Atar Community in Diaspora Press Release Rebuttal to “Padang Community Diaspora Press Release: A Rebuttal to Fangak Community & Nuer Supreme Council Press Release” on George Athor’s massacre of Fangak civilians
FEB. 17/2011, SSN; We, Atar Community in Diaspora would like to pay tribute and express our condolences to families of Fangak who have lost their love ones as a result of the fighting that broke out between forces loyal to renegade Lt. Gen. George Athor Deng and SPLA. The lost lives are great loss to South Sudanese at large. Thus, nobody wants to see our people dying after we voted 99% for separation. It should be a moment of happiness as we are waiting for the birth of our new nation. It is time for us to show to the world that we can govern ourselves. In that regard, we strongly condemned the continued insurgency that is continually occurring with no cessation between forces loyal to Athor Deng and SPLA. On the other hand, the Atar Community in the Diaspora condemns and dissociates itself from the press released by individuals in the US. It is our deep regrets that the press release was issued by few people in the US claiming to be acting on behalf of the entire Community of Padang in the Diaspora. It is a misleading representation of the entire community of Padang and improper outfit of the community in general. Thus, we want to clarify to the all Southern Sudanese public media that the press released on SPLM Diaspora Forum and Southsudannation.com (http://southsudannation.com/padangcommdiasppr78.htm) was written by those who have their own agenda. The Press released did not include all Padang sub-communities and did not reflect neutrality. Because the press released was not neutral in its content and recommendations, we the Atar community would like to explicitly express our concern that the press released has incited hatred between Atar and Fangak communities, supported renegade Athor Deng to carry on harm on civilians, dissociated Athor Deng from being culprit of killing innocent civilians and has not recognized SPLA and GoSS as the solid responsible government that ensures the security of civilians in the whole Southern Sudan regions. We, the Atar community in Diaspora would like to distance ourselves from the press release issued by Padang Community in Diaspora. We feel that the press released was not written in a good faith and it was engineered by supporters of George Athor in US, Canada and Australia due to the following reasons and evidences: 1. The Atar natives in the US were informed about the press to be released but they asked for the press release to be delayed until final consultation is made by all sub-community members. They agreed to meet on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 to agree on the content of the paper. However, the supporters of Athor went ahead unanimously by publicizing their press to the public media while ignoring the consultations asked by other sub-community members. Some members whose names appeared on that press release were not informed about the inclusion of their names. They were even dismayed to see their names as endorsers of the release. 2. The press released blamed the attack on SPLA with claims that George Athor was acting on self defense after he was attacked citing his spokesman’s interview on the Sudantribune website. The press released went ahead to exonerate Renegade Lt. Gen. Athor from the death of civilians citing that they drowned as a result of panicking while ignoring the facts that they were forced into the river by forces loyal to Athor. As a result, their death is directly attributable to George Athor. It should be noted that the victims of Athor’s atrocities didn’t jump into River Piow to learn how to swim or commit suicide; they were forced to die. Whoever wants to associate the two events is suffering from illusive malpractice of injustice and does want the peaceful settlement of communities and South Sudan. 3. A recommendation calling for “complete and absolute withdrawal of the SPLA forces” in the areas affected by violence to avoid more civilian causalities in Atar and Fangak is completely suicidal and insane. The withdrawal of SPLA is like licensing George Athor to kill all the civilians in both Atar and Fangak territories because no army will encounter him. If SPLA withdraw from both areas, where will Athor’s forces go to? It is up to the former press release initiators tell the public where Athor’s forces will go if SPLA withdraw. 4. Another recommendation of involving Padang community to bring Athor to a negotiating table is unrealistic thought because Athor Deng rebelled against SPLA at his own disposal. As he was advised by top Padang intellectuals to avoid gubernatorial candidacy for Jonglei, but he refused and cited that he is confident he will win the governorship. It is time for each person to carry his own cross. With those remarks made in the fore-mentioned paragraphs, the Atar community in Diaspora recommends the following to be considered by both sides: the GoSS and renegade Lt. Gen. Athor Deng forces: · We encourage Lt. Gen. Athor Deng to negotiate with GoSS peacefully without further escalation of violence. · We encourage both neighbors in Atar and Fangak to remain steadfastly peaceful and calm to each other because the rebellion carried out by Athor Deng is not engineered by either side but his own ambitious selfishness. They should not be dragged into this confusion. They should grief and let the Government of Southern Sudan bring back peace and order as opposed to taking laws into their own hands. · We encourage Athor Deng supporters to back off from the conflict that is happening right now on the ground, it is completely GoSS responsibility not any one else responsibility. Whoever want to issue press releases in support of George Athor must not used Padang community as a pretext. He or she must come out openly supporting him instead of plagiarizing other people who have not agreed to endorse their stances. Signed by Atar Community members in US, Canada and Australia Abiel Mialual Michar Achol Nyok Arop Amum Mialual Michar Athieng Dhuoor Deng Dhieu Dok Minyang Dominic Yaa Atech Geng Miaker Monyung Monybeny Minyang Dau Miakuach Bhol Nyok Michar Bhol Nyok Miyar De’Nyok Nyuop Nyok Miakuei Piot Dol Akoch Thon Palek Akol Wuor Miaker Monytung -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
