Garang Kuot, organizer of the South Sudanese conference, poses for a portrait outside his home in Calgary on Friday, November 11, 2022 (Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia)
Hundreds of South Sudanese Albertans are heading to Calgary this weekend to discuss how they can better help their community that has been hit hard by a wave of deaths since the start of COVID-19.
Garang Kuot, a community leader from Calgary, said approximately 350 people from across the province will be attending the South Sudanese Healing and Reconciliation Conference this weekend in southeast Calgary to discuss ways they can empower their community to tackle a variety of issues including mental health concerns, drug abuse and violence.
“Enough is enough. Let’s sit down and talk,” said Kuot. “There are issues around mental health, issues around gun violence, issues around family disintegration, issues around homelessness, issues around unemployment, and a whole host of other things.”
There are approximately 18,000 people of South Sudanese descent living in Alberta. Kuot said much of that population immigrated to Canada amid a civil war in their northeast African home. He said backdrop has led to division and isolation within the community.
“We are isolated from the system. There are support mechanisms, but our community does not have access to them because of this disconnection,” said Kuot. “That has resulted in all these problems.”
Kuot said there have been over 50 deaths, from a variety of causes, within the South Sudanese community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of those deaths have been high profile, including the slayings of Cody Akoar and Kuanyliet Kogalt in Dec. 2020, the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Jal Acor Jal and the death of Latjor Tuel, who was shot and killed by a CPS officers earlier this year.
Kuot said this weekend’s conference will see the community come together and create resolutions. He said solutions will need to come from within the community, but that they need to be empowered by lawmakers from various levels of government.
“By living this way, it is only going to get worse,” said Kuot. “Because people have now realized our current situation is not working, it is not sustainable.”
Dr. Mawien Akot, a leader with Edmonton’s South Sudanese community, said they have been losing two to three young people every month over the past several years to a variety of issues. He said this weekend’s conference at the Glenmore Inn will be a chance to discuss openly issues such as trauma, fragmentation and how to integrate with support in the community. He said it will also give them a chance to bring forward resolutions and get a better idea of the demographics making up the community.
“Many of us ran away from Civil War and came to places like Calgary and Edmonton or other parts of the western world. It was not out of fear for our lives, but was to look for a better opportunity for the children,” said Akot. “Now we come here and we are losing these children, two to three every month as we speak.”
Akot said the conference will also allow the community to come together and leave divisions that began in their home country back in South Sudan.
Kuot and Akot both said they expect a number of local politicians to attend and that they will be able to speak with them and let them know the community is hurting and need assistance.
The conference is scheduled to run Saturday and Sunday.
Newer articles:
- ‘We really need help:’ Alberta’s South Sudanese community holds conference to address issues impacting their members - 14/11/2022 05:24
- Inter-community clashes leave five dead in South Sudan - 14/11/2022 01:06
- Australia: Team 'Greece' defeats 'Italy' 2-0 in All Nations Cup Semi Final; faces South Sudan in finals - 14/11/2022 00:04
- EAC Speakers want their association recognised in the region - 14/11/2022 00:02
- Sudan: Thousands of Islamism supporters march against UN - 14/11/2022 00:02
Older news items
- ‘White rebel’ label for journalist killed in South Sudan angers US - 12/11/2022 09:33
- Kinshasa, Kigali row spells trouble for regional economic recovery - 12/11/2022 00:20
- Gambia: Chief Justice receives high-level delegation from South Sudan - 11/11/2022 06:51
- South Sudan sets target of reducing malaria deaths by 80 pct by 2025 - 11/11/2022 05:00
- IFOR International Conference in South Sudan - 11/11/2022 04:28
Latest news items (all categories):
- The power struggles among South Sudan’s political leaders are the direct cause of its ongoing conflict - 11/07/2026 14:03
- Celebrating Independence In The Midst Of Sorrow - 11/07/2026 13:41
- South Sudan resumes oil-backed financing - 11/07/2026 13:33
- Press statement: Strive For National Unity In Honor Of South Sudan's Independence - 10/07/2026 21:23
- Fifteen years of independence for South Sudan, but still little to celebrate - 10/07/2026 21:23
Random articles (all categories):
- Qatari-Sudanese runner Abdalelah Haroun dies at 24 - 26/06/2021 06:25
- Sudan accuses South Sudan of aiding rebel attacks - 01/03/2012 10:44
- South Sudanese rebels free three foreign oil workers - 30/03/2017 17:32
- South Sudan Monthly Refugee & Asylum Seekers Statistical Dashboard as of 31 March 2025 - 24/04/2025 16:18
- The way to peace begin with healing and transformation of South Sudan’s children - 31/01/2019 05:40
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 147762 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 27842 times
- Top 10 weakest currency exchange rates in Africa in 2023 - 19/07/2023 00:24 - Read 24933 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 24253 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 22162 times
