F.A.C.C President’s Christmas Message to citizens of Mading Aweil Worldwide
Date: December 22, 2007
First and foremost, I would like to thank Almighty God for protecting and caring for all of humanity this passing year. In particular, we, Sudanese people have many reasons to be thankful to God for blessing and keeping the torch of peace shining. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement has brought with it many blessings and opportunities and so, we Sudanese people are very grateful to Him, the Giver of life; Alleluia!
In the third and fourth weeks of the current month, Sudanese are blessed to celebrate two distinct, yet important days, back to back; namely, Eid Al-Adha and Christmas. On occasions of these holidays, I would wholeheartedly like to congratulate citizens of Mading Aweil: Christians, Muslims and traditional believers in all walks of life for their numerous accomplishments.
As we celebrate Eid Al-Adha and Christmas, let’s all turn to our Creator for guidance, protection, forgiveness, and spiritual nourishment. In January, we are also going to celebrate two momentous milestones: January 1st and 9th. The latter caries a lot of weight, for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) has addressed root causes of 50-year long civil strife.
In days leading to third anniversary of CPA, let’s recommit ourselves to protect and implement the hard won CPA in spirit and letter by paying particular attention to the timeframes agreed therein. On our part, we citizens of Mading Aweil worldwide have special role to play considering that we were among the worse affected groups by recent conflict. It is in our best interest to see all protocols agreed upon in Naivasha, Kenya, implemented as faithfully and honestly as possible. Having said that however, the implementation of the CPA is a collective duty of all Sudanese; we each have a role to play, irrespective of our places of residence, educational background, gender, religion, age, and/or physical challenges.
Among individual and collective tasks required of us to observe in order to see the full implementation of the CPA include and not limited to the following: dissemination of CPA protocols; awareness on Interim Constitutions of Sudan, South Sudan, and states; active participation in construction and reconstruction effort in whatever form possible; holding accountable any party showing tendency to violate the peace agreement; advocating and promoting good governance; fighting corruption in its various forms; helping in political transformation of the country; advocating for religious co-existence within the community; engaging on capacity building and skills transfer.
We, members of Aweil community in Diaspora are well placed in that we have resources and skills to effect positive changes in our state of Northern Bahr El Ghazal (NBEG). No amount of money is too little to give; every penny counts! Furthermore, no level of education or skill is too low to enhance development, construction, and reconstruction. In short, we are individually and collectively challenged to go back home and become part of reconstruction process. It’s on this premise that we, the Executive Council of Council of Federation of Aweil Communities in Canada (F.A.C.C) and entire membership are doing everything at our disposal to make sure that our helping hands are unconditionally extended to our brothers and sisters back home. In the New Year, Executive Council of F.A.C.C will release series of projects geared toward reconstructing and rehabilitating the state of Northern Bahr El Ghazal. To succeed in our projects as well as in those being planned by our communities in their respective countries of residence, we must unite as our unity is our strength and our division is our failure.
However, to arrive at unity level, there are two important prerequisites required of us to accomplish vis-à-vis: forgiveness and love for one another. A unity devoid of these two components can not stand the test of time and present day realities. Therefore, let’s build unity of Mading Aweil on the basis of forgiveness and love for only then can we accomplish many things as a State and as a people. Our strong unity will pride our ancestors who selflessly and courageously defended the same in the face of multi-challenges, chief of which was and continue to be a threat presented by successive oppressors in Khartoum.
Talking about unity in Diaspora, especially in Canada, one is always prompted with names of peace Ambassadors, among them are current and former Aweil communities’ leaders including former F.A.C.C Executive Council under a wise leadership of Molana Akuein Alor, for their dedication and able leadership. I say to them: congratulations!! In the same token, I am equally grateful to members of our general assembly for keeping their leaders focus and united. Indeed, the unity that we enjoy here in Canada is a byproduct of hard and faithful work of F.A.C.C general assembly from British Columbia in the West to Ontario in the East.
Finally, I would like to kindly extend my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to my team: members of Executive Council and advisory Board, for their dedication and hard work in furthering F.A.C.C objectives, prime of which can be summed up in few words: Unity of Mading Aweil citizens worldwide. To nurture and preserve this unity that we are proud of and be able to successfully extend it for benefit of generations to come, we must always be willing and ready to forgive and love one another without any strings attached. Jesus Christ, the son of God, talks extensively on these two words. Let’s follow Him by following his examples and teachings!!!
With that said, I wish citizens of Mading Aweil and all peace-loving Sudanese wherever they may be a Merry Christmas and Happy and prosperous New Year. Thank you all.
Yours in Christ,
Ustaz Sabrino Majok Majok,
President, F.A.C.C