Another day in Juba, southern Sudan

Sunday morning in Juba

Day 3 in Juba and it’s sunny, hot, and promising to get hotter. Intermittent thunder & lightening yesterday. Incredible downpours Friday & Saturday in between incredible sunshine. Hot and humid, high 30’s C. The ground is so hard, and the rain so heavy that the water is not absorbed. Large lakes form and mud everywhere. As on the last trip, roads are amazing. Actually, few are roads. Most are incredibly rutted goat paths. High speed in the SUV is 15 kmh, usually slower and you’re bounced around all over the seat continuously. The picture of the road is taken outside the front gate of our camp.

We are staying in the RA International “Mango Camp”. That’s me at the front gate. They are an international supply, logistics and services company. One of their contracts is feeding the UN mission here in the south.

Our “camp” is a large walled compound with rolls of razor wire atop the perimeter, two young lads with machine guns inside the front gate and uniformed guards patrolling about. The compound is about half a city block, if that, and consists of a series of shipping container style rooms, some with individual bathrooms, others relying on communal facilities. The restaurant is a large tent, which doubles as the bar and TV lounge. No TV or phones in the rooms, but there is a mosquito net, tiny bed, even smaller wardrobe and a very dirty bathroom.

One picture is of my little container/room. As bad as it is, on the other side of the razor-wire topped wall right behind where I stood to take this picture there are people sleeping on the ground, goats rummaging for food in piles of garbage, and children playing naked in the dirt. The camp is the height of luxury in comparison.