Sudanese artistes use music to preach peace in camps

Arua.

The tribal conflict in their motherland sent them scampering into Uganda where they are accommodated in camps in West Nile. But the unresolved differences seemed to have followed them even into exile.
Recently, the police registered two clashes in Arua and Adjumani refugee settlements between the Dinkas and the Nuer.

Now, a group of South Sudan Students under the umbrella organisation “Ambassadors of Peace” are moving in the various refugee camps where their nationals are settled using their music to promote harmony and peaceful co-existence.

“The place which they have given to the South Sudan refugees to settle is like a promised land to them because they have nowhere to go and they must live together peacefully,” Mr Jacob Dabi, the chairperson of the group, told the Daily Monitor on Monday.

Uganda is currently home to more than 80,000 South Sudanese refugees who fled into the country after the outbreak of war last year between forces loyal to former vice president Dr Riek Machar and government forces led by President Salva Kiir.

The group, composed of eight South Sudan student artistes and peace activists studying in various schools in East Africa, is determined to reduce chances of future outbreak of conflicts in the next generation amongst their people.

“We are singing freedom songs, sending a message that even if we are living in camps, we still need peace. Our eyes are tired of seeing bad things. Let them love each other so that the generation which is coming tomorrow will enjoy,” W J-King, one of the artistes, said.

The group was, however, denied performance in Rhino Camp settlement in Arua. The Arua refugee desk officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr John Alinaitwe, said they denied them permission because they “never understood their mission”.

[email protected]