Another day in southern Sudan
The pictures show the Nile River (beers there yesterday afternoon watching the kids play in the river, and colourful lizards run about), a typical Juba street (abnormally absent of ruts and goats, but with the famous red dust), the UNMIS compound entrance, and the back of the UNMIS canteen where I had lunch Friday. Not too surprisingly, $4 goes a long way.
It turns out the official language of southern Sudan is Dinka, which is what the sole TV channel broadcasts in (with restricted hours). Although, the other night there was a third rate English language vampire movie on, with Arabic subtitles, shot in Russia and featuring Japanese gangsters. I was captivated as I sat there eating Pringles and sipping single malt scotch. What else is there to do?
I asked our UNMIS contact if there were any good carvings, masks, etc. to bring home as souvenirs. After he stopped laughing, he suggested I take a bag of dirt home. Apparently I’m lucky if I can find a clean T-shirt with the picture of the President on it. He’s the one of TV with the beard and fedora. Anything and everything you buy here came from either Kenya, Uganda or China. NOTHING is locally made.
So, I did the prison tour and visited the police holding cells two days ago. No pictures allowed inside or outside.
When we passed through the gate into the prison courtyard we were confronted by 620 prisoners sitting in two columns on the ground. They clapped for the Director General, who introduced us. I was asked if I wanted to say a few words. What do you say in the circumstance? I passed. They sat there through our entire tour. None of our escorts were armed, as you don’t take a weapon inside. I felt quite safe. My second third world prison tour now.
We started with the condemned prisoner area. They’re all shackled (ankle cuffs and short chain, to a chain around the waste) 24X7, three or four to a small concrete cell. Some had thin mats to sleep on, others didn’t. Come the rainy season, pneumonia is an issue. The cells open onto a small dirt courtyard. Solid metal doors. The other prisoners are in dorms. The juveniles (mixed in with the adults during the day) have thin mattresses and blankets at least. The youngest prisoner is 8.
There are several prisoners who are mentally ill and housed in the prison (no real separation or treatment) because there is simply nowhere else to house them) and are referred to as “lunatics”. I won’t even describe their conditions, other than heartbreaking and hopeless. The ones considered violent are kept in tiny individual cells 24X7.
There are no recreation facilities, etc. in the prison at all. A few prisoners have books delivered by their family, or extra blankets, bowls from family. Visits are allowed once a month. The women’s side is similar, except this is where all the cooking takes place, so at least there is something to do. 4 toddlers are in with their mothers. If there is no family, the child stays with the mother. No toys of course, just dirt. Enough said. I’ll spare you all the other details of the prison. And this is the most developed prison in the south of the country. The police “station” and cells were a whole other story.
It turns out the official language of southern Sudan is Dinka, which is what the sole TV channel broadcasts in (with restricted hours). Although, the other night there was a third rate English language vampire movie on, with Arabic subtitles, shot in Russia and featuring Japanese gangsters. I was captivated as I sat there eating Pringles and sipping single malt scotch. What else is there to do?
I asked our UNMIS contact if there were any good carvings, masks, etc. to bring home as souvenirs. After he stopped laughing, he suggested I take a bag of dirt home. Apparently I’m lucky if I can find a clean T-shirt with the picture of the President on it. He’s the one of TV with the beard and fedora. Anything and everything you buy here came from either Kenya, Uganda or China. NOTHING is locally made.
So, I did the prison tour and visited the police holding cells two days ago. No pictures allowed inside or outside.
When we passed through the gate into the prison courtyard we were confronted by 620 prisoners sitting in two columns on the ground. They clapped for the Director General, who introduced us. I was asked if I wanted to say a few words. What do you say in the circumstance? I passed. They sat there through our entire tour. None of our escorts were armed, as you don’t take a weapon inside. I felt quite safe. My second third world prison tour now.
We started with the condemned prisoner area. They’re all shackled (ankle cuffs and short chain, to a chain around the waste) 24X7, three or four to a small concrete cell. Some had thin mats to sleep on, others didn’t. Come the rainy season, pneumonia is an issue. The cells open onto a small dirt courtyard. Solid metal doors. The other prisoners are in dorms. The juveniles (mixed in with the adults during the day) have thin mattresses and blankets at least. The youngest prisoner is 8.
There are several prisoners who are mentally ill and housed in the prison (no real separation or treatment) because there is simply nowhere else to house them) and are referred to as “lunatics”. I won’t even describe their conditions, other than heartbreaking and hopeless. The ones considered violent are kept in tiny individual cells 24X7.
There are no recreation facilities, etc. in the prison at all. A few prisoners have books delivered by their family, or extra blankets, bowls from family. Visits are allowed once a month. The women’s side is similar, except this is where all the cooking takes place, so at least there is something to do. 4 toddlers are in with their mothers. If there is no family, the child stays with the mother. No toys of course, just dirt. Enough said. I’ll spare you all the other details of the prison. And this is the most developed prison in the south of the country. The police “station” and cells were a whole other story.
posted by Mark L at
10:13 PM
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