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STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / UPPER NILE COMMUNITIES MUSIC
TNT: 03:30
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 - 15 JUNE 2025, MALAKAL, SOUTH SUDAN
17 JUNE 2025, MALAKAL, SOUTH SUDAN
1.Various shots, Emmanuel Kembe, South Sudanese musician, performing
2.SOUNDBITE [ARABIC] Neck Chol Deng, Malakal resident:
“It is a good thing that we are in Malakal, despite the war that broke out in here [Malakal]. There was destruction but still we coexist like before. It is the center of the state that unites all South Sudanese communities and those from other regions; we are all South Sudanese.”
3.Various shots, Emmanuel Kembe performing
4.SOUNDBITE [ENGLISH] Emmanuel Kembe, South Sudanese musician:
“We are one nation and what is affecting the people of Upper Nile is generally affecting people of South Sudan. If one part of the body is affected the other side will also get affected.”
5.Various shots, Emmanuel Kembe, performing
6.SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH / ARABIC) Emmanuel Kembe, South Sudanese musician:
“We last conducted elections in 2010 and if elections can happen in 2026, it will be good because the people want to know their role and for them to vote in the elections.”
7.Various shots, Rwandan peacekeepers performing
8.SOUNDBITE [ARABIC] Deng Joh Angok, Acting Governor, Upper Nile, South Sudan:
“The government has a clear plan [for] every citizen in the state to live freely and in peace and stay in a secure environment. In the 13 counties of the state, the government is working to restore peace and start development so that the people will get relative peace and to practice their true culture. And culture needs security, and it’s our duty to work for it.”
9.Various shots, South Sudanese cultural groups performing
10.Various Shots, Emmanuel Kembe playing a guitar, singing and dancing at the UN Protection of Civilians Site in Malakal
Music is a powerful tool in South Sudan, uniting divided communities. Leveraging this power, the United Nations Peacekeeping mission, UNMISS, partnered with UNESCO to host a concert in Malakal, Upper Nile state, which has in past months been the epicenter of conflict. The aim: to reconcile and build trust among people living here.
With popular musician Emmanuel Kembe headlining the event, community members turned up in thousands, enjoying a respite from tensions and rediscovering the power of their shared identity. As the music echoed through a large stadium, those attending were, once again, hopeful for a more peaceful future.
SOUNDBITE [ARABIC] Neck Chol Deng, Malakal resident:
“It is a good thing that we are in Malakal, despite the war that broke out in here [Malakal]. There was destruction but still we coexist like before. It’s the center of the state that unites all South Sudanese communities and those from other regions; we are all South Sudanese.”
Some 2,500 people sang along to peace lyrics and danced to thumping percussive beats.
SOUNDBITE [ENGLISH] Emmanuel Kembe, South Sudanese musician:
“We are one nation and what is affecting the people of Upper Nile is generally affecting people of South Sudan. If one part of the body is affected the other side will also get affected.”
Mr Kembe cemented his popularity by articulating the hope for a successful transition into democracy and development through the holding of the country’s long-delayed elections.
SOUNDBITE [ENGLISH/ARABIC] Emmanuel Kembe, South Sudanese musician:
“We last conducted elections in 2010, and if elections can happen in 2026, it will be good because the people want to know their role and [for them] to vote in the elections.”
For their part, state government officials reiterated their commitment to fostering peace and development in Upper Nile.
SOUNDBITE [ARABIC] Deng Joh Angok, Acting Governor, Upper Nile, South Sudan:
“The government has a clear plan [for] every citizen in the state to live freely and in peace and stay in a secure environment. In the 13 counties of the state, the government is working to restore peace and start development so that the people will get relative peace and to practice their true culture. And culture needs security, and it’s our duty to work for it.”
As the music continued, every community member at the concert, swaying to a single rhythm, provided a glimpse of the continued potential for sustained peace in this troubled young country.
