Charlie O'Connell's Report form Abyei - April 10, 2007
Agok Village, Southern Sudan
I am writing from a tent next to an airstrip in Agok, South Sudan, hundreds of miles from the next sizeable town...Although I have been in Sudan for only 6 days, I feel like it has been 6 months.........
Yesterday, I set off at 7:00 a.m. under the scorching hot sun (a whole new meaning of hot) to a remote village where there was a sick child. I am part of a KUSH team that includes a great guy named Stefan, who is a trained emergency medic. Stefan had noticed the child the day before as we were conducting a water-sampling test in a local market. When we got to the village, we encountered three children, and their mothers, who all needed help. One by one Stefan treated them, as I played nurse's aid, and we hopefully saved one child's life who was severely dehydrated... amazing what a glass of Gatorade can do in a place like this.
Afterwards we headed to a sacred meeting place, where the nine chiefs of the Ngok Dinka met in 1993, to join together to resist the invasion from the north.... in this place there are nine carved pieces of wood, each symbolizing one of the nine Ngok Dinka Chiefdoms. They surround a white stick that represents the sacred white bull they sacrificed. The white bull in Dinka is called Mabior, and the Ngok only sacrifice it to God. All of the chiefs vowed, "ever forward, never backwards" and that any Ngok who betrayed the land would perish...
From there we went to see an old man who was the uncle of the man we are staying with, Kuol...The old man was suffering severely, and Kuol
asked Stefan to examine him...we arrived at a little hut, and there was
this old man, lying on the ground, his back wretchedly twisted, complaining of paralysis...he had a loaded AK-47 and a bible next to his bed. His large dog did not think we were so friendly at first..........Once the dog let us past; Stefan examined the man, and determined he had a severely herniated disk.... To our surprise, the old man then said "You are a real doctor" Stefan replied, "no, I am not, but Thank you".... The old man then said, "Yes you are, I know because I just had x-rays taken of my back! To our great surprise, he then pulled out x-rays, and we realized that the real reason we were there was for them to see if Stefan was who he said he was!
After a big laugh, we left the old man, heading to Abyei, the area that is between North and South Sudan, and borders Darfur, and we spent the rest of the day and evening conducting water sampling tests of the water wells that the villagers are using.... Already we have identified several that are contaminated with E.Coli..............perhaps we will save many people from unnecessary disease...
Finally, we headed back to our camp in Agok, only we were stopped by soldiers guarding the border between Abyei and South Sudan...Luckily we
were with someone who is was a Major in the SPLA (Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army) during the liberation struggle, and after a big laugh and greetings at the road block, we finally made it back to camp at 10:00 at night, and had a well deserved meal of rice, chicken and lentils...........
This is just one day.... everyday has contained a similar amazing
experience.
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Belkys Lopez's Report from Abyei - December 9, 2006
Agok Village, Southern Sudan
At the market Kwol Nyok and I sat out in the open air and were surrounded by a crowd of mostly Missiriya and some of the local Dinka. The Missiriya gave me a warm welcome. They emphasized that water was their main problem and concern. To make a long story short, the water questions went over without a hitch. But once I asked about plans for development, they were not as receptive. I asked about cross Missiriya - Dinka communication and plans for development and this made them uncomfortable. They kept emphasizing that they and the Dinka are brothers. It seems that any reference to them as the ‘other’ or apart from the Dinka is frowned upon and looked as a political question. They told me at one point they did not want to answer any questions that were political. So I promptly switched to Oprah mode.
Things then lightened up though it never really did get tense. After the meeting we headed to their cattle camps. I interviewed the Missiriya cattle herders and took pictures. I got some excellent shots.
The Missiriya were so pleased that I made the effort to go all the way to their camps that they gave me a bull as a gift. Yes, a bull! At first, I said no, and told them that I appreciated the gift but it was not necessary. However, it quickly became clear that I had to accept. So, we loaded the bull and headed out. I still can’t believe it!!!
Anyways, this is what I learned from them in short. They are fed up with the NCP. They kept referring to the 2% they were supposed to get. ‘Where is it?’ they repeatedly asked. The Missiriya representative said that after all the fighting they have received nothing. They feel exploited.
The Missiriya are an extremely vulnerable group. They are a distrusted, hated minority within the South and their interests are not looked after by NCP. Their way of living is not sustainable and is in great danger because of climate change and an unstable political climate. I understand why they keep asserting that the Dinka are their brothers. Really, they have absolutely no choice but to align themselves to the SPLM. And they are afraid for their future. Good news for the South is that the circumstances with the Missiriya are perfect for building a political alliance. There needs to be more forums for this to take place as the Missiriya need to be made aware of the possibilities for the future and they also need to be reminded of the dire consequences they face if peace is not sustained.
If they are successfully assimilated into the SPLM, this may also positively impact the situation in Darfur. As I am told, the Missiriya are among the Janjaweed. Even some that are here in Abyei, may have fought or may fight in Darfur. Enlightening the Missiriya should be a high priority. The CPA should be used for this purpose. It serves as a means to influence and discipline this group. Having said this, it’s a real shame that the truth and reconciliation process is not underway. I see such a need for it here!
I’m telling you, I feel personally responsible to everyone here. Even though I have not made any promises, the fact that I’m assessing things on the ground raises expectations, and of course there is the matter of the bull and the Missiriya!!!
We have to get services to the people and make sure it all works…
As for the Missiryia, now they know of KUSH and we have gotten a good welcome. We should nurture this relationship. That is, we should keep open lines of communications.
Nate York's Report from Abyei - October 9, 2006
Agok Village, Southern Sudan
I'm now hunkered down in a small one-room hut watching the rain outside turn the dusty earth into a thick grey soup. A storm swept over us quickly and violently. Unfortunately, as I watched this impressive display of lighting and black clouds race towards me the lame 80?s pop song? Rains in Africa, by Toto? Started playing in my head. Sometimes the mind’s power of recall is better left unused.
Nestled alone in my little mud hideaway I figure now is a good time to jot down my observations of this remarkable and painfully beautiful place.
Very brief history of the area:
Abyei and its surrounding villages is the most hotly contested area in Sudan. It is home to the Dinka a race of warrior Africans who refuse to be Islamized. It boasts huge oil reserves, which are pumped to the coast with the revenues benefiting the Northern Arabs and the Islamic Central Government. The central government forces cleared this area in the 80?s and displaced the entire population. They razed homes, destroyed crops, killed livestock and destroyed hundreds of villages. The same pattern is currently being repeated in Darfur. When the SPLA (Sudanese People’s Liberation Army) eventually gained enough strength to serious challenge the government a peace agreement was signed in January 2005. Now displaced Dinka are returning to their homes and trying to rebuild their lives. Just a few miles from me are massive oil fields that are heavily guarded by government forces and operated by the Chinese.
Same old Story:
Today I met with community leaders and village chiefs and I told them my story of how I started Solace because of my disgust with the UN and its inefficiencies in Afghanistan. They applauded thoroughly and we very relieved to hear a foreigner speaking honestly and criticizing the humanitarian community.
The Dinka are a direct and proud people. They speak their mind and are not afraid to confront and expose anything that is dishonest. They are tired, annoyed and in just plain fed up with the NGOS' and the UN's lack on implementation. They have been watching for years as foreigners come and assess, survey, interview locals while setting up their lavish compounds from which they conduct their important fact-finding missions. Suddenly, like a dust storm, they leave as abruptly as they arrived abandoning their compounds and haphazardly handing over tens of thousands of dollars worth of generators, satellite TVs, beds, kitchen equipment, motorcycles to the local administration calling it capacity building. Next to my hut sits a new $30,000 Perkins generator abandoned by the UNDP and left to rust unprotected from the elements. Down the road a new Land Rover from Save the Children gathers dust in a patch of weeds because no one bothered to check the oil. The engine on that virtually indestructible vehicle seized because of pure stupidity and carelessness.
The community is going to use our project as an example to the rest of the NGOs and the UN. If they do not implement like Solace then the local community is going to throw them out.
Project Update:
We are moving forward with a plan that has been suggested by the local community and the indigenious NGO, WARDS. WARDS is run by Kuol Nyok, a former SPLA Lt. Colonel. Kuol is a veteran of 94 battles in the past 20 years. His father was assassinated in 1965 and he takes this war against the government and the welfare of his people very personally. He is a soldier with a heart of gold. He is direct, efficient and ready for action. He will have no problem implementing our project when we get the building materials to Agok. The project plan is as follows:
Construction of an English and teacher training center. (2 classrooms. Solace will employ an English teacher either from Kenya or an ex-pat Solace volunteer to live in the village for the next year.)
Construction of a vocational training center for metalworking, auto repair, carpentry and vegetable oil production. We have purchased all the necessary tools and equipment for the training center in Nairobi. The oil presses will be used not only for vocational training but also as an income generator. Currently the region produces high quality sesame and peanuts but have no outlet for the product. They import all of their cooking oil while having no market for their sesame and peanuts. They can produce their own oil with these presses for their own local consumption.
Construction of a women’s center/youth center in Abyei. Will include oil press for women to begin income generation.
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