We come from a place called Bow north of Leer. [The attackers] came to us six times. My house was burned in July. They came from the north and from Leer. They just started shooting randomly at people, then we ran, and when we came back to home it was destroyed. I saw many bodies. Even in hiding places when we come out we'd find people were dead. When they came to Bow they usually did bad things to girls and women. When they get you they make you a woman, by force, maybe by many people. And if you talk bad things to them they will shoot you.

We went to Gador and then from Gador to Tuoch Riak, and when they attacked Tuoch Riak we decided to come here. In Nyal there are no gunshots so it is quite better, even though people are using abusive words to us IDPs [internally displaced people]. They are blaming us that we let our county fall into the hands of the government and the Dinka. It makes me feel bad, but you know if you are an IDP or a refugee this is how things are, because people think it is your fault. What I'm thinking is to leave this place and find somewhere to continue school somewhere else in South Sudan and when the situation calms down come back.

If we continue fighting and revenging, we will get finished. There will never be Nuer anymore. So it's not a good idea to revenge. But if peace comes people will disappear into each other and no one will know who was with who. Justice is after peace. We want peace and then justice to come. Because if there is justice, the peace will last longer. If people who have done bad things they will be taken to court, then other people will fear so they won't cause problems again like this.


By Jason Patinkin

Published on 21st October 2015