South Sudan at Heart

Street children in Rumbek lakes state are expecting bright dawn By: Abraham Daljang maker KAMPALA:   a good number of street children in Rumbek town, the capital of lakes state, is looking at the bright side of their lives as they expect government support and the development of their talents.   Rumbek town has an increasing number of street kids, especially boys 5-17 years of age bracket who leave their homes and come to live on the street of the small town where they live by scavenging for food in gutters and the leftovers in small restaurants.  Finally, they converge at freedom square, where they spend their nights on a dusty and cold football playground.  Due to hardship in getting food, some of these children have resorted to a dangerous game of pick-pocketing and snatching any valuable item they lay their hands on. As a result, they are beaten and seriously injured by the people to whom they take things. These children also drink cheap, locally brewed alcohol and b

I was caught up in a battle field and survived narrowly  By: Abraham Daljang Maker Any fair minded person would not do what I had done on the January 18, 2013 in Rumbek town. It was as a normal morning just like any other day; I was sitting on the compound of my cousin brushing my teeth, suddenly there was a loud bang of a gun short. This happened at a distance of a stone throw from where I sat.  Alas! It was a communal fighting between Ruop and Kueeth clans of the Dinka ethnic groups of Rumbek center. The cattle keepers popularly known as “Gelwong” in the Dinka dialect attacked themselves among the civilians in the suburb of the town. Bullets were flying like birds above everyone’s head, confusions engulf the whole town as women and children were yelling while running for their dear lives.   I also join the procession of the terrified masses but after a short distance; I decided to return so that I could witness what was taking place. Foolishly enough, I was neither a