Sudanese community members gathered Sunday to celebrate the second anniversary of their native country's peace accord while asking for more assistance from authorities and their countrymen in Nashville.
The meeting at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church near Oak Hill featured John Okech, the recently named South Sudan ambassador to the U.S. His discussion Sunday focused on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Muslim north and the Christian south that was signed Jan. 9, 2005.
The accord ended more than 21 years of civil war in the country.
"The CPA was born in what we call self-determination," Okech said. "The CPA is a wonderful document."
More than 8,000 Sudanese live in Nashville, one of the largest populations in the country, according to Nashville Task Force on Refugees and Immigrants. Okech called on those living in the Music City to help their friends and families back home.
"There is no civil service (in Sudan)," Okech said, emphasizing the need for English teachers. "It will take people like you to put it right."
More visibility sought
Those in attendance agreed, although many argued that they needed to first increase their political power and their visibility in their own communities in order to help those in Sudan.
"These are 8,000 people living in Nashville; these are 8,000 voters," South Sudan parliament member Betty Ugwaro told former state Sen. Bill Owen of Knoxville, who was in attendance.
"It is the duty of the mayor and the senators of this area to see that they work to improve the lives of these 8,000 voters who are already here."
Along with Ugwaro, many in attendance saw the dignitaries' visit as an opportunity to raise awareness of the Sudanese population in the Music City.
"We don't want to limit our privileges here but instead help those still suffering in Africa," said Angelo Gola, treasurer of the Sudanese Community Association of Tennessee.
Gola, along with several others, proposed a Sudan consulate for Nashville.
"It will help bring us together and unite the Sudanese," said Atilio Okot, who has lived in Nashville for 11 years.
"We have been educated here and we want to transfer our skills back home to invest (in Africa). We could use it as an information powerhouse."
