By: Peter Owar Okello (Nairobi – Kenya)
In
this world we live, every individual has a story to tell… but some of these
stories are not mere stories but are facts. Ever
Earth, heaven knows that South Sudanese had been
in search for a better ground to find where they
reasons South Sudanese had not stopped searching
guess for one reason out of thousands, there has
“The an ending Journey”
I
since the creation of this marginal
wondering roaming around the world
can lay their heads. For thousand
for place to get a peace of mind. I
been only one chorus… and this was
talked to one of the oldest refugee in kakuma camp (John Lokololomoy) and this is
what he called “the truth of reality.”I was sleeping in one of our old hut… all
over a sudden a gun shot and several other follows. It was not clear who attacked us
but what I do know are the Arabs militias from Khartoum probably but who cares
whether the world was coming to an end, he said. Kill them! Kill them, burn there
houses down if they are still inside shouted one of the rebel army commander. All I
could do is to run for my dear life leaving all my belongings.
People say that “A journey of thousand miles always starts with one step.” and I
think that they are right. In 1991 I remember was the blue day of my life. I declared
a journey and took safe haven in Ethiopia in place called Pinyudo. Thousands of
refugees were already there. Pochalla a county in Jonglei state was captured by Arabs
rebels by then and we were forced to evacuate Pinyudo and run all the way to Boma
which took us about two months. We leave Boma after few days and went to Nairus
through kapoeta. In around June 1992, I am not cock sure as I was not educated by
then, another attack was launched at night when a plane called “Antinope” hit us
with heavy bombs. Our houses were burned to ashes, many people lost their lives and
properties as well. I thought what happened to me in my village had ended, not
knowing that many undoubtful scenarios are still following us all the way.
On that marginal night I remember we run and cross the boarder through Nadapal to
Lokichogio in Kenya. We were welcomed and people who called themselves UN helped us
and gave us some food, water, medication and shelters. We settled for few months and
later we were taken to this place which is now my home for over 20 years. I studied
in kakuma and in 2013 February I repatriated myself to South Sudan. Few months later
an attack occurred on 15 Dec- 2013 and that forced me back to refugee camp again
because life is like a golden plate. I guess I was born to become a refugee and live
as a refugee and may be – heaven forbid – die as a refugee, he vehemently concluded.
©UNHCR/F.Noy – Curtsey of UNHCR picture.
Since the creation, human being had lived a simple life where they do not have a
leader. But as Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778) putted it – “That before
existence of society, man roamed forests and live like animals. He drank from nearby
brook and made his bed at the foot of the nearest tree. This man of nature was
without speech, culture, and mature thoughts yet life was much peaceful.” This is
however not the case. Since then South Sudan citizens had faced countless problems
and now they can be nick-named as “the Victim of nomadic refugees”. They had never
settled in one place. All they do is moving from one place to the other.
Ever since the out break of conflict on Dec-15th -2013, more than 800,000 IDPs were
displaced as reports revealed in Juba. 8 UN compounds in south Sudan are currently
hosting about 75,000 and giving them basic needs assistance through other
humanitarian organization. Reports also revealed that others South Sudanese had
crossed the Nimule boarder to Uganda where over 70,000 refugees have taken refuge in
Adjumani, Arua, and Kiryandongo part of Uganda since the out breaks of conflict. On
the other about 42,000 is believed to have sought refuge in Ethiopia, 26,000 in Sudan
and about 18,000 in Kenya all rising to a total of approximately 200,000. The
numbers of refugees crossing the boarder daily is significantly increasing everyday.
According to official sources, most South Sudanese refugees who flee their country
since 1980s and 1990s due to conflict between SPLA and Sudan Defense Force (SDF)
where almost repatriated back to South Sudan in 2010. These people had lived in
Refugees camp for over 20 years and now they came back to refugee camp again due to
recent conflict.
Will UNHCR accept South Sudanese to become Refugees?
The United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees – UNHCR was established in 1950 with
a “CORE” mandate to protect refugees. This is a legal term referring to specific
groups of displaced people, but in today’s complex situation there are others
similarly uprooted groups or people on the move known previously as internal
displaced person IDPs, migrants, stateless persons or Asylum seekers. This is in
accordance to UNHCR statue. A refugee however in accordance to international
convention relating to the status of refugee – “is someone who, owing to a well
founded fear of being persecuted for reason of race, religion, nationality,
membership of a particular social group, or political opinion or outside the Country
of his nationality and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail
himself of the protection of that country”.
As far the above UN status, South Sudanese are definitely in position to be granted
as refugees. Ever since their arrival in to Kenya for instance kakuma Refugee camp,
they where accommodated in a new camp called kakuma 4 where they are given basic
needs. UN agency for refugees affairs in conjunction with other humanitarian
organizations like Oxfam, UNICEF, Safe the Children UK, ZOA, Film Aids international
among others are currently working in hygiene and sanitation, giving training,
workshops on gender base Violent GBV, sexual exploitation and Abuse SEA, child
protections, some are working with unaccompanied minors and also unifying those who
lost their families members.
Schools are open to them so that they can put their children in schools to study.
Mobile clinic and health centers are also in position for medications. So far there
are no much incidents of fighting reported but obviously there are problems feared
however the Dinka and Nuer still hate themselves. They are reports saying that these
two tribes (Dinka and Nuer) secretly hold meetings of hatred against one another even
in refugee camps. They finger point at one another as they coincidently meet on the
way within the camp. A great fear is that they might fight even if they are out of
their mother land and this definitely occur if UNHCR did not put smart measures to
handle the problem carefully.
Despite those who lost their lives during the conflict said Debora Abuk we shall
still pray for their lives. I believed that “A soul departed from earth is an angel
gained in heaven”, she said. I am very happy when I arrive in the camp. We got food,
clean water and a shelter for a while. It is not easy to stay in a Country which is
not yours but all the same God protected my brother and me until we reached here. I
know it is still very hard for those who remained in the country as it is not safe
for them at the moment. We hear there is fighting continuing in Malakal and Bor but
she said, “Oh God forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”
What is the Future of South Sudanese Refugees?
For those who lived in the refugee camps for many years, life is normal to them but
it is quite hard to those who recently narrowly escaped the death and arrived in
camps as visitors or refugees. As I remember what my grand father told when I was 8
years. He said, “Hope is the rope that he swings on everyday” but I guess it should
also be true that “Today should always be better than yesterday” no matter what
ever the course it may be.
There are always reasons to live with the intension of knowing that tomorrow shall be
better than today. Those who had lived in refugee camps before and when back to South
Sudan where more educated compare to those who did not lived as refugees. So in
refugee camps, there are schools for learning, hospital, health care, clinic for
medications, and free food for survivals, recreational activities such as sports,
scholarships were offered by UN, trainings and vocational schools are also among
other tangible available resources in the camps.
There are still heavy fights back in South Sudan especially in Malakal and Jonglei
State. As peace talks in Addis Ababa continues and the entire situation in the
Country is still not stable, there is little hope of going back or staying in the
Country. I presume that there are still more reasons to live in a refugee camp than
to risk someone life.
It is my prayer and it is indeed the prayer of those who lost their lives and for
those who are now refugees in neighboring countries and those who lost their love
ones, that which South Sudan shall one day come back to normal and all her citizens
will live again in peace and harmony as it was before. The two leaders will have to
realize that there is no reason in fighting and killing innocent civilians without
genuine reason. Because if they still continue with such tragic attempts, they will
indeed know that sooner or later the population of South Sudanese will be less in the
Country and hence there will be low level of human labor. It will be now or never for
them to realize that what they are doing is worst or we shall call it “Too little
too late”.