Girls playing football in Pibor; pinterest

In 2012, a four year old girl was abducted from Jonglei’s present day Kolnyang County and taken to Pibor in Buma State.

According to Buma State authorities, the residents of Pibor revealed to the governor, David Yau Yau, that the girl did not belong there.

This was during his tour to counties to sensitize people on peace among themselves and the neighboring states.

“From there, people reported that there was a child who did not belong to them. That is why he removed her from there,” said Beko Kony, Buma State Information Minister.

The 10 year old girl is now under the protection of the state government before her family is identified and then she is reunited with them.

For years now, Jonglei and Buma states have been witnessing ethnic conflicts due to cattle raiding and child and women abduction.

In 2017, the two states signed an agreement to end hostilities between the youths of the two communities.

The agreement stipulates that all forms of violence shall end on the day of the signing of the agreement.

It said that all abducted children, women, and cattle raided shall be returned to their rightful owners.

The two communities also resolved to create a buffer zone between Jonglei and Buma states.

Identity lost

According researchers, most people cannot remember events that surrounded them before the age of four.

And probably, this 10-year-old girl, who was abducted when she was four, cannot remember her family and her real name.

“Normally there is a name that is given here and there is that name that was given by the biological mother,” said Mr Kony.

However, he said the state government will hand over the child to Jonglei authorities who will trace her family and re-unite them.

So far, after the signing of the agreement between the two states, three children have been recovered and handed over to their families, revealed Mr Kony.

He added that Buma is currently putting more efforts to find other children that were kidnapped from other states.