Bor Community distances itself from Bor Group for Separation

March 23, 2007 — Since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the bloodiest civil war in our country, Sudan, two years ago, the anti-CPA elements have remained determined enemies of the peace-loving Sudanese people. They have been continuously trying to disrupt the current peaceful state of affairs of the Sudanese social, political and economic atmosphere by using certain news organizations to proliferate their violent political propaganda. One may wonder who are these people, and what is wrong with the news organizations publishing their non-stop press releases. On behalf of our beloved Bor Community, both within Sudan and around the world, we hereby expose the fraud and lies of the so-called “Bor Group for Separation.” This group is not part of the Bor Community, and their violent propaganda does not reflect the views of the peace-loving Bor people.

On March 15, 2005, this rather unknown group which calls itself ” Bor Group for Separation” released a press statement claiming its rejection, on behalf of Bor Community, of the position taken by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), in which it presses for the unity of the country despite the seemingly inevitable secession. This was a manufactured claim. There is no such thing as “Bor Group for Separation” that has to release any statement on behalf of Bor Community. If such group ever exists, it’s some individuals selling their “separation” rhetoric using the name of our community – Bor Community on the Internet. If the Bor Community is to speak against any move by the SPLM, its legitimate representatives will make a public statement on its behalf.

In its statement, the group made some extremely irresponsible statements, such as “Our people took up arms for separation, not unity as corrupt SPLM party would want the World to believe.We urge all Jonglei State citizens to join their Southern brothers to chase SPLM out of South Sudan so that the people work towards separation rather than being sold in black market in Khartoum.”. These are criminal statements in their own. First of all, since the inception of the Liberation Movement in 1983, Bor Community has unwaveringly and unreservedly contributed manpower, and materials to support the vision of SPLM – a vision for which the philosophy of New Sudan was advanced. This makes it irresponsible for any group to suggest that our people declared war against the ruling Islamic regime in Khartoum for separation. The idea of New Sudan, though it might have been questioned by some members within Bor Community, has always remained the commonly shared and heavily supported principle for which our fallen martyrs shed their blood.

Although it may be true to some degree that there some elements within the Government of Southern Sudan(GOSS) who are corrupt, calling upon us, the people of the Bor Community, to “chase the SPLM” out of South Sudan is not only immoral but also despicable. Throughout the history of our nation, violent revolt against the people’s cause has never been an acceptable act endorse by the Bor Community. A series of factions emerged during the war but never has our community taken part in such factions. Instead, it has always maintained its position of support for the cause for which our people took up arms. Calling for the reversal of this long-held conviction at this moment is a clear attribute of a confused, immoral and foolhardy group of antisocials. If the so-called “Bor Group for Separation” is a legitimate interest group, we ask that it publicly disclose itself rather than residing in the shadows of concealedness. Only than can the Sudanese people decide who truly represents the commonly shared view among members of Bor Community

This is not to say that Bor Community supports unity only nor does it, in anyway, stand to only support any other political philosophy other than the one held by the SPLM for which our fallen heroes sacrificed for. Of course, the Bor Community has members who may support or may not support the idea of united New Sudan, depending on their political analysis of unity and secession, but the truth remains that the collective stand held by our community is that of the people’s movement – SPLM. If the SPLM presses for the unity of Sudan, Bor Community stands with it, just as it has long stood firmly behind it during the struggle.

The worst betrayal of the Bor Community by some otherwise trustworth media outlets came when they published this group’s “press statement” without giving it a second thought. A true press release is supposed to bear recognizable signature(s). Both SudanTribune.com and Southsudannation.com, regrettably to say, hurriedly published this fraudulent statement without applying any logical measure of professional journalism. These organizations have not only outlandishly published this “press statement” without analyzing its authenticity but also went further to retitle it as “Bor Community Rejects SPLM’s call for Unity”. Yes, this is part of what the group is calling for. But, isn’t true that both the Tribune and Southsudannation have a bone to pick here? We believe they do because if they do not they would have not published a press release without names of individuals who wrote it..

Like any other members of any other given community of South Sudan, our members have always invested their trust in the authenticity of news delivered by any of the organizations. Given the position taken by these online news organizations on this particular issue, we, the individuals whose names appear below ask that the management of both the Sudantribune.com and Southsudannation.com do what is necessary to correct their flagrant error and regain the trust of Bor Community by:.

1) Making an apology to Bor Community at large

2) Retracting the release and declare it a fraudulent statement – which it truly is.

2) Retitling it as initially titled by its authors and repost it under opinions as an individual opinion, rather than as the position of the entire Bor Community.

4) Doing nothing more to lose the trust that many people have invested in their services.

Our demands are nothing more than those of concerned citizens who wish to receive news of higher quality. The reliability and credibility of the news delivered by Sudantribune.com and Southsudannation.com, among many other Sudanese news outlets, will remain shaken unless a more rigorous journalistic approach is used when delivering the news. Many Sudanese people, including the signatories of this petition, read news articles published by both the Sudan Tribune and SouthSudannation.com because people trust these sources. Again, we call upon them to keep our trust by apologising for and correcting their errors.

Last but not least, we would like to ask the so-called “Bor Group for Separation” that if it truly exists, we ask its leaders to face us head-on. We challenge you to come out of your pseudo-identity and make yourself known to the Sudanese public. Lastly and most importantly, we would like to let the entire Sudanese Community around the globe and the SPLM know that Bor Community, as it has long lived, and as long as it lives, stands firmly in support of the vision for which the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) was founded. The following individuals sign this petition on behalf of concerned members of Bor Community.

Long live the vision of our people!

SPLM/A Oyeei!

Sincerely,

– 1. Alier Wel (U.S.A)
– 2. Loi Deng Nai , Deputy-secretary, Bor South Community, USA & Admin and Founder, Bor Globe Network (Borglobe.com)
– 3.Majur Deng Nhial (U.S.A)
– 4.Mawut Machiek Guarak (U.S.A) Mawut Achiecque Mach de Guarak,
President, Gak Students Association, Inc.,USA & General Secretary, Sudanese American Bor Community National Association, Inc., New York, USA.
– 5. Nhial Tittmamer (Canada)
– 6. Mawei Garang Deng (U.S.A)
– 7. Thon Gai (U.S.A)
– 8. Yohana Mach Anai (Canada)

Contact: [email protected]