November 12, 2015 (SSNA) — With deep sorrow the Thiang Nuer Community learns and would like to announce to all relatives, friends and colleagues the surprise and tragic death of Fangak County’s former Commissioner, H:E. John Matien Kuol Joc, which occurred on November 11th, 2015 in a Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Hon. John Matien first felt sick in Fangak and then he was taken to Sudan, where he had been attending further medication all this time until his ultimate death yesterday, Wednesday 11th 2015.
The last position he could hold was Fangak County’s Commissionership—from March 2013 through July 2015. He also diligently and physically participated in a fight alongside National Resistance Movement leads by Dr. Riek Machar Teny against Juba’s genocidal regime, a regime which has been mass murdering its own citizens since 2013 to date. Hon. John Matien, is a hero who fought both civil wars against domestic oppressive elites, so it is his physical body that will be missed but his contributions and legacy will remain alive forever. He married to four (4) wives, blessed with number of children, grandsons & daughters. Late Hon. John Matien’s elders Sons include:
All these and many others whose names undisclosed here are the gifts given to John Matien by God. John Matien schooled all his children up to University and Masters Degrees Levels. In fact, given the number of children, good quality of education the late John Matien had overseen, we can just say that late Hon. John Matien has really done his part and raised the nation.
In addition to this sad news, Thiang Nuer Community had also early this month lost a very young, talented man who was exactly at his late twenties. This is truly a very trying time for Thinag Nuer Community! A young and talented man, the Thiang Nuer Community lost was Mr. James Ruei Jal Riek, who suddenly passed away in Juba after a very quick and surprise sickness. That mean, two people passed away almost on the same day. Indeed, their sequence deaths will open a very huge gap within our weak Community because James Ruei was a young man who has not yet produced much and John Matien was one of Thiang Nuer Community’s prominent constitutional post holders. Thus, their deaths are great lost not only to Thinag Community but also to Greater Fangak and Nuer Community in general. God! Can you comfort Thiang Nuer Community in this trying time?
Lastly, the Thiang Nuer Community cannot forget to give thanks to all relatives, friends and colleagues who in one way or another supported Thiang Community and above all our especial appreciations must go to South Sudan’s Armed Opposition, the SPLM/A-I-O’s leadership. The Armed Opposition’s under the current South Sudan’s First Vice President designate, Dr. Riek Machar Teny had been providing all logistical cost. For instance, the late John Matien was picked from Fangak to Sudan for further treatment with help from SPLM/A-I-O’s leadership as well as the other things used in the process covering the daily basic needs. Therefore, the Thinag Nuer Community knows that it won’t be able to refund back all aforementioned supported it’s received from SPLM/A-I-O but Almighty God shall reimburse to leadership through invisible forms. Hon. John Matien shall be as a final point laid to rest at his home town on Friday13th 2015.
Finally, to all Thinag Nuer Community’s members worldwide: Let’s just comfort ourselves as we put our faith in God; because it has now become real that we have entirely missed Mr. James Ruei Jal and Hon. John Matien Kuol for good and forever.