3 child soldiers reunited with families in Torit

Albino Kampala Oting (in blue), Stephen John Oting(in checked shirt), Hakim Jackson Ojek (in green) upon arrival at Torit airstrip for a family reunion on March 10, 2021. [Photo: Radio Tamazuj]

Caritas Torit in collaboration with Mobile Theatre Team (MTT), an organization working to reunite child soldiers and lost children with their families, has facilitated the return of three boys to their homes in Torit town of Eastern Equatoria State.

Caritas Torit in collaboration with Mobile Theatre Team (MTT), an organization working to reunite child soldiers and lost children with their families, has facilitated the return of three boys to their homes in Torit town of Eastern Equatoria State. 

Two boys from one family and another were airlifted by a WFP plane from Juba to Torit yesterday, Wednesday. 

The boys, Hakim John Ojek 18 years old, Stephen John Oting 19 years old, and Albino Kampala Oting 13 years old deserted their homes to join the army without the knowledge of their parents but were identified by UNICEF as child soldiers in military training camps.

It took the UN children's agency two years, with the help of Caritas Torit and MTT, to trace and reunite the boys with their families. 

Hakim Jackson Ojek, now 18 years old, said he went to the bush and joined SPLA-IO in 2016 but is now happy to be back home

“I am very happy because the place where I was is not favorable. Now that I have been brought to my family, I will not go again. I will now go to school to study and do other family work,” Ojek said. “It was in 2016 when I went to the bush. We moved around a lot before we were taken to Juba. UNICEF picked us up saying that we were young children and they took us to their compound. They wanted to train us but it failed and that is why we were brought home.”

Ojek said it was his personal decision to join the army but that he faced difficulties in the training camp before being picked by UNICEF.

Stephen John Oting, 19, sullenly said he was returned by force from the SPLA-IO training camp and had no desire to come back home.

“I am not happy. I was brought by force and I don’t even care about anybody. I went in 2019 and I went to be a soldier. When we went from here to the bush we were then taken to Juba for training and graduation until UNICEF came and told us that they were taking us to school,” Stephen Oting explained. “They took us to another orphan school but it never worked out. They then took us for training in mechanics but that also failed.”

“They wanted to bring us back home but I said I did not want to return home and that you better take me back to the military barracks where you got me. So they refused, that is why they brought me by force and am now seeing nothing good here and I am going back,” he added.

Crestfallen and in tears, Stephen Oting said he has nobody to support his education given the fact that his parents are all soldiers.  

“Nobody is paying my school fees. What should I be doing at home? At least I should go back to the army. My father is in Juba and he is an SPLA (SSPDF), a soldier. Maybe, if there was one of my people here, they would have paid my school fees, but I have nobody. Life may be good but if some children are going to school but for you are not, will you be happy?” he lamented.

The former child soldier demanded to be enrolled in school so that he can forget military life but said UNICEF failed them on the education front. His younger brother Albino Kampala Oting, 13, the younger brother of Stephen Oting also ran away from home to join the army. 

“I disappeared from home because all my people were not there. My father was in Juba and my mother was here at home but her situation was difficult. They even went and stayed in the bush while I was in school that is why I decided to go because I could not stay at home alone,” Albino Oting said.

He claims he followed his mother and brother to the bush and even wanted to join the army but when they were taken to Juba, an organization went to their military camp and sorted out young children and took them away.

“Only 19 years and above were allowed to remain in the army. So I thought it was better to come back home to my aunt who has promised to enroll me in school. I am happy because I have seen my relatives. I am a Lotuko from Abalwa village,” Albino Oting said.

David Oria Keteto, the father to one of the reunited boys expressed happiness after receiving his son after many years.

“I thank you very much for bringing my child. When he went from here all of us didn’t know where he had gone and where he had reached. We heard that he is with the UN in Juba and that they want to bring him back,” Keteto said, “This is what we are witnessing now and he has reached in front of me. I thank you very much because the most important thing is I have received my child and I am very happy with you. God bless you.”

Omal Augustine, who works for Caritas Torit as a child protection officer, said his organization facilitates the return of lost children but does not have any direct support for them in terms of education.

“Caritas Torit child protection will only help these children through psychosocial support that will probably build their resilience so that they lose interest in joining the army,” Omal said. “But in terms of supporting them directly to join a school, we don’t have that component at the moment, but we are looking forward to alternatively encouraging them to join school rather than leaving them like that.”

He however said that the children will be monitored for some time so that they adapt to the new environment with their families.

Meanwhile, Idwa Dominica, the acting director-general for gender and social development, who spoke on behalf of the government appreciated the partners for reuniting the children with their families.

“I would like to appreciate everybody who has participated in this process. I am very happy to see the power of people who have worked to see that these children arrived here to their parents. After they are reunited with their parents, Caritas has to follow up with these children, whether they are staying well or not at their homes,” Idwa said. 

She urged parents to take good care of their children so that they don’t develop problems and escape from home.

This is the third time Caritas Torit has facilitated the reunion of children and their parents.

In February 2019, five children were reunited with their parents in the former Torit State after being separated by the conflict in the former Yei River State.

The Catholic relief organization Caritas, working in collaboration with UNICEF facilitated the reunification process.