ANNOUNCING JONGLEI PEACE CARAVAN!

Founder members of Jonglei Civil Society Group announces in a press conference the launch of a Jonglei Peace Caravan in Juba, February 2012

                                                                                                                                                    March 3, 2012

Press Release for Harambee for Jonglei Civil Society Group

Jonglei Civil Society Group, a consortium of indigenous NGOs, CBOs, FBOs and youth and artists associations for and/or from Jonglei State are hereby cordially inviting all the peace-loving citizens of South Sudan in Juba, business community, diplomatic community, government institutions and NGOs or UN agencies to turn up and support peace for Jonglei peoples in particular and South Sudan in general, on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at New Sudan Palace, airport road, from 2:00PM to 8:00PM.

The event will be laced with a Rwanda Genocide Movie entitled, “100 Days”, peace-loaded music from Murle young artists from East Africa, under Murle Youth for Peace and Development (MYPAD), and lots of infotainment by South Sudanese leading artists and Jonglei Artists and Musicians Association (JAMA) delegates, peace skits and lots of fun-raising and fundraising presentations.

Having therefore realized that the Phase I of the process to solve Jonglei State problem is kicking off with disarmament very soon, we, the civil society, especially the youth, women and men running the South Sudanese indigenous organizations have decided to be in the field as early as possible to sensitize and sanitize our youths and communities and monitor the process of disarmament.

For this reason, we would not sit behind and wait for funders, who are also waiting for the same funds from their donors, but have resolved to move ahead of the donor money, if any. So we, civil society organizations of and in Jonglei, are hereby calling all the peace-loving individuals, NGOs and business companies to be our materials donors and turn up on Sunday with all kinds of donation and gifts in kind. This is a quicker means to get what we want the money for. We would appreciate if you come with whatever you can afford such as drinks, food items, medicines, airtime, torches and batteries, tents, bed sheets, vehicle and anything that will facilitate the peace caravan group to the “Tribal Conflict Triangle of Jonglei State”, namely Greater Pibor, Greater Bor and Great Akobo areas.

The second reason for making this Press Release is to warn our politicians from hijacking the process of peace and reconciliation of our communities and twisting it into self-interest projects. We have already received threats from a community involved in the Jonglei atrocities banning their member organizations from participating in Jonglei peace process. This notice, therefore, serves to inform our government, security organs and humanitarian organizations involved with us that we are united as civil society under the calls of our chiefs and commissioners but there are Juba-based politicians who are pushing in their own objectives, which we have refused, hence, they have declared to distract our missions.

Your present in this event in Juba would indirectly make your present felt in Bor, Pibor, Akobo and the rest of Jonglei counties.

Signed:

John Penn de Ngong,                                                                       John Chuol Mamuth,

General Secretary, JCSG  Org. Committee                                   Chairman, Org. Committee, JCSG.

0955 235 997 / 0977 368 888                                                        0955 081 513, johnmamuth@yahoo.com

E-mail: penndengong@gmail.com