Students Union Delegates call GOSS for Funds Relocation.

By Nyak Simon Lieth

President of South Sudan students union Mr. Thon chagai leading union delegates comprising vice president, minister for external affairs, parliamentary deputy speaker and three other officials urged the government to legitimately fund relocation of union projects.

According to president’s statement, on interviews with citizen reporters, he outlined two projects basically anticipating funding opportunity from the government.

“Our main purpose of representing our vision is the funding opportunity from the government of South Sudan. The union delegates represented these projects that facilitate the youth conference for the end of year under the theme: The way forward for the youth,” he said.

Funding issue was the major challenge experienced by union since the government had been giving one time support for the last triple of years.

President further explained, since union aims at students’ voice and unity where we are working in collaboration with various students in Kenya, Ethiopia and western countries; we urge the government
for consideration towards our project.

The union played pivotal role by empowering vulnerable students who have no support elsewhere. Mr. Chagai alleged the current policy of ministry of high education on what he term as “one time support and
failure to sponsor 2010 intake of university students, rather supporting the local investors.

“It is extremely embarrassing if students are kept at home; when they are not going to East Africa. Our youth were loitering on the streets regularly due to lack of employment,” Chagai stressed.

 Students annually graduated, yet ending up jobless. The government and international non governmental organizations developed negative attitude by ignoring these Southerners and only believed in
mere foreigners.

 People were employed according to what he described as “tribalism and nepotism” not work competence.

 Mr. Thon pointed out, my union works on the unity and welfare of the students. He urged the control government and states governors to allow the undergraduate and researchers to teach voluntarily
especially in secondary and primary schools as part of their intensive work researches.

“Student doesn’t need money. Appreciation can depend on you. The new nation has no qualified teachers for educational capacity building. We were eager to upgrade children, but the government was rarely recognizing us,” he complained.

 Thon urged the government of South Sudan to embark accountability and transparency in new nation; which will launch on 9th of July.
“If the nation achieves independence with tribalism and nepotism; such political propaganda will take us nowhere,” he criticized.

He congratulated the hard work and essential governance by the government within the six years interim period.
“It was your commitment. If you did not make it; South Sudan could have been turned elsewhere,” he explained.

Mr. Thon urged his fellow South Sudanese to maintain peace until 9th July. “Although Abyei people are suffering, dialogue shall be used as our main tool to normalize such human violations,” he stressed.

 Unity state clashes are part of Abyei that needs huge intervention. Therefore government should be the solution in any circumstance the nation encounters.

 Mr. President also said, students are facing many problems in Uganda.

Therefore he called upon the government intervention; to reach bilateral dialogue with Uganda government on students’ torture and in and out visa charging with constant fifty dollars on the way.

He said, South Sudan students are now contributing a lot to Uganda economic growth, but Ugandans don’t appreciate.

“Development sectors of sure state project aiming with theme of “ways forward” for the youth and
behavioral changes, health and sensitization of awareness to students and returnees, is our main objective,” the parliamentary speaker, Haak Madol added. “We are making HIV and AIDS awareness in Diaspora in order for students to protect themselves from such incurable disease.”

Haak comments, the government is supreme to reach any solution because there is need for justice and democracy in the new-born country.

He acknowledged individualism on reconciliation and memorandum of understanding in those controversial clashes. The union condemns the rebellion of George Athor and Peter Gatdet risking the lives of innocent citizens.

Minister for students’ affairs, Stephen Lubang, urged the whole nation to keep on praying for the issue of Abyei and other areas dominated by militia groups.