South Sudanese child soldier making documentary about experience

Daniel Chut was recruited as a child soldier for the South Sudanese when he was just 11 years old. Source: Supplied

Flashbacks constantly plague Daniel Chut. Source: Facebook

He and his family were forced to flee fighting that ravaged the Dinka people’s tribal homeland, and by age 11 he was training as a child soldier.

All he wanted to do was fight for his country but, in reality, life was harsh and the training brutal.

When the war broke out, the family had desperately crossed the border into Ethiopia, joining tens of thousands of others in the sprawling refugee camps.

“The weak that could not walk such as the old, disabled and sick had to stay behind and fight for their lives. There was nothing we could do for them,’’ Mr Chut said.

“We, the strong, went to Ethiopia to get training so one day we could go back to Sudan to fight the Arabs.’’

The terrible conflict raged for two decades, killing an estimated two million people and displacing four million. It was marked by a large number of human rights violations including mass killings, torture and slavery. Two of the earliest casualties were Mr Chut’s father and older brother.

“I was filled with rage,” he said. “Even though I was only a small boy, all I wanted to do was fight.’’

Daniel was so angered by what happened to his family and country, he was determined to fight. Source: Supplied

His ambition was realised when at the age of about 11, he was chosen for training as a child soldier. He was sent far away from his relatives in the refugee camp to a remote base in the Ethiopian bush.

The dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Life for the hundreds of young conscripts at the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army base was harsh and the training was brutal.

During his first year Mr Chut made several attempts to escape. This resulted in severe punishment by the camp commander.

“Each time they caught me and took me back,’’ he said. He was thrown into a makeshift prison with no roof for weeks at a time, beaten and tortured.

“Eventually I realised there was no escape.’’

After his training, Mr Chut served with an SPLA weapons smuggling unit inside Ethiopia for several years. Their role was to run guns and ammunition over the Sudanese border at night. They were often ambushed by Sudanese government troops and by their bitter tribal enemies, the Nuer.

The reality of years of fighting has left Daniel suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Source: Supplied

During this period he buried many friends, and often came close to death himself.

When Ethiopia’s own civil war broke out in 1991, the thousands of Sudanese in Ethiopia’s refugee camps had to flee once more. Mr Chut remembers the ordeal as hell.

“We knew the rebels were coming, we could hear the explosions,” he said.

“So we set fire to the food stores, tents and everything. We couldn’t take it with us so we stopped the rebels getting it.

“Most of the town was on fire and there was smoke everywhere. We left the camp on trucks, small cars, some of us walked. Many people dropped along the way, too tired to run.

“The rebels were closing in on us, ambushing us and firing their long range missiles on us as well.

“On that day many of us were killed trying to get across the border. There were hills and creeks so lots of the small cars couldn’t make it. The old and the sick fell behind.

“I saw a child soldier drown just in front of me, but I could not help him. He was from the Nuba tribe, they are hill people, and so he could not swim. The river was full of crocodiles.’’

Mr Chut fled back to Sudan, then to Somalia and on to Kenya, where his older sister, now an official with the fledgling South Sudanese administration, eventually found him in a refugee camp. Through her connections, she was able to arrange for him and several other members of his family safe passage to Australia.

Mr Chut is building a life for himself as an actor in Brisbane. Source: Facebook

But life wasn’t easy when he arrived. It was 1996 and Mr Chut didn’t speak any English. He was also suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

When he told a doctor of the flashbacks which constantly plagued him, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent seven years on heavy medication. Finally another doctor realised the error, and he was given the professional help he needed.

Despite all he has been through, Mr Chut said he is one of the luckiest people alive.

“During the war I was shot at and bombed so many times that I thought I would never live. My mission as a child soldier was to fight till I die.

“We were one of the luckiest families out of millions of African refugees. We were granted refugee visas to come to Australia and start a new life.’’

He is working to develop a life here, studying drama in Brisbane, and pursuing his dream to be an actor, but said his former life still comes back to haunt him.

Recently, he was shocked to find that the man responsible for his brutal treatment when he was a child soldier now lives in Brisbane too.

“I first saw him in church,’’ Mr Chut said. “My mind went blank, I thought I must be dreaming.

“If I had seen him in Africa I would have killed him. But later on, once I had calmed down, I met with him and spoke to him.

“Now I realise he is just a person with his own family and problems. Australia has taught me to see things differently.’’

Today he feels at home in Australia, but he is sharing his story in the hope more people can understand the horrors of life as a child soldier, as many former fighters now live here.

He is working with documentary makers to produce a film about his experience, and raising funds through his Facebook page South Sudanese Red Army Documentary^[1].

Additionally, he is in negotiations with Queensland filmmaker Steve Nation over a possible feature film.

“I just hope my story gives people insight into war-affected countries, and give people inspiration and hope,’’ Mr Chut said.

References

1. ^{^} South Sudanese Red Army Documentary (www.facebook.com)