15th May 2022

Yesterday we were discussing more about the permutations of the current cattle raiding situation.  According to the new version, the problem started because of Dinka Internally Displaced People (IDPs) coming to the Nimule area, including Melijo IDP camp in the 1980s.  These were mainly women and children fleeing the war in their own areas.  At first there were few problems, but eventually the local people realized that the IDPs were settling in instead of returning to their traditional areas, often leaving the original inhabitants homeless when they returned from the camps in Uganda.  Then their menfolk and cattle started to move in too.  That caused a lot of problems because of the roaming nature of the men and their huge herds of cattle, completely trampling and destroying any crops in their path.  In spite of appeals to the government for the cattle to be removed, this situation has continued up until now.  Then, in the past few weeks, cattle raiders from other pastoral tribes have come to steal the Dinka cattle.  The Dinkas believe that the Madi informed these tribes of where the cattle were.  This has caused the Dinkas to come into Nimule to take revenge.  As very often happens in South Sudan, the Murle tribe are now being blamed.  The Murle have a reputation for abducting children, which has caused parents to send their children away to the refugee camps. I must emphasize that this is just one more version of what happened.  I have no way of knowing the truth. 

Today is Sunday.  I decided that I would go to Mass, my first outing for several days.  Afterwards there was to be a visit from government officials including the State Governor, who were going to tell us all what was going on and what we should do.

Preparing to take the
children to Uganda
The children in our compound and their mothers were packing to go to the refugee camp in Uganda to stay with relatives.  This comes after a lot of pressure on Paskalina from other members of the clan.  Later on, she told me that her uncle (who is chief of the clan) has now said that they should hold on until we all hear what the State Governor has to say.  So they are waiting.  The children, being very innocent, are highly excited at the prospect of a journey to Uganda.  Little do they know about the privations of life in a refugee camp.  They were overheard discussing together whether they should take some stones to play with.  These are children who have been brought up with no toys.  Their toys largely consist of stones, sticks, empty plastic bottles and other pieces of rubbish.  Unlike others outside our compound, I have Duplo and pipe-cleaners which they also play with.




The Mass was comparatively short and very poorly attended compared to usual although the choir was at full strength.  Unlike any other Mass here, there were very, very few children.  It was the English language Mass, which is usually attended by non-Madi speakers, in other words, either foreigners such as Ugandans or other tribal language speakers. 

After Mass I went to the local football ground where the State Governor was due to speak.  Unfortunately there was very little shade and it was becoming very hot.  I realized that I was not going to be able to remain in the sun for much longer, so I went back home.  As we waited, we saw cattle in large trucks going along the main road.  I have no idea whether they were being taken away by raiders or cattle keepers.  The media were there waiting expectantly.  In the late afternoon I heard that the meeting did not take place, probably due to lack of agreement at the preceding meeting of the various chiefs and government officials.  It was decided that the meeting would be postponed to Monday.  I am not sure if a decision was reached or not.  It is a real sign of the constant tribal tensions and unwillingness of any side to give way or reconcile that the meeting was so protracted.  Poor Paskalina sat in the sun waiting almost all day, along with very many other people, with no food or water.

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