiraled into civil war.
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The film will air again at 12am and 4am, and Saturday April 18th at 7pm ET/4pm PT and 10pm ET/7pm PT.
Fault Lines travels to Washington, D.C., and South Sudan to investigate how the U.S. helped create the world’s newest nation, then watched it spiral into civil war.
South Sudan is less than four years old, but the world’s newest nation now tops the ranks of failed states worldwide.
Thousands of people have been killed and almost two million displaced in a civil conflict that erupted in late 2013.
Fault Lines investigates how a select group of U.S. politicians and advocates shepherded the nation into existence—and asks what responsibility they now bear for the political and humanitarian disaster unfolding there.
PaanLuel Wël is the founder and editor-in-chief of PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd, a news website that covers news, opinions, analysis, history, culture and literature of South Sudan and the world. Founded in July 2011 by PaanLuel Wël to create a platform for free expression and constructive dialogue, the website features articles from various contributors, including columnists, commentators, poets, authors, activists and academics. PaanLuel Wël believes that media can play a vital role in informing, educating and empowering the people to participate in nation-building and social transformation. He also believes that media can foster a culture of dialogue, tolerance and diversity among different communities and groups, and hopes to inspire and mentor the next generation of South Sudanese writers and journalists.