"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.
Anna Cavell for Al Jazeera America
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 – Founder and Editor-in-Chief of PaanLuel Wël Media
PaanLuel Wël is the founder and editor-in-chief of PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd, a prominent news and commentary platform dedicated to covering the news, history, culture, literature, and socio-political affairs of South Sudan and the world. Established in July 2011, the website was born out of PaanLuel Wël’s vision to create a space for free expression and constructive dialogue during a pivotal moment in South Sudan’s history.
Through PaanLuel Wël Media, he has cultivated a vibrant intellectual forum that features a diverse range of voices, from poets, authors, and academics to activists, commentators, and community columnists. The platform is rooted in the belief that an informed and engaged citizenry is essential to the project of nation-building and social transformation.
PaanLuel Wël is a passionate advocate for the power of media to educate, empower, and connect people across political, ethnic, and generational divides. He is committed to fostering a culture of dialogue, tolerance, and inclusivity and is deeply invested in mentoring the next generation of South Sudanese writers and journalists.