SOUTH SUDAN / RELEASED CHILD SOLDIERS

Fourteen-year-old Nyichuoc and about 210 other child soldiers in Pibor are finally laying down their weapons in the hope of reclaiming their lost childhood, returning to their families, and making the most of new opportunities to reach their full potential in life. UNMISS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:23
• Production Date: 21 May 2018
• Asset Language: Arabic; English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN – UNMISS
• Subject Topical: CHILD SOLDIERS
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 2156586
• Parent Id: 2156586
• Alternate Title: unifeed190521f

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / RELEASED CHILD SOLDIERS
TRT: 02:23
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 17 MAY 2018, PIBOR, JONGLEI, SOUTH SUDAN

Shotlist

1. Tilt up, from feet to hands of girl child soldier
2. Med shot, Nyichuoc standing holding her gun, face not shown
3. Close up, Nyuchuic’s hand on her gun
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nyiachuoc John Ngayo, Released Child Soldier:
“Our relations with commanders was okay. Life in the bush was much better compared to the suffering being experienced here in some parts of South Sudan. We used to suffer without food. No one gave us food. So, I went to the bush with one objective, to destroy South Sudan so that it could be inherited by others.”
5. Med shot, child soldiers marching in, torso and feet shown only
6. Wide shot, child soldiers standing in formation
7. Wide shot, back, child soldiers sitting on the ground
8. Close up, back, child soldier holding gun alongside his head
9. Med shot, child soldiers holding guns whilst sitting
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Alfred Orono Orono, Head of Child Protection, UNMISS:
“It does not make sense for someone to say they are defending the rights of the children and that’s why they are fighting. Or they are defending the future of the children and that’s why they are fighting. Or they are defending the future of the country and that’s why they are fighting. You cannot defend the future if you are destroying the future because children are the future. So, let us work together, shoulder to shoulder, and make sure we put words into actions.”
11. Med shot, Child soldiers seated with DDR cards. Feet and hands shown
12. Close up, DDR cards
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Hamson, Ambassador of Canada to South Sudan:
“A definitive end to the recruitment and use of children will only be possible when there is an end to conflict in South Sudan - when there are no more armed groups recruiting children. In that regard, today, is an auspicious day for a release as the parties to the South Sudan conflict gather in Addis Ababa to resume the High-Level Revitalization Forum.”
14. Med shot, Canadian Ambassador handing former child soldier a DDR kit
15. Med shot, former child soldiers walking away with DDR kits

Storyline

Fourteen-year-old Nyichuoc spent five years in the bush as a messenger, cook, porter, and ultimately a fighter, before being released.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nyiachuoc John Ngayo, Released Child Soldier:
“Our relations with commanders was okay. Life in the bush was much better compared to the suffering being experienced here in some parts of South Sudan. We used to suffer without food. No one gave us food. So, I went to the bush with one objective, to destroy South Sudan so that it could be inherited by others.”

Nyichuoc and about 210 other child soldiers in Pibor are finally laying down their weapons in the hope of reclaiming their lost childhood, returning to their families, and making the most of new opportunities to reach their full potential in life.

Instead of playing, learning and having fun, these South Sudanese teenagers have spent their most precious years fighting as soldiers among the country’s warring parties.

They shed their military fatigues in favour of a kit welcoming them back to civilian life with books, pens, clothes and other essential items. Most were from the ranks of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army In-Opposition.

Many were recruited by force while others say they had no choice but to head into the bush to fight because their parents were killed and they had no other way to survive.

A former child soldier turned head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) child protection unit says providing these children with fresh opportunities is a collective responsibility.

SOUNDBITE (English) Alfred Orono Orono, Head of Child Protection, UNMISS:
“It does not make sense for someone to say they are defending the rights of the children and that’s why they are fighting. Or they are defending the future of the children and that’s why they are fighting. Or they are defending the future of the country and that’s why they are fighting. You cannot defend the future if you are destroying the future because children are the future. So, let us work together, shoulder to shoulder, and make sure we put words into actions.”

The challenge now is reintegrating the children into their communities and ensuring they can access education and jobs. But without peace across the country, there will always be the risk they return to fighting.

SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Hamson, Ambassador of Canada to South Sudan:
“A definitive end to the recruitment and use of children will only be possible when there is an end to conflict in South Sudan - when there are no more armed groups recruiting children. In that regard, today, is an auspicious day for a release as the parties to the South Sudan conflict gather in Addis Ababa to resume the High-Level Revitalization Forum.”

So far this year, 728 South Sudanese child soldiers, including 185 girls, have been released from the armed forces. Thousands more wait for their chance.