Lessons Learned from South Sudan Protection of Civilian Sites 2013–2016
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71<br />
Six Men<br />
Wau Shilluk, a settlement site on the Nile<br />
10 km north <strong>of</strong> the Malakal PoC Site<br />
20–40 years old, Shilluk<br />
The six men came <strong>from</strong> a village south <strong>of</strong> Malakal, but<br />
they moved to Wau Shilluk when the fighting began in<br />
December 2013. They did not want to go to the Malakal<br />
PoC site as there is no freedom there and you cannot<br />
leave the base without being targeted. After four months<br />
they moved to Kwadok for safety as the SPLA-IO was<br />
trying to advance to the west side <strong>of</strong> the Nile River.<br />
Once the SPLA-IO retreated a couple months later, they<br />
returned to Wau Shilluk.<br />
The men took their wives to the Malakal PoC site in<br />
August 2015 due to a lack <strong>of</strong> food. They were surviving<br />
only on the leaves <strong>of</strong> the lalop tree and fish. They paid 50<br />
SSP per person to a canoe operator to sneak them across<br />
the river at night. The UNMISS river battalion then<br />
escorted their families to the Malakal PoC site. Now it<br />
is only 30 SSP for a trip <strong>from</strong> Wau Shilluk to Malakal,<br />
but before it was much more dangerous and so it cost<br />
much more and could only be done in darkness. If the<br />
SPLA finds you, they can either take all your belongings<br />
or place a bullet in your stuff and accuse <strong>of</strong> you <strong>of</strong> being<br />
a soldier. The men send food and dried fish to their<br />
families in the PoC site through a relatives, and they call<br />
their wives to go meet them at the Nile River to pick it<br />
up.<br />
The men said they will leave their families in the PoC<br />
site until peace returns, but they are worried by the 28<br />
state decree by President Kiir. Unless that decision is<br />
reversed, the men predict that there will be renewed<br />
fighting. If there is peace, they will return to their village,<br />
but if they hear there will be war they will first move the<br />
women and children in Wau Shilluk away and then the<br />
men will join Olony to fight for their land rights. People<br />
are expecting to return to where they are <strong>from</strong> when<br />
there is peace, including those <strong>from</strong> the east side <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Nile.
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