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Flood continues to displaced thousands of residents in Bor.

Lek-yaak residential area in Bor – credited: MINGAKAMAN FM

Some residents left homeless and forced to camp at Bor town’s streets as flooding increases in the area.

Citizens described situations as alarming, and they called for immediate humanitarian interventions to rescue people affected.

Residents said most families took refuge at school compounds, Churches, and the open high grounds.

Much flooding in Bor town has forced thousands of citizens out of their houses after torrential downpour broke dyke on Tuesday.

Pictures of villages along with River Nile and Marol market circulated on social media show the entire town has been affected.

They said the flooding would overrun the entire town if the government and agencies fail to respond quickly to repair the broken dyke in the next few hours.

“Kids are being placed in a floating plastic sheet to float on the water, and if it rains at night and we don’t have enough plastic sheets, how bad would it be to us.

“This is what confuses us! If the government and the Partners have said today that they are not able to fix this broken part of the dyke then, they supposed to tell us to see our to do,”-” It’s coming from all the direction from Pawau, and it’s crossing the town, it’s all over-where do we go?.”—” And insecurity in another issue, we supposed to take our people to the old cattle camps, but where is the security. Now it’s hard to find where to cook only for the kids. It’s flooded all together.”-” We will be together to provide the food, we may try our best to protect our people this night, but how about what to eat, where do we get them” residents said.

The relief organization – RRC Director Gabriel Deng promised that agencies are preparing to start a verification assessment that would determine the urgent needs.

Deng explained that the water flows from two significant directors of the town, Eastern and the bank of the Nile.

“My message to Bor town is that the humanitarian community and the government stand in solidarity with you at this challenging moment, and we believe everything is going to be sorted out. So we urge everyone to bear with us, we will respond as time allows. Deng stated”

Gabriel adds, his office has requested the UNMISS field office in Bor to fix the broken part of the dyke, which pours much water to the town.

Bor town lies closer to the bank of River Nile in Jonglei state, and it gets flooded every year due to its flat.

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Chinese gold mining suspended in Ngauro.

Local mining in Ngauro area , Eastern Equatoria. Credited: SINGAITA FM

State government stopped Chinese gold mining activities which have been ongoing in Ngauro area in BUDI County.
The official says Chines mining company must stop their activities until the state cabinets formed.
David Eriga is the Secretary-General of the defunct state of Kapoeta. He says a new agreement needed between mining companies and Eastern Equatoria government.
Eriga stated that Chinese mining workers had been evacuated from Ngauro to Kapoeta town on Monday.
“Chinese and other foreigners national were brought to kapoeta town. They will stay here until the further directives and all the equipment that they could not take, remain with local authorities on the ground.

The previous agreement made when kapoeta was a state, but now we are back to Eastern Equatoria, which requires us to change the deal.
The secretary further said mining activities in the area harms the environment. And companies directed to cover holes created during their operation in the fields to avoid stagnant water, drawing of animals and people.

The Chines Mining Company is not yet to respond on the matter.
This week, five local gold mining workers survive after hole collapsed.
One of the survivors told Singaita FM that he and his friend went to the mining hole after a girl got about 124 grams of gold.

Peter Loboi said the mining is only the business that feeds his families.
The State government has legally allowed the communities to continue with local mining and promised to buy from local people.

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Leer’s residents warned of COVID-19 health risk

Some residents in Leer attended Covid-19 training.

The Humanitarians organization in the Southern part of Unity State have warned people for violating of COVID-19 health prevention measures. 

A National NGO said it trained community health workers to create awareness. The Universal Intervention and Development Organization- UNIDOR, a humanitarian agency operating in Leer, said ignorance of health preventive measures in remote areas has worried them.

This week the national ministry of health has confirmed 45 people have died dead of coronavirus, 2,200 have been affected, and nearly 1,200 recovered.

 NGO that is working in the Southern part of Unity State expressed grave concerns over violation of social distancing that will risk live of many innocent people in the remote villages. Organizations warned the state’s residents during the training of 42 community health promoters. The health workers trained were drawn from Dhornor and Payak payams in Leer County. 

Helen Madardo is the coordinator for UNIDOR. She said that “the training of health workers in Bomas and Payams will help deliver good messages about the pandemic to the communities.

Helen explained that the violation of social distancing includes local authority in the area. He said most of the people in Leer used to gather in the church. She stressed what I have seen is beyond, because youth are still dancing at night. 

One of the trainee Madeng Jany Diu appealed to county residents to take prevention measures seriously. He said coronavirus is “real”. 

Jany acknowledged that capacity building about the COVID-19 is vital to help them during public awareness about the virus.

 “More importantly, wash your hands all the time per day. Secondly, stay at home during the coronavirus, which was affecting people. And we must avoid social gathering”, he advised. 

Community health workers promised to sensitize the community and tell them to stop mass gathering during this coronavirus period.

“So we shall use different ways to tell those messages to them although they might not listen to us as a youth, we will use different methods to convince them so that they can stop public gathering.

In Unity State, six confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded last month, mostly at UN Protection of Civilians -POC were many IDPs sheltered. 

Coronavirus has killed millions of people globally and caused more severe effects on economic gross to many Countries.

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“My award signifies women’s effort to build sustainable peace in South Sudan”

Rita Martin Lopidia, Executive Director, Eve Organization for Women Development.

A Leader of South Sudan woman-led organization has described her nomination for women peace building award, saying “it signifies an effort women have made to build a sustainable peace that a nation should celebrate”.
Ms. Rita Martin Lopidia, a Co-founder of Eve Organization for Women Development, is among the ten finalists nominated for the 2020 women peacebuilding award.
Last week, the U.S. Institute of Peace announced the ten finalists for Women Building Peace Award. Among the nominees, five were from Africa. The award winners will receipt 10,000 US dollars during a virtual ceremony to be held on the 15 of September.
Lopidia said her award shows the recognition of tremendous work women has done in South Sudan. She said most of the news that comes out of this country is full of sad news, and it is time they get such excitement or recognition, it tells the world that not always bad things come out from South Sudan, she narrated.
Ms. Lopidia said women have always been a victim of violence, displacement, and conflict which she says is created by men. She said the problem of this country could not be solved by those who carry guns alone.
“Most of the time, people will say that man created the war, but women carry the consequences. This is the reality we see every day in South Sudan. I always tell people that most of our men go to war during this conflict, but the major responsibility is always left to women to carry”. Rita said.
The nominee expressed concern that South Sudan women are disappointed with the actions of some political parties who failed to fulfill their commitment to 35% women representation in government.
Rita threatens the parties who violated women’s rights in the peace agreement should not expect their votes during the general election at the end of the transition period.
“At the end of this transition, we are irate (women), and there will be an election. The way you’re treating women in this country, we will see ourselves at the ballots box, and we will know the parties that don’t support women,” she stated.
The revitalized peace agreement parties signed in 2018 stipulated that women should be given 35 percent representation at all levels of government in South Sudan.

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New town Mayor appointed for Warrap State

Warrap town Mayar , Wol Aleu Wol (left) and his Deputy Ms Nyaror Buoi (right) during swearing in ceremony in Kwajok. (Photo; Governor ‘s press)

The Government of Warrap state has appointed town Mayor and his two deputies charged to manage Kwajok town.

This is the first decree Governor Bona Panek Biar has issued after was inaugurated last week at the State Capital.

Mr: Wol Aleu Wol appointed as the Acting town mayor and his two deputies includes; Nyaror Buoi, First Deputy Mayor for administration and finance and Daniel Deng Agany, for Hygiene.

The Executive Director in the Governor’s office spoke to Mayardit FM in Turalei. John Aguek Ajing said the new appointed officials will work closely with the governor to address high prices of food commodities in town.

“’The new officials were directed by the governor today during the swearing to go and deliver needed services to the communities. They will monitor the prices of food items in the market’’, Ajiing said.

Kwajok’s town Mayor Wol Aleu Wol conveyed readiness to work with citizens and deliver them basic services.

He promised to improve the hygiene in the market and residential areas which he said need improvement.

Wol said his department will work hard to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and COVID-19. He discouraged random dropping of plastic bags, soda and water bottles.

“In the cleaning we wanted people to unite with us in order to be conducting general cleaning of the residential areas and market. It is because this work is for all of us not only the government. When you stay in your house, No one can advise you to clean your home, please clean your compound up to outside the fence. Wol said’’

He further stated to repair the drainage channel to allow smooth passage water.

“All roads within the residential areas which has holes or damage shall be repaired. We will dig water channel to allow the water pass through to avoid flooding. This will be done through local revenues collection. This is not a simple task but I and the team shall work together including the community to achieve our goals of development,’’ Wol added.

Mr. Wol Aleu Wol was the town Wayor of Kwajok during defunct 32 and reappointed over the weekend.

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Women’s representation vital at States cabinet’s Environment Minister said”

President Salva Kiir (Center) FVP Riek Machar (Left) VP James Wani (Right) others three VPs and Chief Justice sitting during Governors swearing-in ceremony. (July 1, 2020, President Press Unit’s photo)

The National Minister of Environment and Forestry has calls on the governors to consider the women and youth representation in accordance with the revitalized peace agreement parties signed in 2018.

Hon: Josephine Napwon, is a Minister of Environment in the Transitional Government of National Unity – RTGoNU.

She said youth and women are more active and can deliver services to the people.

Napwon appealed to the state governors that there is a need to select strong people during these three years of the Transitional period.

“My first message to the governor Louis Labong is the issue of 35% affirmative action for women. You should consider the women in your gov’t we have said a lot about them. In the states, they normally bring one woman if they want their representation, and yet maybe five are needed so this time around we want a lot of women to be in the gov’t.

 We want the women and youth we want the blood which is still action the old ones should first rest a bit we want this time the youth in the gov’t. This is a new beginning and we need to start with new people and new energy” said Napwon”

According to the peace agreement, 35% share allocated to women representation at all levels of government.

However, the Minister further urges Eastern Equatoria state government not to allow de-afforestation in the region.

Josephine Napwon Cosmos emphases that forest attract rainfall, control soil erosion and provide others benefit to communities and they need to be protected

She warned the people cutting trees to burn charcoal to resort to another work that can generate some income for their families.

Napwon said the state government should adopt a policy that protects forests.

“Am the minister for environment and forestry Mr. Governor the issue of destruction of forest in eastern Equatoria state is worst this the challenges that I have been getting all this time. Our commissioners enter the destruction of the forest, our soldiers left the work of uniform and enter the bush to cut the trees and I have been blamed. Inspector general of the army please advise your comrade to let them not cut the trees. I know the state in eastern Equatoria they supposed to preserve the forest and these are the challenges I have been getting all these years. She said”

The Minister made these remarks on Thursday during the welcoming of Eastern Equatoria state Governor in Torit.

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Citizens called on the new governor of Aweil to tackle hunger situation

Citizens in Aweil welcoming the Governor

Public in Northern Bhar el Ghazal state has urges the new governor to focus on ways address hunger that affect their livelihood.

They said food prices increase in the area and not everyone could afford to buy.

On Saturday Northern Bhar El Gazal’s Governor Tong Aken Ngor arrived at the State capital, Aweil with his accompanied delegation.

Community citizen express their views said government should bring sorghum with affordable price.

“For us, the main challenge is that there is hunger in the state, our people can’t afford sorghum at the market and we hope that our governor can look into this matter, there was some sorghum that was brought by the Government and we all saw them, but unfortunately they were not managed well so now the people are suffering because they cannot afford the ones in the market’ Citizens said”

The Governor of Northern Bhar El Gazal Tong Akeen Ngor promise to address citizens’ concern.

He said government will work with traders to overcome high prices in the markets “Before I came back to Aweil, I heard that there is sorghum shortage in the state so I spoke with our neighboring country and eighteen trucks loaded with sorghum were supposed to arrive in Aweil but due to the insecurity and poor roads, the trucks returned. But now I am here in the state, we will see how we shall enable this goods to come to Aweil. So the issue of sorghum won’t be a problem anymore.”

Northern Governor Akeen further urged the citizens to unite and promote peaceful coexistent at the state.

However, in another hand, Warrap state governor promised to end cattle rustling by renewing the functions of traditional court established to trail suspects cattle raiders and cases of revenge killing.

Hon: Bona Panek Biar arrived in the state capital on Monday July 13, 2020

He said several agreements to restore peace between Warrap and neighboring unity states were signed.

”One is insecurity with those whom sharing us border. We want to talk both sides to preventing crime people who want to across a border, and outside also no one can go there; we need people staying with peace. And all areas made disarmament we will be putting soldier there to protected people”

The governors of eight States in South Sudan was appointed in a Presidential order on the last day of June.

Among the governors and areas administrators appointed, only one female governor made it through.

According to the peace agreement the parties are require to implement women representation at all level. And 35 percent share were allocated to women.