Children confined for 7years in Oyam develop strange language
Ms Dorcus Aceng with her children in Apac District. Despite change of environment, the children are still confused and upset. PHOTO BY BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
Their father used to lock them in the house, claiming to protect them from danger. Local leaders could not help fearing his violent nature
Three children from Barcal A village in Aber Sub-county, Oyam District have developed a new dialect after being confined in a house for about seven years.
The new language, has been nicknamed Leb-adam, literally meaning language of the brain, by the community.
It is alleged that the children’s father, Mr Nickolas Ameny, 43, confined them to protect them from danger.
The children, Janet Amongi, 11, Morris Okello, Nine, and Lillian Akullo, Seven, are normal but cannot speak to other people. They only believe what their father tells them.
According to their mother, Ms Dorcu Aceng, the children survived on a diet of boiled frog eggs and greens, eaten every morning and evening and drank water from a hole dug by their father.
They would only move out of the house when going to a nearby garden and get back to the house immediately.
Ms Aceng said her husband barred her from speaking to the children, as a result, they could not learn the Luo language when they were younger.
“He locked them up in the house and flogged them claiming he wanted to protect them from the dangers of the outside world,” Ms Aceng said. The mother said she was threatened in case she told anyone.
The couple got married in 2003 and shortly after their first child, Mr Ameny reportedly started behaving weirdly. They have four children but the last born was taken by their mother.
“ I thought he only feared responsibility and I tolerated him but things went on like that to date. He has denied children the right to clothing, education and socialisation,” Ms Aceng said.
Mr Jonathan Odur, the deputy executive director of Facilitation for Peace and Development (Fapad), said government should follow up areas where communities have returned to their homes as such cases could be overwhelming in villages.
“It is shocking news to us, but we cannot rule out the effects of the long war in the region. People are still traumatised thus calling for more counselling services in the war-affected regions,” Mr Odur said.
Mr Willy Ojok, Barcal village chairperson, said they knew about the plight of the children, but they could not rescue them because of their father’s violent behaviour.
“Two weeks ago, he fought traffic police officers... They ran and abandoned their motorcycle,” he said.
Last weekend, their mother picked the courage when her husband was away and escaped with the children. They are now staying with their grandmother, Ms Middy Ebu, in Apac District.
Mr Ameny said he was only protecting his children from “wrong people”. “I never wanted my children to learn bad manners or get exposed to diseases. Nobody has the right to tell me what to do with my children,” the 43-year-old said.
Or how they should be groomed,” he said.
Psychiatrist Florence Auma recommends that the couple be taken to Lira Mental Health Unit for medical assessment while the children should see a psychologist for support, which FAPAD has offered to facilitate.
