Sep 30, 2021 — The Gawaar Global Leadership held its 2nd Annual General Assembly on Friday-Saturday, 17-18 September, 2021 through teleconference under the leadership of Deng Elijah Hon, President of the Gawaar Global Community and Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in Canada; Rebecca Nyareat Mar Bol, Deputy President of the Gawaar Global Community and Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in Australia; and Mai Biel Nyak, Secretary General of the Gawaar Global Community and Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in the United States of America.
The conference was attended by Kueth Johnson Palet, Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in Juba, South Sudan; Simon Jimma Gew, Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in Ethiopia; Gatjiath Gak Paul, Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in Egypt; Duol Michael Diew, Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in Nairobi, Kenya; Chieng Banypieny Wol, Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Settlement, Kenya; Tap Yohanis Chawuoi, Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association of West Nile Region(Rhino Refugee Camp, Arua), Uganda; and Chuol Biel Buom, Chairperson of the Gawaar Community Association in Kampala, Uganda;
Also in attendance were Emmanuel Gawaar Paul Gatnor, former Chairperson of the Gawaar Youth Association in Juba, South Sudan and current Chairperson of the Ayod Flood Response Initiative(AFRI); Paul Gatnor Chuol, Secretary General of the Gawaar Community Association in Canada; and Lony Chuol Tut, Secretary General of the Gawaar Community Association in Australia.
After lengthy briefings from all the chairpersons on the achievements, challenges and grievances facing the community in each country, refugee camp and settlement , extending back to the last General Assembly, October 10th, 2020, and after extensive deliberations that lasted almost 8 hours, the leadership of the Gawaar Global Community made the following resolutions:
1. Recalled the Communiqué of the 1st Annual General Assembly held on October 10th, 2020 and addressed fundamental phenomena such as floods, insecurity, identity and reorganization of the Community in each country and continent.
2. Further recalls the decisions of the Gawaar Global Leadership to organize fundraisings, sport, cultural and educational activities to advance common interest of the community;
3. Commends and appreciates leaders for reorganizing and restructuring the community in each country under one leadership, peacefully and harmoniously.
4. Called on leaders who are yet to bring their communities under one leadership to expedite the process without further delay.
5. Acknowledged that Gawaar Community Association is a non-profit, non-political, non-denominational and non-military community association that remains inclusive and accessible to all members regardless of their affiliation, indoctrination and orientation.
6. Commends and appreciates former Gawaar Youth Leadership in Juba, South Sudan, and Gawaar Global Community for organizing successful fundraising to support flood victims back home in Ayod County;
7. Furthers Commends and Appreciates Gawaar Global Community for supporting evacuation, and for funding treatments of community members who were caught up in various conflicts and related emergencies.
8. Acknowledged tremendous efforts by Gawaar leaders in Ayod County, Juba and diaspora to maintain peace and stability within the community and with neighbors;
9. Convinced that the recent fall-out within the SPLM/A-IO under Dr. Riek Machar Teny and Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual is a temporary political event within the wider political spectrum of South Sudan that requires political solutions and should never be used to jeopardize, rally or divide the community behind politicians and military leaders.
10. Urged all community leaders to adhere and uphold the constitution of the Gawaar Community Associations and abide by the terms and regulations;
11. Condemned the recent fall-out in the leadership of the Gawaar Community Association in Sudan along political lines and called on the chairperson and his deputy to denounce their divisive political affiliations and reunite the community without further escalations.
12. Affirms the need for the Gawaar Global Community to continue supporting larger community initiatives that are deemed to be in the best interest of the community without losing track of its vision2030.
13. Acknowledged the hardwork demonstrated by young intellectuals, who won merit-based scholarships this year in the persons of Nyapal Gabriel Duop Lam and Bejiek Joshua Lony to Canada, North America, and Nyadeng Garang Gill, who won scholarship to Costa Rica, South America.
14. Further acknowledges and commends those who won merit-based scholarships within Africa and the growing numbers that are graduating from primary school, high school, colleges and universities in East Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt in spite of lack of proper basic education in Ayod County.
15. Reiterates the importance of the special role of women in leadership and encourages the community leaders to support Gawaar women leadership and education.
16. Underscores the importance of social media and agrees to create community forums with clear by-laws and objectives under Gawaar Global Community that will be managed exclusively by the leaders of the community associations on all social media platforms.
17. Further reiterates that the Gawaar Global Community is inclusive of all the Gawaar Community Associations worldwide and everyone is a member; however, due to time zones differences, technology limitations and other underlying factors, its leadership shall be supervised by the leaders of the Gawaar Community in the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe until further arrangements are made
18. Agreed to organize sport under Gawaar Sport Association(GSA), Gawaar Football Association(GFA) and encourages youth, and everyone else who is capable, to participate in nourishing talents and building a vibrant community.
19. Called on Ayod Flood Response Initiate under the leadership of Emmanuel Gawaar Paul to efficiently and urgently disburse the most needed assistance with the little fund they managed to raise before the situation worsened any further.
20. Takes Note of the disputed Gawaar Youth Association elections in Juba, and calls on the electoral committee and contesting candidates to put community interests before their individual interests.
21. Commends the county leadership, especially the SPLM-IG and SPLM-IO, for rising above their political differences and for merging the two factions to work for the common good of the community.
22. Pledges to continue to consult and develop the website, logo, constitution, by-laws and policies to guide and safeguard the community.
23. Decides to remain seized of the matters.
For more information, you can reach the Gawaar Global Community through email at admin@gawaar.com or the leadership at dengsimon2000@yahoo.com
