Tributes and Eulogy to Brig. Gen. Chol Ghai Arou: An Exemplary Teacher and Fearless Revolutionary Freedom Fighter

THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF BRIGADIER GENERAL CHOL GAI AROU: A TEACHER, SOLDIER AND STATESMAN

By Mangar Malith Deng, Washington DC, USA

Saturday, October 24, 2020 (PW) — The sudden passing of the late Brigadier general Chol Gai Arou on Sunday, September 27, 2020 is a tragedy to his family, friends, relatives, Bor community, and South Sudan at large. Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou was a man of people from when he was born until his passing. He fought in two wars for the liberation of South Sudan. He was a professional teacher, a great soldier, and a humble leader who defended his people at their times of trying.

As the message of his death reached South Sudan and diaspora from Khartoum, Sudan, many people who happened to have met him during his teaching profession and long war of liberation, flooded the social media with condolences, thoughts, and feelings of who the late Brigadier general Chol Gai was during the course of his exemplary life. There was an impressive and invaluable support and outpour of words of comfort and visitations from all people of different walks of life from high ranking South Sudan government officials to community leaders, most of whom accompanied the body to the burial site at Bortown, South Sudan. The late Brigadier General was laid to rest on Monday, October 5, 2020 in Bor, South Sudan.

Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou was born on January 1, 1943 at Ater Village, Makuach Court Center, Sudan. He was the first borne to Chief Gai Arou Chol of Ngon Deng extended family, Ngueny Section, Ater Clan, and Ayen Kuot Muohjok of Tidior Section, Aboudit Clan, Jalle Court Center. The late Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou started school at Bor Elementary school from 1954 -1957. He continued his studies at Bor Intermediate School from 1957, however, his intermediate school was interrupted by the closure of all schools in Southern Sudan by the first Sudan Civil war.

Ustaz Chol Gai Arou had no other options, but joined the Anyanya IMovement in 1965 at his tender age as a freedom fighter, and only had to be sent back home by the Movement leaders to resume his studies given that he was too young to remain as an Anyanya I combatant. The Anyanya I unit commanded by our late Major General Aquila Manyuon Ayuen Biar carried out his return to school order given the expectation that young people like this meritorious intermediate school student like Chol Gai Arou would be the next educated generation that would develop the independent South Sudan which was the mission of the Anyanya I Movement.

Upon returning to Bor from his Anyanya I due to “back to school discharge orders” by the Movement leaders, Ustaz Chol Gai left Bor for Khartoum, Sudan where he resumed his school in the North from 1968–1971 until he graduated from high school with Sudan certificate that qualified him to teach as a primary school teacher. He returned to Bor where he taught with exemplary distinction in Bor Area schools in Bortown, Baaidit, and Makuach Court Centers. He was promoted to headmaster and dispatched to Baaidit. Under his tutelage and guardianship of Baaidit primary school, his students ranked among the top in the entire Southern Sudan Region in two consecutive examinations.

A number of students he taught are the current leaders in their respective fields and professions in South Sudan. A few names include Dr. Kwai Deng Kwai, Major General Malueth Alier Akuei , Hon. Biar Deng Riit, Entrepreneur Machar Ayuen Kuot, Ambassador Kuereng Akuei Pach, and Lt. Colonel Daniel Anyieth-Mayola Achol Anyieth Anyang. Prior to coming to Baaidit, some of the students he taught at Makuach Primary School include Maulana Madol Anyuat Madol. With these consecutive excellent performances, Ustaz Chol Gai Arou was requested by Makuach primary school, but Baaidit primary school declined and denied the request and thus remained at Baaidit as the headmaster.

During the course of his teaching profession, Ustaz Chol attended and graduated from Maridi Teachers Training Institute of Education with teaching diploma in 1976 and further training in teaching in Malakal that earned him distinction for which he was promoted to the position of Director of Education in Bor, a position he held until the second Sudan Civil War that resulted in the founding of the SPLM/A broke out in Bor in 1983.

Ustaz Chol could have relocated to a place of safety in the North and continued with his teaching profession but he knew a call to service for the liberation of South Sudan was thrusted upon him and he couldn’t settle for his personal safety. And thus for the second time in his life, Ustaz Chol joined the second liberation movement, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army. He upended his teaching profession and dedicated the rest of his life fighting for the liberation of South Sudan not as a teacher but now as a soldier, a commander, and later as a Brigadier General after the signing of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Upon joining the SPLM/A in 1983, Ustaz Chol was trained in Bonga Military Training Center in Southwestern Ethiopia as a member of Koryom Division, and graduated as a member of Lion Battalion and deployed as a member of Hadid Battalion. Ustaz Chol was later commissioned as 1st Lt after completing military training college as a member of Shield three SPLA commissioned officer cohort and then deployed to the war theater at different SPLA frontlines.

It was during this time that the 1st Lt and later Alternative Commander (A/Cdr) Chol Gai Arou fought with valor at different war theaters between the SPLA and Sudan armed forces. He was deployed to Maban Area as a 3rd Company Commanding officer in 1984 where he fought with gallantry to liberate that area. He was later transferred to Jekau as a 6th Company Commanding officer in 1985 where he also fought with valor during Jekau operations. After Jekau operations, he was promoted to the rank of captain and appointed as a Deputy Commander of joint operations with Kalanch Battalion at Kapoeta, Juba, and Bor Area; a position he held until 1986. He was then reassigned to Kapoeta Area as a logistical commanding officer for Central South Sudan from 1987 to 1989.

In 1990, Capt. Chol was promoted to the rank of Alternate Commander (A/Cdr), the highest SPLA military rank only below the SPLM/A Politico-Military High Command which carried the full rank of a command (Cdr). It was during this time that he and A/Cdr Jok Reng Magoot commanded the SPLA joined unit that annihilated the most famous Sudan Armed Forces Military Convoy code-named Junti-Al-Watan at Khor Makuach Akech near Juba.

In 1991, He was assigned to Bor South Area where he served as the area commander from 1992- 2005; a position he held until the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the civil war and provided for the referendum leading to the independence of South Sudan was signed at Naivasha, Kenya. He was later appointed as the Director of commission for Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) from 2007 to 2010.

A/Cdr Chol Gai Arou’s rank was transitioned to Brigadier General when the SPLM/A was transformed from Guerrilla Movement to professional army during the implementation of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou led an exemplary life as a teacher, liberator, and statesman. He was known as the protector and defender of his people. The late Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou was known as a formidable fighter who was assigned the most difficult task during the SPLM/A most trying moment of the so-called “lost decade” 1991 – 2002 when he took it upon himself and his forces to clear Riek Machar’s rebel forces out in Bor Area between 1992 and 1994. He performed with excellence and as a result protected his people from annihilation when the SPLM/A was almost upended and fighting for its life at its hideouts in the hills and mountains of Eastern Equatoria.

At this difficult time in Bor, the late Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou had to put his life on the line to ensure his people were protected and he delivered with valor. His people remained steadfast and Bor remained inhabitable until the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement and that was due to the gumption and leadership of the late Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou. His name had become a household name during that difficult time in Bor. His humility and honesty drew people closer to him. He listened to people’s concerns and when he shared his views on the issues of the day, people listened back to him and they did what he advised them to do and as a result, he led and defended Bor Area until peace came to South Sudan. His exemplary leadership cannot be acknowledged any better than what our late legendary singer, Alier Monydhal Yuang, referenced in one of his great songs that Bor is at its best only when Chol Gai Arou led his people.

The late Brigadier General Chol Gai was appointed to a political position as a state chairman of the Public Services Commission from 2010 in Bor until his unexpected and untimely death due to the sickness in Khartoum, Sudan on October 5, 2020. During the test of democracy in South Sudan in 2010, Brigadier General ran for Makuach Payam seat in Jonglei State Assembly against his cousin and incumbent Hon. Maker Chol Adol. During his memorable campaigns for this seat, he gave one of the most passionate and humorous political speeches of our time in front of the Makuach Payam audience. People laughed and laughed at his high sense of humor and political acumen. But as history had it, he lost to the incumbent Hon. Maker Chol Adol. To his credit, the most humble Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou who was senior to Hon. Maker Chol Adol in both teaching profession and SPLA rank, graciously conceded to Hon. Maker Chol Adol and asked everyone to stand with Hon. Maker and he stuck to his words until his passing.

The late Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou hailed from Chief Gai Arou’s family which contributed to South Sudan earnestly. In the course of his military journey, Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou went to war with his own young brother Manyok Gai Arou, who was killed in action at Jekau. He was predeceased by his mother who passed away in 2019. His sister Nyandhier Gai Arou, an SPLM/A veteran, lives with her children in South Dakota, USA. As a man known for firsts, he was the first born. He was the first member in his family to attend school. His eight siblings are his late sister Keth Gai Arou, brother Mangar Gai Arou, the late brother Manyok Gai Arou, and his sister Chier Gai Arou, his brother Arou Gai Arou and the last born sister Nyandhier Gai Arou.

He is survived by his three wives and nine children. The first wife is Ajah Atem Dieu from Nyarwreng, is a mother of his four children namely Gai Chol Gai, Aluel Chol Gai, Yar Chol Gai (deceased) and Arou Chol Gai. His second wife is Lueth Kur Jur (Kur-Mayola) from Gwalla has four children namely Gai Chol Gai, Thon Chol Gai, Diing Chol Gai and Arou Chol Gai and the third wife Awuoi Arou Leek from Angakuei clan is a mother of his two sons namely Gai Chol Gai, and Arou Chol Gai. Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou is a father of nine children (seven sons, and two daughters), and seventeen grandchildren (six grandsons and eleven granddaughters).

The late legend Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou was a hero like no other on many grounds as many who know him will never stop revealing and reverberating his respect and decency. He was a person who easily connected with everyone in spite of ages and status and differences.

He possessed a conducive atmosphere of friendship and affability. He was an easygoing person. He was a calm and thoughtful man. Although he was a military man, he still did not attempt to show his rank, but to blend with common people. One of the most outstanding contributions to his people was when he summoned Bor elderly people to his command base at Yom Ciir in Bor and took a great care for them.

Beyond his teaching profession and military career, Brigadier General Chol was a high achieving athlete. Of his many extracurriculars, the late Brigadier General was a distinguished footballer. As an avid footballer, he was a left-winger player. He played and thrilled the fans. He was able to represent the then Jonglei Province team in a number of competitions.

Summing up this tribute, not everything that General has accomplished has been named here. But it can rest be assured that, he led a life worth emulating during which he served a cause larger than himself, and he will always be missed by his people of Ngueny or Ngon Deng section, Ater-Ajokbil clan, Bor community, and by the country he dedicated his life during two wars to liberate, the Republic of South Sudan.

All we can say dear Brigadier General Chol Gai Arou, your people love you and will dearly miss you. Your sad death left a void that can’t be easily filled. General Chol Gai Arou you were a hero and legend, who had displayed kindness to your people in actions. As they say heroes never die, they can just fly, and so fly and fly higher. We are grieving and crying for your dismayed departure, but yet we are celebrating your humble life during which you helped many and your numerous accomplishments will inspire many in their course of life. We pray for you so that your God who protected you in many harmful ways during two wars seat you on His right hand side and rest your soul in eternal peace.

You can reach the author via his email address: simonmalith@yahoo.com

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