MariaBocayOnak_War

Abstract

In this narrative, Maria Bocay Onak tells about what she experienced during the fighting in Malakal at the of December 2013 and early 2014, and how she came with her children to Juba. Violence erupted in South Sudan in the capital, Juba, on 15 December 2013, between soldiers loyal to President Kiir against soldiers loyal to Riek Machar, the former vice president. The reason was that Kiir ordered to disarm the Nuers at the Presidential guards. It reached the Shilluk Land on 21 December; soldiers loyal to Riek fought with those loyal to Kiir in Owacci. And the wounded soldiers were brought to Malakal on 23 December. And when people saw them, they were afraid and ran from the market to their homes. On 24 December 2013, rebels attacked Malakal at 05:00 am, and fighting continued until the rebels captured the army HQ on the second day. Many people were killed, shops and houses were looted. But fighting continued for five days in the Southern and Northern Sectors. Then the rebels captured the whole town. Reinforcements came from Renk and Melut Counties on the second week, and the government troops chased away the rebels. But they came back after a month. The second fighting was terrible for the civilians and people fled from the town with many killed, and a big number drowned in the Nile. NB Malakal is a distorted name for the village that was founded by King Akwøt (1825-1835). Its name was ''Mal ba Kaal''. Mal means on earth and kaal is a temporal dwelling. And home is the village of God which Shilluk believe is under the earth. People live on earth, and when they die, they go to the home of God which is under the earth.