“When you are farming, you might get killed. When you are fishing, you might be, too. Even walking isn’t safe.”
For Peter Olahu, the UN Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Malakal has become home.
The 75-year-old teacher still remembers his flourishing city before it suddenly left in ruins when conflict broke out in 2013.
“At first, I remained in town, hoping that things would change. But the situation has just become too unpredictable; there are too many arms in the hands of people who don’t know what to do with them,” he shares, his eyes looking tired from what they have witnessed over the years.
“There might be things we are lacking here but this place became a point of survival.”
When the nation-wide security situation began stabilizing after the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in 2018, all similar temporary settlements, but the Malakal protection site, were redesignated as conventional camps for the internally displaced.
Surrounded by a large fence and watchtowers protected by UNMISS peacekeepers, it has become a “safe haven” as the PoC site Chairman Zachariah Deng likes to call it.
Issues relating to overcrowding and lack of resources remain pressing challenges. However, corresponding solutions are already on the way.
Following land clearings of previously inhabitable terrain in the area by UNMISS and partners, some people decided to move, while still returning to the site for business on a daily basis.
“Many people are ready to leave and feel a different type of freedom. They’re tired of feeling like they must be protected,” confirms Mr. Deng, especially referring to those who were born and have never lived outside a protected zone.
Others, like Mr. Olahu, are ready to stay: “This is my community. Even with challenges persisting, I am proud of what we have created together.”
Walking through the bustling markets inside the site, it is clear what he is referring to.
Colorful displays of goods, ranging from fresh fish to diverse arrays of fruit and vegetables cover the bumpy roads dividing the six different sections of the site.
There are small restaurants, convenience stores and even two bands that have formed there and became famous among the estimated 45,000 residents.
This proves what has become a common denominator among communities across South Sudan: if given the right circumstances, they can turn even greatest challenges into opportunities.
“Things can get hard here sometimes, but we all have something that keeps us going,” explains Mr. Olahu. For him, the children he teaches are everything:
“Like all of us, these students need a good leader to show them a way forward and inspire them to make good decisions. As long as they’re here, I will stay to teach them.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
