Lessons Learned from South Sudan Protection of Civilian Sites 2013–2016

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Mary
Juba UN House PoC Site
25–35 years old, Nuer
On the morning of 16 December 16 2013, Dinka SPLA
soldiers entered Mary’s house in Juba and immediately
killed her brother-in-law. Mary, her two teenage
daughters and three small children were then taken
and walked for an hour and half to New Bongo (near
Bilpham). Her family was added to another group of
Dinka civilians and were waiting to see what was to be
done with them. Fighting broke out nearby and the
soldiers who took them ran to join in the fray, leaving the
group unguarded. Mary’s family and the other civilians
all fled, initially thinking to run to the forest. On the
way, a Nuer man who hid himself in his house saw them
and asked where they were taking their children. When
Mary said they did not know but were leaving Juba, he
told them to go to UNMISS Tongping instead. As they
were running, some Equatorians gave them water and
told them to follow other people who were also going
toward the Tongping base. They reached the east gate
that evening and were allowed to enter the base. Six
months later, Mary was selected to be part of the first
group that relocated to UN House to build the shelters to
prepare for the movement of other IDPs from Tongping.
The conflict has led to the loss of her father and eight
brothers back home in Adok, Unity, and every day Mary
feels depressed thinking about them. Mary requested
trauma-healing support for people in the camps who
have lost family members.
Mary requested trauma-healing support
for people in the camps...