Remembering father who Pass away for South Sudanese struggle

By Luka Timothy Tongyik Tutlam

February 13, 2008 — The most incredibly painful experience I’ve ever had is losing my dad. He’s been 10 years now since is died, and it’s still very difficult to talk much about his death. It’s so difficult for me to hear the songs we listened together, especially those of Keny Rodgers and many more others even now. His death has affected my life profoundly. You see, it was quite unexpected. He was very young when he died in the plan crash – We talked about his victory in Upper Nile as Governor just weeks before my very first graduation. Probably why losing Dad hurt so much was because he was very special to me and of course to all of Us.

Not only was Dad very special, because he wanted me to succeed in what ever I do, and the best for his son very much, but Daddy was such a patient, quiet man. He never struck me out of anger. He never yelled at me. He only punished me when I needed it, and he never lost his temper doing it. I remember, when I would be so upset about something, Dad would ask me what the matter was. He was very calm and very patient, and I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he loved us very much. He would call me “Lukas,” I know to some people that sounds terrible! But, it was never terrible coming from Daddy. I knew he meant it affectionately and with love. He never, ever called us those names out of meanness or out of anger. In fact, he usually had a smile on his face when he said it.

I remember traveling to places like Debreziet on weekends in those years I was in Addis and going to watch movies in Ambassador cinema not far from Black Lion Hospital etc…

I remember my first and last bear with him in Nairobi. I, my younger brother Nhial and he went to this restaurant. When we order he asked if I could order a bear for myself too, of course I was a bit shy and he said hey…. you are a grown up man now. So I ordered my first bear with my dad. We had a great time. That was August 1995. We went to Kampla together to met his bodyguards whom where with him when escaped the assassination from Nimule in late August 1992.

I wish with all my heart that Dad could have seen my family. He loved my kids like a son, and my wife has said that, when Dad died, she lost one of his best friends. Dad’s death has caused a void in many lives, but not so much as in the lives of his children. It has hurt us very much.

If you haven’t talked to your dad for awhile, you had better get over there, or pick up that telephone, before it’s too late. Death is a thief, and you never know when it will strike. One of the saddest things I’ve ever done is to be late for the Father’s telephone call; He called and left a message that I should call him as soon as possible just before he departed to Malakal in February 1998. I purchased a card in advance, but was too late Daddy was dead and his coffin was already heading to Malakal in February 12 2008, he could not quite make it back to Khartoum to pick my call. Since then I ‘ve been wondering what it was he wanted to tell me?

Daddy, if you’re listening, I love you with all my heart, and I miss you so very, very much…..But I always remember Happy Father’s Days. I am always trying to the Wright thing as you would want me to do.

You know, some songs, are very special to me. Our family loved him so much. When he died, He was only 44 years-old. I wasn’t a child any longer, but I never got to spend enough time with him. He was working too hard for his people. He would travel distances to work and we had to wait for him. He was so wonderful and so dear to us, and it hurt so very much when he, very unexpectedly, died in a plan crash.

We don’t know how long we have here, so we’ve got to make sure it counts – especially with our children. Daddy died 10 years ago, but there’re tears in my eyes as I’m writing this. How I would love to have him here right now. I wish I could sit and chat with him. I wish I could tell me histories, his favorite music. I wish I could just sit and watch a movie with him. I wish I could tell him finally Wanding Citizens are going back home. I wish I could tell him his children are doing wonders. I wish to tell him that Wanding Payam has a lot of educated youngster. I wish could tell that Wanding Payam has its own NGO called WADA formed by its children. I can’t. He’s gone from this earth forever. But I am sure he sees and hears what we are doing and saying.

As good a man as he was – and he was good – I am sure he is watching over us now. You see, goodness doesn’t get us into Heaven; none of us are good enough. God says, in His Holy Word:
“For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
-Ephesians 2:8-9

Do you know where you’re going when you die? Right now’s a great time to think about it, while you’re still here. :o) I hope my daddy’s in Heaven. I wasn’t with him at the end. I do know He accepted God’s free gift of Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. I hope Dad did. I really want to see him again when I die. I love him so very much! And, I love Jesus Christ so very much too, with all of my heart, mind and soul.

Hi. It’s been 10 years now since dad’s death – almost to the day. It’s Feb 12, 2008. I made it through this Memorial Day. From now on I will visit his grave, without great depression or tears….. in Malakal.

We hope sharing the stories of our mentors, guides and fathers with others will pass on the wonderful legacy given to us of love and memory. These men are the important teachers of our lives, they have provided more than just physical support, they have given us the direction and values we carry on to give to our children. The love and care is what we will always remember of our Dad.

Living without the physical presence of our fathers never diminishes the memories of love and joy we have shared in the past. Having a memorial or tribute page for our Dad’s is a beautiful way of to keep the Love alive and warm in our Hearts. Sharing the stories with others helps all of us come to a sense of peace and renewed spirit. Let us share in the creation of such pages and you will help us always Remember Dad.

Cherish your dad, mam, brothers, sisters and all your love ones. God bless you and yours in Jesus Christ’s Name.

Dr. Timothy Tongyik Tutlam died in the plane crash in Nasir on February 12, 1998, with many other government officials including Sudan’s first vice president.

He was a Nuer educated as a medical doctor. He was in the SPLA before he joined SSIM in 1992, where he served as director of RASS, Dr. Timothy was elected in Upper Nile as a governor.

On February 12, 1998 Dr. Timothy Tutlam the former governor of Upper Nile was killed in a plane crash in a failed landing at Nasir airport 800 km south East of Khartoum airport near the Ethiopian border. The plane was carrying 57 senior military and political leaders, including Arok Thon Arok, one of the most prominent former rebels, whose group signed the peace accord with Khartoum, was among the 26 people killed.

The plane apparently tried to land on a small runway in the town of Nasir about 435 miles from the capital near the Sobat River a tributary of the White Nile and not far from the Ethiopian border.

The pilot lost control at Nasir airport runway, and slide into the Sobate River, and then twenty six people out of fifty seven passengers were drowned in river, including father Dr. Timothy.
Here are the names of the Sudanese officials who were killed in plan crashed with our father Dr .Timothy Tutlam:

Lt-Gen al-Zubair Muhammad, the first vice president of republic of Sudan
Brig Arok Thon Arok, the South Sudan United Democratic Salvation Front, signatory of the Khartoum peace agreement.
Musa Sidahmed, the director of the Supreme Council for Peace Engineer
Muhammad Ahmed Taha, the head of States’ Development & Peace Organization.
Police Maj-Gen Dirar Abdullah Abbas.
Lt-Col al-Fatih Nurein, the deputy head of palace protocol.
Osman Ibrahim Bura’ie, Zubeir’s secretary.
Lt-Col Jamal Fagiri, the director of al-Zubair’s Office.
Security Lt-Col Abdallah Babikir.
Security officer Abd al-Rahman al-Bagir.
Police Col Elija Manok.
Dr Timothy Tutlan, the Upper Nile Governor.
Abd al-Salaam Suleiman, Islamic.
Organization Officer Abdallah Babikir.
General Security Forces Brig Taha al-Mahi.
Lt-Col Fath al-Rahman al-Sadiq.
Hashim al-Haj, television journalist.
al-Hadi Sidahmed, television journalist.
Mutasim Rustum.
Samuel Fashoda and so more…

Dr. Timothy Tongyik Tutlam’s the educational background, and service from South Sudanese first movement:
1972, he graduated from Haile Sellassie I University’s
1988, he graduated from Addis Ababa University of Medicine
1999, serving the Sudanese in Ethiopia as a medical doctor
1992, Director RASS
1998, Governor of Great Upper Nile