Profile, Peter Lam Both: walking the terrains of life in an inspiring journey (PART I & II)

Both's story is that of courage, persistence, perseverance, hardwork, and hope. Those values coupled with his willingness to make the impossible become possible enabled him to surmount the hills and mountains in the terrains of life in order to attain the level that would only be attained by those with the fortune of being born and raised in prosperous and peaceful countries.Both's story like other untold inspiring stories of Sudanese is one through which we can make a connection with and use it as a fuel to propel us to surmount many terrains of life.
I had known Peter Lam Both only as an SPLM Party and Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) representative in Canada. I knew none of the strings attached to his bow.

On a search for my school research materials in one of the libraries in Alberta in Canada, I ran into one of his books: "South Sudan: Forgotten Tragedy." On seeing the words “South Sudan" and its "forgotten tragedy" being recorded in a book published and placed in one of the best libraries in the country, I was curious to know who the author was.

So I adjusted my curious eyes to figure out the name of the author and identify his magnificent picture on the cover of the book. I discovered with sense of pride that the author was none other than the SPLM Party/GoSS representative in Canada, Mr. Peter Lam Both. The book was published in 2003 by the prestigious University of Calgary Print Press. The note about the author listed other titles published in the author's name such as the
"International Relations of Ethiopia: The Strategy of a Developing State" also published by the University of Calgary Print Press in 2004.

From then on, I have been curious to discover more about the man. So in an evening in earlier July 2007, just four days before Mr. Peter Both led the delegation of the SPLM party in Canada to an SPLM International Chapters Conference in Juba in Southern Sudan, I called him to arrange an interview appointment with him about his profile but I couldn't get hold of him on that day because he's away in Ontario attending to some SPLM's issues and issues of establishment of Government of Southern Sudan( GoSS)'s mission in Canada where among other things he was having a teleconference with the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Peter MacKay. So I called his assistant representative Mr. Felix Alfred Dumo who told me that Peter would come back to Calgary that evening and that he (Dumo) would go to the Calgary International Airport to receive him. I promised that I would call the following day since Mr. Both would come home exhausted for the day.

On the following day, I called Mr. Both again to arrange the interview. The phone was ringing and finally came a voice. After exchanging greetings and some preliminary hearty conversation, I told him that I called to arrange an interview with him about his life. With a composed voice, he responded, "Sure, but our life can make (library of) books, what particular information about my life do you need to obtain brother?"

I said, "Right, what I need is some fundamental information about your life especially to make a profile on the NewSudanVision.com."

"Sure, do you need to make the interview now?" Mr. Both asked in a suggestive voice that told me that he was ready for the interview right away; an action that shows that Both doesn't shy away from the media.

Excited and grateful for his readiness for the interview, I said, "Yes."
"Okay, that's fine. Are you ready?" "Yes." I said

His young kids were making some noises at the background. So he told me he would move to a different room. After moving to the room, the interview started right away. He talks with confidence and with a bit of moderated speech frequency to make sure that what he says is well articulated and meant to be said. Anybody who has been having the chance to talk to him discovers that he possesses a great art of communication and speaking.

After interviewing and listening to Mr. Both addressing an audience one day in Calgary, my friend Mading Ngor told me that Mr. Peter Both is "a great communicator" and added that Mr. Both possesses some of the best qualities that can make him "anything in Sudan." For sure, after going to the in-depth interview covering his life experience, education, and career, I discovered that Mr. Both is among the promising Southern Sudan's young Turks who possess the potential of making it to the top echelon of everything in Sudan.

Earlier Life in the Sudan

Peter Both was born in 1972 to Both Deng and Nyaweka Bol in Ulang County in the then Upper Nile Province now known as the Upper Nile State in South Sudan. His parents named him "Lam" according to African tradition of naming and he was baptized as "Peter" according to Christian tradition. This makes his names in full go as Peter Lam Both Deng. But because of what veteran Sudanese journalist and author, Jacob J. Akol calls the "insidious exile" (which harms the African way in which we are identified in our traditional setting especially back in the villages", Mr. Both officially uses his Christian name as his first name and his father's name as his last name cutting off his grandfather's name and making his African given name a mere initial.

Peter spent part of his earlier life in Ulang County until the North - South war dubbed “Sudan Second Civil War” broke out in 1983. Before the war, life was what it meant to be, given the fact that the Addis Abba Accord signed in 1972; (the year Peter was born) had ended the first civil war giving the country a new leave of life. Although the relative peace had ended the bloodshed, Khartoum was brewing dirty politics leading to the abrogation of the Addis Abba Accord which resulted in plunging the country back to war.

A few days after the first bullet of war was fired by Karubino Kwanyin de Bol in the Town of Bor, Dr. John Garang de Mabior, the then leader of the Underground Movement and the would be leader of the SPLM/SPLA was passing through Ulang County with his family in a four wheel car but his car had one of its wheel burst and became flat at the backyard of the then eleven year old Peter Both's homestead. Mr. Both's family informed the then Ulang Chief, Mr. Pathot Lual about the breakdown of Dr. Garang's car. Chief Pathot Lual asked who Dr. Garang was and he was told that Dr. Garang was the leader of revolution that started a few days back in Bor. Having been conversant with the revolution that was then going underground, Chief Pathot Lual swiftly ordered his men to carry Dr. Garang's kids on their shoulders to the Ethiopian border while Dr. Garang and his wife Madam Rebecca walked on foot to the Ethiopian border.

Dr. Garang's car was left at the backyard of young Both's homestead. The car was discovered as Garang's car by the then Islamic Government of Sudan who were in hot pursuit of him. So the government operatives started interrogating and torturing the people in the village right from Mr. Both's family in order to disclose where they had hidden Garang. But the innocent civilians replied that Garang was there but he left the village and no matter how much they were tortured, there would be nowhere they could bring Garang. From that incident, Mr. Both saw first hand the brutalities the Islamic Government of Sudan had been inflicting on the Southern Sudanese. The government had to shell the village for a while and life became a nightmare for everybody in the village. Apart from the shelling, torture, and interrogation, the government closed indefinitely the school where young Both had been going.

Journey into Ethiopia

At the peak of the war in Sudan in1986, young Peter Both left Ulang County for Ethiopia and became a refugee in Itang Refugees Camp where most of the Sudanese refugees were at the time. Having escaped the brutalities of war in Sudan with the skin of their teeth (with nothing), life passed Sudanese refugees through “baptism of fire” and young Both was of no exception.

In the camp, Both joined the SPLA red army at the age of 14 but because of being too young to be in the army, he and others of his age were told to go to school. The schools in Ethiopia were in Amharic system from grade one to grade six. English system which was the only one familiar to Mr. Both was introduced into the school system in grade seven. Mr. Both had gone to English school for grade one to three in Ulang Primary School in Sudan from 1980 to 1983.

The Ethiopian school system being in Amharic from grade one to grade six left Mr. Both with two choices. He could either go back to square one or jump grades four, five, and six from grade three and go to grade seven which was in English system. But going to grade seven was not on a silver platter. One had to pass entrance examinations in order to go to grade seven and given the fact that Mr. Both had only grade three knowledge, chances of passing to go to grade seven were very slim. But with an intelligent mind coupled with the willingness and courage to make the impossible become possible, Mr. Both took the option of trying his hand at the entrance exams to go to grade seven. He sat for the entrance examinations with 200 candidates and emerged victorious among 50 candidates who had passed the exams. Having passed the entrance exams Both joined Itang Junior Secondary School in grade seven in 1986. In 1988, he sat for Ethiopian National Exams passing with 97% of the marks. After passing with flying colours, he joined Gambela Senior Secondary School for grade 9.

In Gambela, there was no place for Both and his colleagues to stay. This almost ruined his dream of continuing his education in grade 9 but with the ability of not quitting the pursuit of his goal no matter what the circumstances had been, he had to try other chances. He and his colleagues facing the same circumstances of no place to stay had to go to ask the then Adventist Church Pastor in Gambela, Rev. Peter Pal Panom to let them live in the Church for at least two weeks until they built a house for themselves. Rev. Peter Pal Panom was a kind man, according to Both. He allowed them to live in the Church. Both and his colleagues had to sleep on the floor of the church and had to go to school while at the same time building themselves their own house.

After one month, they finished building their house. Six months later in February 1990, Both's determination and sterling school performance was recognized with a prestigious UN scholarship to study high school at the Ethiopian Adventist College, 250 kilometers away from Addis Abba.

In 1992, Both sat for Ethiopia School Certificate Examinations and passed with 3.6 out of 4 point scale. After graduating high school as one of the best, Both again garnered another UN scholarship to study Political Science and International Relations at Addis Abba University. On July 15, 1996, he graduated with a bachelor of arts in Political Science and International Relations from Addis Abba University with 3.25 out of 4 point scale.

In October, 1996, about three months after graduating from Addis Abba University, Mr. Both got a job with the UNHCR to work as a coordinator in the town of Mizan Teferi in Ethiopia. His job was to coordinate the UN assistance for refugee students between the World Food programs (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), and the Ethiopian government.

When New Sudan Vision asked him what his job with the UNHCR was like, he said, "This was the toughest job of my life because it involved being an administrator of 242 Sudanese students in the UN Boarding House in Mizan and supervising 7 local staff members who looked after the needs of the refugee students."

The reason why it was the toughest job of his life when the New Sudan Vision asked him was "Because Sudanese almost always never see their opportunities until they lose them ------- There was always ethnic fights among students in the house. But when I arrived, I disarmed the students of their knives and sticks in their rooms, placed tough regulations while at the same time improving the quality of their lives. From the time I was there, no fights ever happened because students knew the consequences of that." Within one week of his arrival Peter kicked out from the dorm 3 students who were the major architect of fights, but were always left in the dorm by his predecessor because of fear of retribution from their ethnic groups in the refugee camp of Dimma.

PART TWO (2)

Journey into Canada

After working with the UNHCR from Oct, 1996 to April, 1997, Both got accepted for resettlement in Canada as a Canadian permanent resident. On April 24, 1997 at the age of 25, he arrived in Vancouver in Canada. He lived in Vancouver for one week and after that, he joined his uncle Moses Malek in Calgary. His uncle Moses is now back to Southern Sudan working in the Ministry of Social Work as the director. In Calgary, Both worked from 1998 to 2000 as a resettlement counselor with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society.

In 2000, Both decided to go back to school. He joined the prestigious University of Calgary and changed career to study Social Work. After going back to school, his school schedule and his job schedule with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society coincided. So it became difficult for him to maintain them at the same time. Determined to make the goal of going back to school possible, he quit his job as a counselor but the responsibility and duty to provide bread for his family compelled him to go to school full time and get a full time flexible job in order to make ends meet. To do that, he got a job in a warehouse working at night and going to school during the day. Having already been a degree holder, his program at the university was reduced to two years. In April, 2002, he graduated from the University of Calgary with the Bachelor of Social Work Degree.

In 2002 after graduation, Both got a job as a Community Development Officer with the City of Calgary. At the same time, he enrolled for Masters’ Degree Program studying International Social work at the University of Calgary. Because the Masters’ Degree Program was lighter (half courses considered as full time), he continued to work full time as a community development officer and to do his masters’ degree full time.

In the Spring and the Summer of 2003, Both requested a leave from work and went to work in India to develop the capacity of the Durable Solutions Unit of the UNHCR in that country. He worked from May 2003 to August, 2003 as a durable Solutions Officer for the UNHCR in India and came back to Calgary, Canada, in the fall to continue doing his masters and his job at the city of Calgary. In 2004, he graduated with Master of International Social Work from the University of Calgary.

In January 2005, Both again asked a leave from work in order to go and work in Jordan in the Middle East to develop the capacity of UNHCR Durable Solution Unit in the region. He worked again as a durable solution officer there. While in Jordan, Both learnt that he had been accepted for PhD program by the University of Calgary. He came back to Canada in the Fall of 2005 to resume his job and to start working on his PhD. He has now completed his PhD class work and is now a PhD candidate. At the City of Calgary, he got promoted from being community development officer to being Social Planner, a position in which he is still working right now.

His determination to pursue his education goal has borne fruits. Now at age 35, Both has many strings attached to his bow. Apart from having been a social planner with the City of Calgary, he has been a lecturer since 2005 at the University of Calgary and the University of Lesbridge teaching International Social Work. He also lectures at Mount Royal College, teaching Community Development and Administrative Communication.

Both is the Representative of the Government of Southern Sudan in Canada as well as the SPLM Party country representative. In addition to the above mentioned roles, he is a father and a husband. When the New Sudan Vision asked him whether all these roles could give him a time to take rest, he said, “It’s difficult to find a time to take rest. I find rest only when I leave one job to do another one."

In 1998 at the age of 26, Both married Nyanuer, the daughter of William Nyuon Bany, the co- founding father of the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement and Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army (SPLM/SPLA).They have two children. Their first born is a boy called Deng named after Both's grandfather. The second born is a girl named Nyashade.

Both and Nyanuer's wedding was celebrated three times. One was marked in Calgary in 1998 by the couple and attended by the Sudanese Community in Canada. Another one was celebrated in Nairobi in Kenya in the same year by the William Nyuon Bany's family. The last one was celebrated in 2002 in the City of Nebraska in Omaha in the USA attended by over 1000 guests.

When the New Sudan Vision asked him what made one man and one woman wed three times. Both explained, "The reason for one man marrying one woman three times is because --- we are here in Calgary without our parents. Our wedding in 1998 was done in Calgary with the presence of Sudanese community here, but our parents were not here to attend."

He further explained, "The wedding in Nairobi was done in (our) absentia by William Nyuon's family after receiving the dowries they requested to have a wedding for us."

For the reason of the wedding in the USA, he explained, "Our wedding in Omaha, Nebraska was done there to honor my mother-in- law Saida Dak, who was in US at that time, but we could not go to have our wedding in US because we were not Canadian Citizens yet and we were denied entry to US. So we decided to have the wedding here in Calgary with the promise to our mother in US that once we get our documents to go to US we would have our wedding there. In deed on 20 July 2002, the day that the SPLM-Sudan government Machakos Protocol was signed, we had our wedding in Omaha, Nebraska USA attended by over 1000 Sudanese."

Peter Both is the author of three books. His first book is "South Sudan: Forgotten Tragedy" which was published in 2003 by the University of Calgary Print Press. His second book is the "International Relations of Ethiopia: the Strategy of a Developing State" which was published in 2004 also by the University of Calgary Print Press. The third book is his autobiography which he has titled: "The Difficult Journey" which is anticipated to be published also by the University of Calgary Print press in September, 2007.

POLITICS

When it comes to politics of the SPLM party in Canada, his name is ‘Dr. Mud” among his critics. His appointment as representative of the SPLM Party in Canada was controversial. After the director of South Sudan presidential affairs, Martin Majut Yak brought his appointment from the president of South Sudan, some of the Southern intellectuals in Canada wrote open letters to president Salva Kiir by saying that Mr. Both didn't fit because they said he was Majut Yak's "stooge who plotted with him to divide our SPLM supporters."

Also one of his critics especially in the SPLM diaspora forum have called him “one of the new comers in SPLM with different agenda” given the fact that he had been an SPDF member in Calgary before merging it with the SPLM in 2004. But Mr.Both has been dismissing those accusations and criticisms by simply stating that his agenda is to see that the SPLM remain united.

After suspending the executive committee of the SPLM Ottawa Chapter for not toeing the line, one of the SPLM staunch members, Mr. Arop Rou described Both's action as “dictatorial,” saying that he should have sought peaceful solution instead of showing muscles. But one of Both's supporters who declined to be named admiringly refer to him in an analogy as “an able captain that can sail to the shore the ship called SPLM Party in Canada.”

In referring to the point of being called a “new comer in the SPLM,” I asked him how long he has been an SPLM/SPLA member, and he said, "Brother, you know we have been growing up with the SPLM."

When I asked him to specify especially given the fact that there have been several factions after the SPLM split in 1991, Both said that he joined the SPLM/A in 1986 as a “Red Army.” However, he was quick to say that though he had been with the SPLM mainstream, he joined Sudan People Democratic Front (SPDF) when he came to Canada "with the view to bring the SPLM and SPDF together as those who used to lead the SPDF in Calgary were never interested in merging the two parties."

According to Both, after running for the Chair of SPDF in 2004 in Calgary, he was elected and after four months, he was able to merge the SPLM and SPDF in 2004. He said he left out those members of SPDF who refused the merger of the two chapters under the principle that they will "see the light later when the sun rises."

Mr. Both has been putting effort to make sure that Canada recognize the establishment of Government of South Sudan (GoSS) Mission in Canada as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). He said he had done his part in letting the government of Canada recognize the establishment of GoSS's Liaison Office and that “the ball is in Juba in the GoSS's court to make direct communication with the Canadian government to officially accept the establishment of the liaison office in Canada.”

In the past, Canada has been rejecting the officials of SPLM and government of South Sudan to come to Canada. Not only that, Canada has been giving the humanitarian assistance to Sudan war affected areas through NIF led government in Khartoum. In one of his struggles to let the Canadian government better meet the needs of the marginalized Sudanese, Mr. Both said that he asked some of the Canadian Government officials, "How can you help a victim through a victimizer?" He said if the liaison office for South Sudan is established, it will be easy for Canada to send humanitarian and development assistance through it instead of sending it through the oppressors in Khartoum.

Mr. Both is known for his remarks when the Canadian visa system blocked the officials of government of South Sudan from coming to Canada to attend the graduation ceremony of South Sudan's fifteen doctors at the University of Calgary last year. He said, “The Canadian visa system has an age-old history of discriminating those who fight for their freedom, but painfully allows the oppressors to come to Canada freely."

Peter Both joined some of the Sudanese leading activists in Alberta in Canada such as Mr.Deng Akol Leng in the fight against Talisman's role in fuelling the war in Southern Sudan. Talisman, a Canadian oil company, was by then owning 25% stake in the oil in Southern Sudan in which it was accused of collaborating with the NIF led government in committing atrocities against the civilians in the oil areas to pave the way for drilling. Talisman denied that its role helped the NIF led government in committing atrocities against civilians in the oil areas, but it finally gave in to pressure and has so far sold its stake to other company.

When the New Sudan Vision asked Mr. Both to exactly state his role in the fight against the Talisman in Calgary, Mr. Both said he was “centre and right of the fight against Talisman in Calgary when the majority of the Nuer Community in Calgary was silenced by the company by providing them with jobs to keep the community silent.” His interview tapes and challenges to the company can be requested from Talisman if they can make them public.

When Mr. Both was asked about what he considered his greatest achievements so far in his life having written books, gained incredible wealth of experience and graduated with several degrees, one of whom is a PhD which is soon to follow, he said, " The greatest achievements in my life are not the degrees or the work experience, but the ability to stand and persist on dangerous grounds. Once you have that persistence and perseverance, achievement then becomes a natural outcome."

Mr. Peter Both's life is an inspiring journey. His memoir is going to be published in September, 2007, a month away from now. It’s right time to prepare yourself to get a copy to hear directly from the horse's mouth.

Peter Both is a proud Sudanese as well as a proud Canadian. He speaks English and Nuer fluently.