Zachary,

Have not talk to you in awhile. How's the African Response Foundation going. Sent me a message to let me know if you are still interested in me joining you in this noble cause.

 

Amos

Dear Zachary,

Nice to visit your profile here, Its best place to doiscccuss and share your expertise

at peace network. This credit is going to Dr. Craig, who establish a rich common

platform for peace-makers.

We can be good partners and friends on common causes and similar activities.

In Peace.

Hi Zac, I have a dual heritage: Ugandan and Sudanese. On working with Across, if you give me a clear concept note on what you can do and how you do it, then I will see how to present it Across leadership. I am also exploring a possibility of ACRF partnering with CREED Africa, an NGO registered and operating in Uganda and now registered in Sudan. The leadership of CREED Africa is known to me and are are professionals of high integrity. For example: Jane has an MBA and supervises programs funded in Kenya through Johns Hopkins University, and Clement Otai is an ACCA as well as a graduate of SWASA. I shall forward a profile of CREED Africa to you and the thematic areas they are active in.

Dear Zac, I respect your position that you may not be able to incorporate ACRF in Sudan, although there are several US charities fully registered and operating in Sudan and other parts of Africa. Secondly, it may not be "politically correct" to invite the entities you mentioned that are operational in Khartoum to earn credibility in southern Sudan, not only because the north-Sudan, south-Sudan ideological divide, but largely because the scars of the long-drawn out conflict as well as the fact that southerners see the north as part of the problem. I will however look out for a credible entry point, though it is something that should have happened yesterday, as it were.

Dear Zac, If you have read the update I sent you yesterday, it outlined the killings that took place over the weekend that claimed of about 160 lives. And given that you have asked if I can come up with suggestions on what we can do jointly, I suggest you could consider formalizing registration of ACRF in Sudan to allow it start operations immediately. When it is registered as a charitable org, it will have NGO status and for now it would qualify to import items for operations on tax exempt status, including vehicles.

As you have indicated that the programs you undertake include: health and nutrition for peace, adult literacy and youth education, workshops, all these are pertinent and urgently need in this fragile state of Sudan that has bled from decades of war, intrigue and marginalization. I would be happy to facilitate the process.

Zac, This info that I am pasting here came out just today. Imagine the magnitude of the ongoing problem.


1. More than 160 killed in South Sudan tribal raid
Mon Aug 3, 2009 11:51am GMT

JUBA, Sudan, Aug 3 (Reuters) - More than 160 people were killed when
heavily armed South Sudan tribal fighters launched a dawn raid on a
rival group, an official said on Monday, the latest in a series of
bloody ethnic clashes.

"100 women and children, 50 men and 11 SPLA (soldiers from the
southern Sudan People's Liberation Army) are being buried by the
riverside this morning," Akobo commissioner Goi Jooyul Yol said in a
statement, adding that the killings took place on Sunday. (Reporting
by Skye Wheeler; editing by Andrew Heavens)

END1

2. Gunmen kill 161 people in Jonglei’s Akobo
Monday 3 August 2009 14:05.

By Philip Thon Aleu

August 3, 2009 (BOR TOWN) – Some 161 people are counted dead and 29
injured in Akobo County following gunmen attack on August 2, officials
say here.

Speaking at an emotional press conference in Bor Town Monday,
Commissioner Jooyul detailed that 100 women, 50 children and 11 SPLA
soldiers are among the dead during the attack on Geni River at Mareng,
40 Kilometers south west Akobo Town.

"Of the 29 wounded, 3 are SPLA and the rest are civilians,” he added.

The attackers, who carried out their raid at dawn, are believed to one
of the groups of Murle tribesmen that attacked Lony village on July 29
and reportedly killing a couple and abducting a child.

(ST)

END2

3. AC/C/11/1/8
August 3rd, 2009


Press Release

Gun men Carry out another Massacre of Seventy seven 77 people in Akobo

On the dawn at 5 am through 8 am of Sunday August 2nd 2009, another
massacre took place at Geni River at Mareng which is about 40 Km south
west of Akobo. It should be recalled that the most devastating attack
took place in April in a number of Nyandit Payam villages, killing
about 300 people mostly women, elderly and children and displaced the
whole area population to Akobo town.

The Geni victims mostly women and young children camped in the area
for three weeks in search of food by forming fishing villages along
Geni river, while being watched over by two dozens of police and army
for protection. The attack was swift and over powered the few
soldiers, and immediately started shooting at about hundred unarmed
people by chasing them towards the river, chased the people into three
directions; to Akobo, Pibor and Burmath Boma in Nyandit Payam to the
east.

The news were received from the eleven fleeing wounded men and a woman
who arrived Akobo town at around 10 Oclock and are currently being
treated in Akobo hospital. The Akobo County Executive Director
immediately dispatched two vehicles with police to search for
survivors, and Seventy seven (77) confirmed dead (65 Civiliians and 12
SPLA officers) and are being buried by the river side as of 8 oclock
this morning August 3, 2009. Dozens of children and women are still
missing and most are believed to be either killed or abducted by the
attackers. The authorities are still searching for survivors by
beating drums and checking the river and the woods for more dead. More
details are still emerging.

The attackers are believed to be one of the groups of Murle tribes
men who recently attacked Lony village north west of Akobo County on
July 29th and killed a couple, abducted their child and ran away with
some 100 head of cattle belonging to three families in the area. A
similar group attacked Kwecar village to raid cattle but were
unsuccessful. A larger group attacked Dengjok and Obere in June by
killing two individuals and ran Away with a thousand head of cattle in
Denjok Payam and killing Five and wounding two in Obere and ran away
with un specified number of cattle.

The people of Akobo are trying to survive by all means; a boats convoy
carrying about 800 mT of WFP food and camping material was attacked at
Nasser County in Upper Nile on June 12th 2009, exacerbating the
complex situation already created by a blockade of the only transport
for trade from Upper Nile and Ethiopia since March, 2009 when a string
of killings and counter attacks gripped the two communities resulting
in about 100 dead on both sides and additional more than a hundred
during the boat attack.

The UN continues to airlift food to Akobo, but proofed to be
insufficient; the result was for the community members to fend for
themselves looking for food in a very hostile environment.

* There is no passable route leading to Akobo from any direction,
therefore we urge the International community, the government of
Southern Sudan to urgently do Something or/and pave road (s) to Akobo
and for people of Sobat corridor to allow the trade boats and UN
humanitarian Assistance without hindrance as the only viable solution
to Akobo misery.

* The protection of civilians has proven to be a difficult job due
to lack security roads and well trained, equipped or sufficient police
force for the county.

* The ceasefire committee formed by Southern Sudan Peace
Commission between Murle and Nuer failed to convince Murle Youth
during the last three months and their recommendations for a
conference in Pibor town casts some doubt amongst Nuer chiefs on
genuineness of such an initiative.

* The United Nations Mission in Sudan pulled out of Pibor and
Akobo just a week ago falling short of making a meaningful impact on
the reason of their presence in the first place. We urge more
objectivity and purposefulness of such missions in the future.

* There is an urgent need of disarming all Jonglei Communities and
particularly the Murle before the next dry season in order to save
lives.

* Ask State Authorities/UNMIS for an urgent flight to Akobo to
assess the situation and to provide more food to the people in Akobo
County.


Goi Jooyul Yol
Commissioner
+249 914937969

CC. Media Outlets
Government agencies
All UN Agencies and NGOs

Zachary, I just read your profile. May be sometime we can team up o do something in southern Sudan which is still reeling from after-effects of the longest civil war. I can be sending you updates on the situation n southern Sudan.

Sure! you will be kept abreast.
John

Great Zach,things are shaping up for real. Tomorrow,we are having the Board meeting for CEPAN.We will discuss possibilities and Iam sure we will wash our hands together for this fellowship meal. I have just talked with my Board Chairman who also doubles as the West African Regional Peace Director for the Mennonite Central Committee. He has MA in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University.
O'yes,everywhere you go,let's talk peace. The modus operandi will be determined shortly.
John