Washington, DC, March 10, 2014 (SSNA) — The Alliance for South Sudanese in Diaspora (ASSD) would like to clarify and inform its members and the general public that there is no relationship or agreement between the Alliance for South Sudanese in Diaspora and South Sudan United Democratic Alliance (SSUDA) of Gen. Biel Torkech. ASSD Leadership has learned of misinformation linking the ASSD and SSUDA. The ASSD would like to acknowledge that Gen. Biel was part of the Nuer Community Development Services (NCDS) Emergency Team from December 16, 2013 to January 2014. Since the dissolution of the NCDS Emergency Team following the inauguration of the new NCDS leader, Gen. Torkech is no longer affiliated with ASSD activities. ASSD is membership organization whose mission is purely humanitarian and advocacy and legally incorporated in the United States of America where both Federal and State laws are observed.
In order to be an ASSD member, one has to register officially in order to be inducted into its ranks. ASSD appreciate the work done by the NCDS Emergency Team which Gen. Torkech was a part of but that relationship was ended by the NCDS new President.
According to a press release by SSUDA of Gen. Torkech, SSUDA was formed in 2004 while ASSD was founded in 2013 with the primary mission of humanitarian and political advocacy permitted by the laws and statutes of United States governing the Non-profit organizations.
In February 2014, ASSD sent Dr. John Kuek to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to represent ASSD in the South Sudanese Peace Talk and on his way to Addis Ababa; he shared a flight with Gen. Torkech and upon arrival, they shared a hotel room. However, that does not constitute a formal relationship between ASSD and SSUDA. We would like the public to understand that these are two separate organizations with different missions and objectives and are not in any way associated.
For more information, please call (202) 709-7322 or via email at [email protected]
Thank you,