I am greatly pained and deeply saddened to inform you of the passing of a true Plateau son,our brother, mentor to the younger generation, and a truly distinguished Senator, Gyang Nyam Shom Pwajok who passed on yesterday, 28th October, 2015 after a brief battle with complications from Hepatocellular carcinoma.
As a firm believer in the supremacy of God over every being and all His creation, I believe that He has set out for everyone, their time upon the earth. It has pleased Him to take Sen. Pwajok at this time; all we can do, is to thank Him and not question His authority.
As a detribalised man, Sen. Pwajok served his purpose through his sojourn in politics and his tenure in the Red Chamber by bringing together different people, divergent views and ideologieswith the sole aim of unifying all. It is for this singular cause that he lived and flourished to his exit. His greatest desire even in death; is to see Plateau people and the nation at large become one unified, indivisible entity.
I join Plateau people in praying that God give his soul recompense for the good he impacted on humanity and call on all well meaning Nigerians, Plateau people, and especially those whom his last call to duty was to represent in the National Assembly; to stand by the family and honour the memory of the departed Senator who sold himself to the service of humanity, country and State.
The family would inform us all on the details of the burial as would be agreed by them.
Thank you.
Sen. Jonah David Jang
(Senator Representing Plateau North, National Assembly)
Below is the signed copy of Senator Jang statement
The African Union (AU) has accused government and rebel forces in South Sudan of extreme violence since the conflict erupted at the end of 2013.
A commission of inquiry found evidence of killings, torture, mutilations and rape, mostly against civilians, as well as episodes of forced cannibalism.
However, it specified that genocide had not been committed during the conflict.
Tensions remain, with a peace deal agreed between the government and rebels in August repeatedly broken.
Tens of thousands of people have died and another two million people have been forced from their homes since the civil war began nearly two years ago.
In its report, the AU said the commission, formed last year under the chairmanship of Nigeria's ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, had identified perpetrators of violence from both sides.
It documented details of brutal killings, abductions of woman and sexual violence among other abuses, mostly committed against civilians who were not taking part in the fighting.
'Drinking blood'
"The commission believes that war crimes were committed in Juba, Bor, Bentiu and Malakal," the report said in reference to the key conflict towns.
Some witnesses in the capital, Juba, told commission members that they had seen people forced to drink the blood and eat the flesh of people who had just been killed.
Grass and leaves is all one family with six children has to eat in a village in Kaldak in South Sudan, as the BBC's Yalda Hakim reports
They spoke of seeing the perpetrators "draining human blood from people who had just been killed and forcing others from one ethnic community to drink the blood or eat burnt human flesh".
The report also said that mass graves had been discovered by AU investigators.
The commission is urging an internationally backed, African-led court to bring to justice those responsible for the violence.
Despite the seeming ethnic nature of the conflict, the commission said it found no reasonable evidence to prove that genocide had been committed.
'Limited violations'
Those who committed the atrocities detailed in the report should be brought to justice, presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told BBC News.
Image copyrightAFPImage captionAteny Wek Ateny, spokesman for the President, said human rights abuses were not government-sanctioned.
However, he said there was "inconclusive evidence" that his government was involved, and it was an allegation he "cannot accept".
"I'm not categorically denying that there are limited violations that individuals might have inflicted," he said, adding those responsible would be "brought to book". However, he denied there were any government-sanctioned human rights violations.
"It is not sanctioned by the government, it is the individual that might have taken the law into their own hands," he said.
He said South Sudan will form its own commission of inquiry to investigate.
South Sudan's elusive peace:
At least seven ceasefires agreed and broken since conflict started in December 2013
Nearly one in five South Sudanese displaced by the current conflict, from a total population of 12 million
Former rebel leader Salva Kiir became president of South Sudan, the world's newest state, when it gained independence in 2011
South Sudan has been at war for 42 of past 60 years
The United Nations has already accused the government and rebel fighters of atrocities and crimes against humanity, and says the situation has only worsened since a peace deal was signed in August.
The conflict was triggered by a political power struggle in December 2013 between President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his rival and former Vice-President Riek Machar, a Nuer.
But it quickly took on a bloody, multi-ethnic dimension right across the country.
The AU report seemed to dismiss claims that there had been a coup attempt by Mr Machar, instead finding that the unrest began after government-organised killings of ethnic Nuer civilians and soldiers.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will attend multilateral talks on finding a political solution to the conflict in Syria in Vienna this week, a government spokeswoman has said.
It will be the first time Iran - an ally of President Bashar al-Assad - has attended such a summit with the US.
Representatives of Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey will also attend the talks.
Earlier, the US said an invitation had been extended to Iran - a move Syria's Western-backed opposition questioned.
Meanwhile, Russia said its aircraft had struck 118 "terrorist" targets in Syria over a 24-hour period - a new record - as a result of what its defence ministry said was new intelligence.
The main round of talks on Syria is expected to take place on Friday, but diplomats say some preparatory meetings could happen on Thursday evening.
"We have reviewed the invitation, and it was decided that the foreign minister would attend the talks," Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said.
Egypt and Iraq also confirmed they had accepted invitations to the meeting.
BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says that while the US is certainly not welcoming Iran to the Syria talks, it will now tolerate Tehran's involvement.
Image copyrightReutersImage captionThe war in Syria has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced about 11 million
Iran's Fars news agency said Mr Zarif had discussed participation in the Vienna talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by phone on Tuesday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told reporters that Russia wanted a "widening of the dialogue" on Syria.
Iran is believed to have spent billions of dollars over the past four years propping up President Assad's government, providing military advisers and subsidising weapons.
However, Syria's political opposition has warned that Iran's involvement will only complicate the meeting in Vienna.
Both Iran and Russia - another ally of President Assad - have recently stepped up their military role in the Syrian conflict.
Image copyrightReutersImage captionIran is believed to have influenced Hezbollah's decision to send fighters to Syria
Iran has long acknowledged sending military advisers to Syria, but has denied the presence of any ground forces.
Despite that, unconfirmed reports earlier this month said that hundreds of Iranian troops had arrived in Syria.
They were reported to be joining government forces and fighters from the Lebanese Shia Islamist movement, Hezbollah, in assaults on rebel positions in northern and central Syria.
Russia began its military intervention in Syria at the end of last month, launching air strikes in support of President Assad.
Russia and Iran have insisted that Mr Assad must be part of any transition government and that the Syrian people must be allowed to decide who governs them.
The US has indicated it could only tolerate President Assad during a short transition period, after which he should step down.
Image copyrightAP
Why is there a war in Syria?
Anti-government protests developed into a civil war that, four years on, has ground to a stalemate, with the Assad government, Islamic State, an array of Syrian rebels and Kurdish fighters all holding territory.
Who is fighting whom?
Government forces concentrated in Damascus and the centre and west of Syria are fighting the jihadists of Islamic State and al-Nusra Front, as well as less numerous so-called "moderate" rebel groups, who are strongest in the north and east. These groups are also battling each other.
What's the human cost?
More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed and a million injured. Some 11 million others have been forced from their homes, of whom four million have fled abroad - including growing numbers who are making the dangerous journey to Europe.
How has the world reacted?
Iran, Russia and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement are propping up the Alawite-led Assad government, while Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the more moderate Sunni-dominated opposition, along with the US, UK and France. Hezbollah and Iran are believed to have troops and officers on the ground, while a Western-led coalition and Russia are carrying out air strikes.
Seven candidates will stand in Fifa's presidential election on 26 February.
The candidates are: Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Musa Bility, Jerome Champagne, Gianni Infantino, Michel Platini, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa and Tokyo Sexwale.
Trinidadian ex-footballer David Nakhid was not included on the list, despite saying he had submitted his candidacy.
The election is to find a successor to the suspended Sepp Blatter, who is under criminal investigation.
"David Nakhid's candidacy has been invalidated due to the fact he only received four valid football association nominations. Candidates require five.
"It is understood one national association nominated both Nakhid and another candidate. Under the election rules that would invalidate the nomination.
"Nakhid's camp are believed to be writing to Fifa to demand an explanation as to how and why he has been barred from running."
Who are the Fifa candidates?
Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, 39, is president of the Jordan Football Association (Full profile)
Musa Bility, 48, is president of the Liberian Football Association(Profile)
Jerome Champagne, 57, is a former Fifa executive (Profile)
Gianni Infantino, 45, is Uefa's general secretary (Profile)
Michel Platini, 60, is Uefa president and Fifa vice-president (Full profile)
Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, 49, is Asian Football Confederation president (Profile)
Tokyo Sexwale, 62, is a South African former government minister(Full profile)
Platini, the head of European football's governing body, is also suspended, but Fifa's electoral committee says it may allow him to stand if his ban ends before the election date.
Fifa and Swiss prosecutors are investigating reports that a £1.35m payment was made in 2011 for work Platini did as Blatter's adviser.
Both men deny any wrongdoing and are appealing against their 90-day bans.
All candidates had to obtain the written backing of five football associations under Fifa electoral rules.
Pictured, clockwise left to right: Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Tokyo Sexwale, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, Gianni Infantino, Michel Platini, Musa Bility & Jerome Champagne
Analysis by Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence correspondent
Russia's intervention in Syria has changed the military and diplomatic dynamic in the crisis and left Washington struggling to catch up.
Whatever the inconsistencies in Moscow's own policies, it has highlighted the deficiencies in Washington's approach - not least the collapse of its ailing train-and-equip programme for Syria that was largely going nowhere.
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter wants a more active US strategy, but this inevitably runs counter to the prevailing mood in the White House.
Barack Obama, after all, has cast his presidency as one that will withdraw US troops from foreign wars, not engage in new ones. There is talk of deploying a small number of Apache attack helicopters to Iraq.
That could involve hundreds of extra US personnel. But US success still requires effective local allies on the ground and they are in short supply.
"We won't hold back from supporting capable partners in opportunistic attacks against ISIL or conducting such missions directly, whether by strikes from the air or direct action on the ground," Mr Carter said, using an alternative acronym for IS.
"We expect to intensify our air campaign, including with additional US and coalition aircraft, to target ISIL with a higher and heavier rate of strikes," he said.
"This will include more strikes against ISIL high-value targets as our intelligence improves."
Image copyrightAPImage captionThe US says that it wants to work with partners including the Free Syrian Army
A US-led coalition began air strikes against IS positions in Iraq and Syria last year. President Barack Obama said the objective was to "degrade and ultimately destroy" IS.
Although President Obama has not committed ground forces to Iraq, the US has about 3,500 troops in the country who have been helping to train Iraqi forces and also have a limited combat role.
Russia started its own air strikes in Syria at the end of last month, saying it wants to help President Bashar al-Assad defeat IS and other extremists.
Image copyrightAPImage captionRussian air strikes in Syria have enabled President Assad's land forces to advance
Mr Carter said the fight against IS would now concentrate mostly on Raqqa, the militants' declared capital in Syria, and Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province in western Iraq.
He did not divulge the circumstances under which the US might carry out operations on the ground on its own.
"[But] once we locate them, no target is beyond our reach," he said.
Image copyrightAPImage captionIran is believed to have influenced the decision of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement to send fighters to Syria
Foreign ministers from the US, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are due to meet in Vienna on Thursday evening, a Russian diplomatic source said, with Iran possibly joining further talks on Friday.
Friday's talks could also include officials from Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for a "widening of the dialogue" on Syria, when he spoke to reporters on Wednesday.
Iran is believed to have spent billions of dollars over the past four years propping up President Assad's government, providing military advisers and subsidised weapons, as well as lines of credit and oil.
It is also thought to have been influential in the decision of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement to send fighters to Syria to assist pro-Assad forces.
Syria's Western-backed opposition and the US's Gulf Arab allies have long opposed Iran's role in the Syrian war.
BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says that while Washington is certainly not welcoming Iran to the Syria talks, it will now tolerate Tehran's involvement.
Image copyrightAP
Why is there a war in Syria?
Anti-government protests developed into a civil war that, four years on, has ground to a stalemate, with the Assad government, Islamic State, an array of Syrian rebels and Kurdish fighters all holding territory.
Who is fighting whom?
Government forces concentrated in Damascus and the centre and west of Syria are fighting the jihadists of Islamic State and al-Nusra Front, as well as less numerous so-called "moderate" rebel groups, who are strongest in the north and east. These groups are also battling each other.
What's the human cost?
More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed and a million injured. Some 11 million others have been forced from their homes, of whom four million have fled abroad - including growing numbers who are making the dangerous journey to Europe.
How has the world reacted?
Iran, Russia and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement are propping up the Alawite-led Assad government, while Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the more moderate Sunni-dominated opposition, along with the US, UK and France. Hezbollah and Iran are believed to have troops and officers on the ground, while a Western-led coalition and Russia are carrying out air strikes.
