During SHRA’s visit to the war torn areas of Yei, 4-8 August, 1998 SHRA’s Field Coordinator, Mr. Mangwi Geoffrey held talks with Mr. Jackson Maku, a founder member of the Sudan Association For Disabled about the situation of the disabled in the war torn areas of Yei and now reports:

Mr. Maku, a disabled himself, is a devoted Christian who has taken it upon himself to bring to light the plight of the people with disabilities in his community to humanitarian organizations for intervention. He initiated the association of the disabled in November 1992.

Mr. Maku disclosed that out of the 41,000 people who are unable to cope with life in the Western Equatoria region of Sudan 9,690 are disabled. Of these 30% are victims of landmines while the rest are causalities of the warfare, polio and other sicknesses.

Mr. Maku explained that during the offensive in Western Equatoria many people were forced to join the army and they ended up as casualties. Many have since died while others now have permanent disabilities. The wounded were damped in Yei hospital but could not receive adequate attention. As a result many ended up being referred to Marcha Hospital in Uganda but due to lack of facilitation could not be transferred.

Whereas the declaration and proclamation by the General Assembly of the United Nations Charter of December 1975 states that the disabled persons, whatever the origin, nature and seriousness of their handicaps and disabilities, have the same fundamental rights as their fellow citizens of the same age, many of the disabled in the war torn areas of Yei have recieved unfair treatment.

Not only have those who were employed before they became disabled lost jobs but they have also faced humiliation from their families and relatives. Many have been thrown out of their families while those of school going age have been denied the opportunity to attain some formal education.

The proclamation also prescribes that the disabled have the right to economic and social security as well as a decent level of living including the right, according to the degree of disability, to retain employment. The disabled are also entitled to have their special needs taken into consideration at all stages of economic and social planning in all social activities, “but what we instead see is a massive disregard of these fundamental principles,” Maku regretted.

Mr. Maku adds “Even in families once you are disabled you are considered non resourceful and you will be sent away from home.”

He regretted that parents and foster parents of the disabled children in Yei have resorted to not paying school fees for them as this is considered a waste of resources. They say that the disabled are part of the dead people.

Generally the disabled have not been considered by the community as full human beings. The community looks at them as misfits who scavenge on them as parasites and who should be banished from society.

In most cases there is lack of compassion as is demonstrated by the way they are treated when it comes to scrambling for essentials like water or relief food. Mr. Maku disclosed that no consideration is made for the disabled at all. They have to bear the inconvenience of having to line up for water just like other normal people.

“The concept of considering the disabled raiders and beggars is rampant. On sighting a disabled on the doorway even a brother closes the door before him,” Mr. Maku disclosed.

Equality of human dignity has not been practised. Special consideration for them is very limited such that they can't compete with other people. Those who have managed to go to school have failed to cope due to occasional harassment. Those who acquire disabilities during the wars lose their jobs and are not catered for.

Mr. Maku argues that the disabled can make meaningful contributions to the communities if empowered. He cited one group of disabled people who were facilitated to start knitting fish nets, and shoe making and were doing well until they were disrupted by the war. They have now stopped due to lack of capital.

He further said that there is need for special consideration for the disabled children by giving them the necessary support to enable them compete favorably with other children in education and employment opportunities.

He also added that those who have been prominent workers in civil service must not be cast out of the community completely for example those who have worked as secretaries and receptionists and store keepers must be availed the chances so long as they still have the ability. This way they will be self sufficient and begging will be minimized.

INSIDE:

Life in the Sudanese Refugee Camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Conditions in the War Torn Areas of Yei in Sudan

Plight of the Disabled in War Torn Areas of Sudan

Prisoners of war in the War Torn Areas of Yei

Repeated Attacks Make Adjumani Refugee Camp Insecure

The Role of Civil Society in Conflict Resolution

The Sudan Conflict: The Causes and the Attempts at Resolution

Famine Ravages South Sudan

A Standard of Achievement For all People to Aspire For Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The International Bill of Human Rights

SHRA ORGANISES A PERSONNEL TRAINING SEMINAR

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The Sudan Monitor is published by:

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