Living in a nation where we all look out for each other is a blessing, but also can be a curse. We look out for our neighbors, but what about the innocent souls, half way across the world? Who's looking out for them? A survey conducted by Georgetown University found that 71 percent of American citizens were not aware of what is going on in Sudan and other neighboring countries of the developing nation. Maria Silwa, Daniel Bekele, and Emily Wax, were in the minority 21 percent, knowing what has been going on in the eastern countries, in the continent of Africa. All three courageous people were not afraid to cross an ocean to see what we are blind to, child slavery/soldiers, prison conditions, and poor living conditions. The main problem is we think if we are going to do something to someone, what are they going to do for us? So why do we make our lives seem so hard when in reality, it does not start to compare to what is going on in Sudan.
Maria Silwa, an American reporter on the NYU Limewire, attempts to bring light on the topic of the horrific abuses that the children in Southern Sudan endure on an every day basis. Silwa is able to shed light to the issue through her, Freedom Now Communications Web site, the speeches she gives through out the city of New York, Worldnetdaily, and front page magazine. On a trip to a Nimule Maria Silwa interviewed many former child slaves. Many share their stories on how they were forced to kill at a young age, almost all of the females had been sexually abused. “These are physically and psychologically displaced people,” Sliwa said. “When the physical need is so great, many forget about the psychological need.” Dennis Bennett, executive director of Servant’s Heart, a Christian aid group in southern Sudan, said any news in Sudan is difficult to publicize and get virtually any ratings. “NBC andCBS consider news in Sudan inconvenient,” he said. “Journalists have told me they’d love to cover [stories in Sudan], but it’s too dangerous, and itdoesn’t have much ratings.” Basically, they do not want to, just because they will not really get a return on going there. Maria Silwa, "The Lost Children of Sudan" Erin Coe. NYU Limewire.
Daniel Bekele experienced 12 of the 79 prisons in South Sudan. Approximately one third of prisoners have not been convicted of any offense and are just being detained but cannot afford any legal representation. About 90 people were imprisoned for the sole reason of them being mentally challenged. Their legal system is in shambles and their morals are at an all time low for them imprisoning someone with disabilities. On top of that, ten inmates or more in each of the prisons have died of treatable injuries. In all prisons visited, children are detained alongside adults. “People who commit crimes should be punished in accordance with the law,” Bekele said. “But to deprive someone of their liberty is one of the most powerful sanctions a government can impose. It should only happen following due process and in accordance with South Sudan’s laws and international human rights commitments.” The imprisoned are innocent until proven guilty in America, the system is not always right, but in South Sudan, their system is going nowhere and is endangering many lives. We should step in and help, everyone needs help.“The Lost Children” by Emily Wax on Washingtonpost.com
Emily Wax saw the aftermath of a war that took 2 million lives and misplaced 5 million people. Southern Sudan is not a happy place, and will not be anytime soon. The town of Rumbek just as old as the men wearing straw hats herding the goats. Children playing with garbage, woman carrying tanks of water on their heads, and animals, is
