Henry Amadra is 34 years old. When he speaks, he seems much older.
Henry was born in Loa, South Sudan, though at the time of his birth it was simply called Sudan. He remembers his home village as a good place, but gives few details.
His youth was undoubtedly shaped by the Second Sudanese Civil War. Fought between government forces in Khartoum and the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army in the south, the conflict was a bloody one. It lasted 22 years, and remains one of the longest civil wars on record, with a high civilian death toll. Henry fled to Uganda in 1998.
Yet, there was no peace in Uganda. Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army gained power and attacked indiscriminately, often savaging the refugees. Deciding it might be safer in his home country; Henry crossed the border again and returned to Southern Sudan in 2001. “I ran because of a conflict, but I came and met another conflict. It is better I go back,” he said.
Existence remained unstable. The civil war went on until 2005. After leaving Uganda in 2006, the LRA continued to commit atrocities in Southern Sudan, before moving to the Democratic Republic of Congo. South Sudan finally won its independence from Sudan in 2011, becoming the world’s newest nation.
For a time, there was tranquility. Renewed fighting broke out in 2013 between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. The country descended into violence once more, and as ever, humanity was the first causality of political war.
War reached Henry’s village in 2015. Violence was constant. Government soldiers attacked, beat and killed the villgers.
Henry remembers a brutal interrogation after a military officer, who happened to be from their village, escaped under mysterious circumstances. About 56 men were taken to military barracks, early in the morning. Soldiers beat them, demanding to know the whereabouts of this officer. They were not allowed to leave the room, even to urinate. They were released late that night.
Life in the village grew steadily worse. Business stopped, elders were arrested and children could not attend school. They lived within the ever present rhythm of gunfire. Death was a daily occurrence. Henry decided to travel to Uganda with this wife and three children.
The family walked to a trading center, where they could get transport across the border.
They traveled by vehicle, eventually reaching a military checkpoint. It was near water and Henry was certain they would be thrown in and left to drown unless able to provide a proper explanation. The driver bribed the soldiers and continued onwards. Such were the facts of the perilous journey; anyone without funds to bribe the soldiers would be killed.
By the time the family reached Uganda, all of their money had been spent on bribes to ensure their passage. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) placed them first in a temporary settlement. The ground was swampy and the weather cold. After a week there, the family moved again to Pagirinya Refugee Camp.
They are safe, but it is still difficult to settle. For example, many refugees need grass to build thatched huts. The host community opposes this, however, as they often cut the grass and sell it, adding to an already limited income. Natural resources are few. Furthermore, the United Nations provides only food, but no monetary support. As a result, for every ten cups of food the family receives, Henry will often sell two cups, in order to make some small income.
Now, Henry sees few differences between the situation in South Sudan and the situation in northern Uganda. He also had few hopes to return to his homeland. He insinuates that the current peace deal will not hold and mentions the failures of previous peace talks held in Juba in 2015.
Henry claims that if he returns to South Sudan he will not bring his family, as he is afraid violence will return again and again. He will simply go alone in order to find paying work and provide for the children. He is a teacher by profession and hopes very much that his children can study in the future.
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The Justice and Reconciliation Project remains committed to supporting the voices and needs of vulnerable populations throughout Northern Uganda. JRP has supported three Women’s Advocacy Network groups in Adjumani, providing income generating items and loan capitals.
This article is part of a larger series on the needs of communities in Adjumani. The project was made possible with the support of the Trust Africa Fund, with the goal of elevating forgotten voices and evaluating the success of existing programs. Interviews with from the project will also aid in the development of a best practices guide for supporting victims of sexual and gender based violence. This guide will be presented at an international exchange in Nigeria. The guide will also be circulated to researchers, practitioners and government officials to ensure effective response.
Project Interviews were conducted by JRP Communications Intern Sophia Neiman and Research Assistant Benard Okot. Translation was provided by Emmanuel Anyovi.