UNICEF erronous report on abducted children in Wau Shilluk

UNICEF through its office in Malakal sent out on the WWW erroneous report on 89 children abducted by unknown gunmen and picked-up and orchestrated by media houses and went viral all over the world. It alleged the children were abducted in a school while sitting for exams in a SPLA control area. The three following released reports were contradictory.

First, the children were abducted and taken to unknown destinations. This report was revealed through intermediary eyes witnesses. These eye witnesses went further to say the children were found but confined to military camp in Wau Shilluk. The pictures posted were from COBRA faction of David Yaw Yaw from Murle tribe in Pibor Administrative Area. This is an indication the UNICEF was not accurate in what they were reporting because staff of child protection were not qualified. They were dealing people were not telling the truth or otherwise were pro-rebels.

Secondly, the children were found forcefully recruited by John Olony group and remained in the same area. UNICEF refers to Johnson Olony as a militia group. The truth of the matter is Johnson Olony is a general in SPLA. He is a Shilluk remains popular with the community in Wau Shilluk who supports him in kind or money. How can he turn around and abduct their children for recruitment? UNICEF still stress presence of heavy militia in Wau Shilluk.

Thirdly, according to UNICEF quote “In an intensive information gathering exercise, both in Juba and in Upper Nile State where the seizures took place, UNICEF and MRM partners have tried to piece together what happened during and after the raid and to discover the location of the children” Here UNICEF is trying to defend itself with untrue information. In addition to, “a formal UN Monitoring Report of a grave violation of child rights is being prepared”. In the first place, UNICEF report was not shared in partners on ground. They were in hurry to be the first to report the incident. When they discover this report was going to boomerang back, they hired a TV crew from BBC in UK to support their allegation. What is MRM partners refer to here?
A  Shilluk paramount told UNICEF that their story was not true. Even the Governor denied this story in a press statement. Some NGOs operating in Wau Shilluk interview school teachers said no such abduction took place, but, acknowledge there are youth studying in the school and their spare time go for military training in the evening and later go home to their parents. Since UNICEF never go for field visits, how they saw 89 children being abducted and the parents did not come to the government or UNICEF to complain?

These junior staff for child protection from UNICEF has made blunders. Wau Shilluk School belongs to the community. The community supports the school and teachers are voluntaries. They were able to count 89 children and able to assist to open even one school in Malakal for thousands of children loitering on the streets.

When the white army consisting of children attacked Malakal in January 2014, UNICEF could not report. It implies there individuals in UNICEF who are pro-rebels feeding them with lies.

With this blunder UNICEF is doing nothing in Upper Nile State. In the absence of work they have to creat stories such that they attract www opinion to get money.

Yorwin Otor: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.