SOUTH SUDAN: A group of travelling performing artists take the message of peace to the people of South Sudan, where conflict and political uncertainty has brought normal life to a standstill for thousands of people

Record ID: 349831

  • Title: SOUTH SUDAN: A group of travelling performing artists take the message of peace to the people of South Sudan, where conflict and political uncertainty has brought normal life to a standstill for thousands of people
  • Date: 11th February 2014
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEVEN OCHALA, PEACE INITIATIVE ORGANISER, SAYING: "We are calling for peace. We are trying to build the peace to be among us the first as artists because now if you look at those artists they are from different tribes; we are not from one tribe because we belong to South Sudan and we believe that through our ideas we can bring South Sudan to the one
  • Embargoed: 26th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Sudan
  • Country: South Sudan
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAAV6DDVBP8SMEXCL46V54R8J17
  • Story Text: A story about the impact of conflict is unfolding on stage in South Sudan's capital, Juba as a group of school children perform and dance to a track from the award winning anti-apartheid South African musical 'Sarafina.' The local play is part of a repertoire of performances by South Sudanese artists who have began an initiative to spread peace messages after two months of fighting in the country.
    Travelling around villages and towns, they urge for unity and also collect donations for those displaced by the violence.

    "We are calling for peace. We are trying to build the peace to be among us the first as artists because now if you look at those artists they are from different tribes; we are not from one tribe because we belong to South Sudan and we believe that through our ideas we can bring South Sudan to the one level called people of South Sudan," said Steven Ochala, the peace initiative organiser.
    The conflict erupted in Juba on December 15 last year pitting government forces against rebel fighters.
    Thousands of people have been killed and more than half a million have fled from their homes.
    The United Nations (U.N.) and rights groups say both warring sides have committed atrocities, in a conflict that has taken the country to the brink of civil war.
    A ceasefire deal was signed in late January in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia but both sides have since accused each other of violating the agreement as skirmishes continue in parts of the country.
    The rebel delegation has threatened to boycott the second round of peace talks which are due to begin on Tuesday (February 11), demanding that the government free political prisoners and send home Ugandan troops whom they accuse of supporting government forces.
    But while the talks may be deadlocked, the artists in Juba hope their initiative will have a more positive impact.
    Some residents, however, feel the government needs to focus more attention on those affected by the violence.

    "I think the government should focus now as its priority to help their own people who are still living in the camps because they don't feel safe anymore. People are now living in the camps; they don't want to come back home, they don't want to go back to their houses especially here in the U.N. camps. Last week, we have been interviewing some families from there they don't feel safe, they are not going back to their areas," said Adeng Kornilio, who lives in Juba and attended the show.
    One of the show's highlights is a guitar solo that gets the audience dancing, forgetting for the moment the difficulties they face.
    For many ordinary South Sudanese, however, the future remains uncertain unless the country's leaders can find a way to restore peace and security in Africa's youngest nation.
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