Meeting Minutes with Thowath Pal Chai at Mankato State University:

June 10, 2011

By Lul Gatkuoth Gatluak

The meeting is chaired by Gatwech Kong Ring. Right at the start, Gatwech call upon Pastor Nyaret Tot to pray. Before prayer, Pastor Nyaret encourages the audience to realize the importance of unity among themselves and bless the gathering.  After prayer, Gatwech took the podium and illustrate the help Sudanese are getting generally in America and Mankato in particular.  Subsequently, Gatwech began to recognize some few servant instructors, who devoted their time tirelessly in helping Sudanese Students to adapt into the educational system in Mankato State University. In a short while, Mr. Ring turns the Microphone over to one of his colleague Sayyid Gatluak Sysco to introduce one of the very best Dr. Gatbel Nyak. Wow!!  One became to learn that, while we are residing in foreign countries, we will absolutely learn differently. Dr. Gatbel was unbelievable. We really need people like him who utilize what they have learned and apply it practically.   Dr. Gatbel emphasizes the awareness of saving life before a patient could even reach emergency room. He educates attendees to demonstrate simple CPR whenever close kin involves in any issue that may lead to medical tensions such as choking, unconsciousness, and the like. Gatbel stress that” each and every one of us can save life one way or another and turn the medical issue that would have been too late and result in dying into lifesaving outcome”. Moreover, Gatbel warns the audience to be very careful whenever they travel oversea. He said “our bodies got use to American-food which means any food you eat while you are traveling will be foreign to your body; make sure you carry enough medicine with you when you traveling”. If it happen that you run out of medicine and you feel sick, don’t avoid using coals; coals are helpful, they help reverse the spread of stomachic and the wound, you can even mix them with water and drink them in that case if your stomach got upset, it would cold down. Also if you are having a diarrhea and there is papaya around, break the fruit and find its seeds, grain the seed and drink them multiple times a day, avoid overdose, after two days, your diarrhea will disappear.

While stepping forward, Gatwech Ring had again taken the mic and call upon James Dobuol Khat to introduce Mr. Gatwech Thach, another well articulated individual who run a nonprofit organization in Tennessee. Mr. Thach explains in detail how someone could run a nonprofit organization successfully and the stages of the adjustment to life in America started from early days of arrival. Thatch stress five stages of adjustment saying, if individuals had able to reach the fifth stage, their future had set, which mean they reach the world leadership level where they could be recognized internationally.  After finishing, Gatwech Kong took the mic again and calls upon Gonder Timothy Tongyik to come and introduce the honored guest of speaker Mr. Thowath Pal Chai.  Gonder said the following words.

Gonder, I am deeply honored to stand before you. It is with great respect to introduce to you Mr. Thowath Pal, Thowath is not ordinary person, in his youngster, has chosen the path of public serves.  He started as a youth leader, who works for years, and was promoted to District commissioner after being successful in youth organization. As commissioner, Gat-Pal and many of his colleagues worked tirelessly to create an educational system wanted everybody young or old to learn how to read and write their names. During his leadership, Gambella was promoted from being District to Region and Thowath became the first Governor of Gambella.  In his new post as Governor, Gat-Pal work to promote development and arrange for Anyanya two rebels to stay in Bilpam. Governor Thowath is known widely by our leaders in South Sudan. In early 1980, Thowath help our leaders again who came to form SPLM/A; it is my appeal to you to give him a credit for what he has done. Often time let us not forget to recognize our compatriot‘s contributions and thanks them for what they have done. Ladies and gentlemen stand with me in welcoming our leader Thowath Pal Chai! (Applause)

Thowath, Mal yien!! First of all, I would like to thank God for making it possible for me to be here. Second, I would like to thank the team led by Gatwech Kong Ring for inviting me to come and speak to you. (Applause)

                                                   I must first talk about morality and ethics.

Human beings are known for only three things, generosity, honesty, and the work they do. In school, you know Watts as the discoverer of electricity; however, the first person who discovered electrical system was Benjamin Franklin. He was also one of the framers to the United States constitution. What about us, has someone done anything great? You may take Latjor Dinyan who did not go to school and have a determination and a vision to do something magnificent. He did this for the benefit of himself and others. Latjor made a decision to immigrate to Eastern Nuer and did it successfully.

Among us, we have people who like only their kinfolks and do not associate with others; these individuals are like a computer that has not been program. (Laughers)

In Nuer culture, it is hard to accept somebody else’s achievement. That’s why when some of you who acquire an education go to Africa; they might be told their qualifications are fake.

During Haile Sallassie, there was a man called Jazmarch, he was one of Haile Sallasie minister and also a surgeon.  He should perform kidney transplant to those who need it successfully. One day, one American heard of him and flies to Ethiopia seeking kidney transplant. When he arrived Ethiopia, he directly went to the hospital. He found Jazmatch and other staffs in the hospital. Jazmatch told one of the workers who were a white lady to pretend like she was the surgical; knowing that the white man will disbelieve him. They put the man in normal and began to perform surgery. Few weeks later after the man was discharged and recovered, the lady call him for another appointment to come to the hospital, after they talk lengthily about how he feel, the man said repeatedly that he was feeling alright and doesn’t feel any pain.  Then, the lady told him that she was not the one performing the surgery that was this man Jazmatch, The man asked, is that for real? That why I am feeling pain in my kidney. (Laughers)

Our coming to cities had just occurred. It was an unplanned journey. Many of you went to refugee camps and leave their independency to become dependent, seeking assistance under the United Nation. You left everything you use to have and put your hope on gaining things freely. This is one of the causes why it is hard for you to come together.  We have different spirits. Both spiritual and evil spirits are fighting in us, that why if Gatluak or Lul said let do this, the rest may say this is not the way it should be done. We like objection, even if someone told you this is yellow, you may say it is green! Culturally, we use to walk naked. Even those of us who were in school whenever we go back to villages, we fall back into the same category. If someone give you a trouser, you would only carry it on your shoulder until when you are about to arrive your destination that when you may put it on. Furthermore, we have not completely had able to humble ourselves. If you have really able to humble yourself and recognize the right of others, others can take you to the next stage right to the national level. Each and every individual of us has their uniqueness. That is why brothers or sisters cannot do the same job. One of your brother may say, “I want to be a Blacksmith and another would want to be a farmer”; it because they choose those occupations. If you like to associate with people close to you by birth and ethnicity, you have no vision at all.

In justice, we are being judged. The reason why we are judged is that, we like to hide things and do not tell the truth. If you don’t tell the truth, you are like a gourd with no water that can float away. Those who tell the truth are like gourd fill with water and can stay still. One Ethiopian said, “Smoke cannot be put in a box, it would not work” we could not always carry lies; those who lie cannot be trusted.

In human society, 99.99 % are not decision makers! That is the reason why majority are followers. People need leaders, who direct them, without leaders, we would be like water without current. Being a leader start through universality, you have to love all people without boundaries and able to make decisions. If you take Germany unification into federated nation as an example, you may find that, it took Bismarck nine years advocating for that unification before making any major decision.  After those long nine years, Bismarck made up his mind and  tell German people, whoever want Germany unity, let them come this side and those who doesn’t let them go other side, after that decision, it took him only six months to complete the unification. In us, there are inferiority and superiority conflicts, that when some people like to earn much money and want others to work for them and the rest want to get it for free.

There was once a man who was so hungry and urgently need some to eat, he saw one Ethiopian man with a food and say, may I have some? A man looked at him and said do you know how to get this; the hungry man said no, he said, “it takes very long time to make it ready to be eaten”.  First, you have to dig the soil with a spade. Second, you must clear all grasses, woods, and all the things that would make it impossible for the seed to grow. Third, you have to plant the seed and secure their growth.  Fourth, after they fully grow, you must rip them and prepare a place to stack them. Fifth, you must find a grinder.  Next, you must find coals to cook it with, and make it very delicious as you look at it; NO!!  I am not giving it to you; go through all the process I went, that is when you will be able to have something like this.

As you are residing here, you are facing with problems sometimes between couples. Whenever you are call to come and try to solve the problem, avoid asking golden questions in criminology such as what did he or she did to you. Don’t escalate the problem; they are couple just as you and your spouse are, tried to be very polite in all negotiations you engage in.

I am very happy that some of you have managed to graduate from high school and beyond. Don’t simplify yourself, as an educated, you don’t work only for people who know you, that why Dr. Bern is in Lebanon, he is not working with Sudanese, he work with whoever fall under the organization he is working with.

What is Nuer value?

Nuer values are that, Nuer like to respect all people and avoid being seen as dishonest. They like to convert others and incorporating them into their own way of life. They are also the only tribe after Zulu who did not been enslaved. A Nuer would avoid being recognized as a theft. This makes it harder for them to get married.  Thus, we are inherent our parents heritages; in Nuer culture, we do not married our daughters, we don’t take our children’s wives; there are many people who have distinct cultures. Some people can sleep with their daughters because when they die, they think the children they left behind are absolutely their flesh. Right now majority of you are leaving Nuer culture to identify with other cultures in Sudan that have fifty ethnic groups, who give you a mandate to do that? I must stop here and proceed to next topic which is leadership.

Now we talk about leadership. Most of the time when we talk about leadership, we usually refer to political leadership. Leadership starts when two people agree to live together. When they form families, they may think of building a village. A village must have to have a leader who directs their grievances. After village, they may build a Town, District, Region, State, and then Country. What constituted the government is its people and the nation is diverse within the unity. People who run the government form political parties where each party can fight for social administrative within the system and direct social responsibilities to one another. They find specialities to manage their affairs effectively that why we have scientists to critically look at how things should be arranged and why things are happen to be that way.  This is also is the reason why we have God, God himself is scientific. His being scientific is the reason why we have unchanged 24 hours. It never changes one to 25 hours; and that why you never tell God to extent the night so that you should sleep longer.

 Government may bring people who can carry out its mission, which is the reason why we have judges, business people, soldiers and so forth. If someone tries to damage the way of thousands, this individual must have to be eliminated. You need young people to protect the country for outside dangers. No government should be form without impunity.

 Sometimes people talk this is politic, politic is like a flashlight, and if you walk at night you may be able to see. You may not step on obstacles because you can see them. It is like politic; you have to know what you are doing and justify your mission. If you want to be a politician, know what you are doing, otherwise it would result dangerously; leadership is death and life. If you want to be a leader in any political party, make sure you are a member of that party who fulfill all requirements.

 How many parties are in Sudan, they are many, we have Gatluak Deng, Riek Gai Kok, and Dak Duop Bichiok as member of NCP others are at the SPLM and so forth; be a member of the party by knowing its principles. Don’t joint party because you are following somebody. Even in the church, you have to go through certain criteria before you must be baptized. Isn’t that right pastor? Pastor Kuajien answer yes, you have to be train first before baptism. If you follow Riek Machar or whoever because they are Nuer, you are wrong, follow someone by knowing party guidelines!  Do not support somebody because they are Nuer, for instance, you may say I be in that party because Lew Chang is a Nuer it is not acceptable; follow people for their political view. Due to time factor, I must stop here and answer any question you may have. Few questions were asked including, we heard last year that, government of South Sudan arrange a negotiation between you and Ethiopia and you refused to accept the plan why is that? Gat-Pal answer by saying, it is true talk between me and the government took shape, I didn’t agree because I would not be told this water is oil and knowing that it is a bottle of water. That is why I didn’t agree. In negotiation table, you have find common ground to meet at; I wouldn’t like it to be force into something unfruitful. Other questions were asked, but the above was the one that caught my tension. Lastly, Pastor James Nhial Ruei was call upon to close the meeting for prayer.

The above are the top think you need to know about Saturday meeting. I didn’t able to attend second session on Sunday, due to personal heavy schedule.

These are my observations; I take full responsibility for any error that may have occurred.

Respectively

Lul