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SOUTH SUDAN / BURNT TUKULS
SCRIPT: SOUTH SUDAN / BURNT TUKULS
TRT: 03:28
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTION: NONE
LANGUAGES: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 23 JANUARY 2018, MBARA, SOUTH SUDAN / 24 JANUARY 2018, KOTOBI, SOUTH SUDAN
24 JANUARY 2018, KOTOBI, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Wide shot, In the background of burnt hut, children walking past/In foreground destroyed lantern
2. Various shots, burnt hut
4. Various shots, burnt items in homestead
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Juan Tebriwa, Displaced resident of Kotobi:
“The houses we left here behind in Kotobi were burnt. When we arrived, we were given some tents. They all got damaged by the sun. Now we are just in the bush sleeping under mango trees. Children are living under fear. There is no one here to help us build a house. My husband has died, but we are just staying here in Kotobi.”
6. Various shots, burnt brick houses
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced resident of Kotobi:
“Last year, we run to the bush, and now the government has called us to return, but our houses are all burnt. There in the bush we have cultivated, and we are staying near our crops, which we are guarding from the birds, because the birds also eat. Now they are calling us to come home, and if we come back, we will not have our crops, even a little for the porridge for the children.”
8. Wide shot, Geoffrey Omon, Mission Team Leader, speaking to local administrator
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Goeffrey Omon, Mission Team Leader, UNMISS
“We noted that, because the civilians were displaced, they were unable to protect some of their tukuls (huts). The wildfire came and burnt down a number of tukuls in this location. Now if the civilians are to return to their places of origin or their homes, they need to start from the basics, and they are appealing to the humanitarians for humanitarian assistance. This is something that we shall take with us to Yambio and share with all the partners or stakeholders in Yambio, so that we all contribute to this situation.”
23 JANUARY 2018, MBARA, SOUTH SUDAN
10. Various shots, intact homestead with granary
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nadia, Mbara Resident
“All the remaining items we had like sorghum, sesame and cooking utensils, even our clothes were taken. Now we came back and are living with fear. The armed people come and want us to cook for them. Even the food we have is not enough to share with our children.”
12. Various shots, children seated on chopped tree branches
Children playing outside this homestead may not comprehend the magnitude of the destruction wreaked on their homes by the wildfires or why they now have to live in the bush.
Their parents though are devastated by the loss of their homestead. There is nothing to salvage. Everything is gone – burnt to the ground.
A couple of months ago, armed conflict in Kotobi, about 170 kilometers to the north–west of South Sudan’s capital Juba, resulted to hundreds fleeing into the bush.
A recent calm in the area has resulted in anxious residents returning to see if they can settle back in their homes.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Juan Tebriwa, Displaced resident of Kotobi:
“The houses we left here behind in Kotobi were burnt. When we arrived, we were given some tents. They all got damaged by the sun. Now we are just in the bush sleeping under mango trees. Children are living under fear. There is no one here to help us build a house. My husband has died, but we are just staying here in Kotobi.”
Many of those who have come back are reluctant to return permanently given the widespread damage.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced resident of Kotobi:
“Last year, we run to the bush, and now the government has called us to return, but our houses are all burnt. There in the bush we have cultivated, and we are staying near our crops, which we are guarding from the birds, because the birds also eat. Now they are calling us to come home, and if we come back, we will not have our crops, even a little for the porridge for the children.”
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) patrols conflict-affected areas across the country as part of its mandate to protect civilians. It shares information about humanitarian concerns like those in Kotobi with its partners so they can provide assistance.
SOUNDBITE (English) Goeffrey Omon, Mission Team Leader, UNMISS:
“We noted that, because the civilians were displaced, they were unable to protect some of their tukuls (huts). The wildfire came and burnt down a number of tukuls in this location. Now if the civilians are to return to their places of origin or their homes, they need to start from the basics, and they are appealing to the humanitarians for humanitarian assistance. This is something that we shall take with us to Yambio and share with all the partners or stakeholders in Yambio, so that we all contribute to this situation.”
While some resident’s homes survived the wildfire, they are still suffering from the ongoing conflict with their food and other goods often being stolen from them.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nadia, Mbara Resident:
“All the remaining items we had like sorghum, sesame and cooking utensils, even our clothes were taken. Now we came back and are living with fear. The armed people come and want us to cook for them. Even the food we have is not enough to share with our children.”
While the constant fear of violence and their desire for durable peace is important for these families like all South Sudanese, they yearn for much simpler things, like a roof over their heads and enough to eat.
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