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“Sanyu!”
Startled, I turn round to find Lual standing right behind me. In full view of everyone at the restaurant, he pulls me close to his chest and locks me in a tight embrace. He is a tall man! I can hear his heart beating against my right ear. It’s cold and windy outside; he is nice and warm. I allow myself to sink deeper into his embrace.
He suddenly pulls away.
“Come!”
It’s an order. You’ll know an order when you hear one; this is an order. I meekly follow in his footsteps, as he leads me up a narrow flight of stairs. He walks about one meter ahead of me. He is dressed in a crisply ironed long-sleeved white shirt that is lined with blue stripes. His well-fitting slightly faded blue jeans are held in place by a brown leather belt and his sharp-pointed black leather shoes are so well polished that I could swear I can see my reflection in them.
We are at an upscale restaurant in Nairobi’s city centre. Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya; a country that geographically lies to the south of Southern Sudan and metaphysically maintains a position of prominence in the heart of many Southern Sudanese. It is widely believed that were it not for the efforts that Kenya’s leaders placed in helping to broker peace between the rebels in Southern Sudan and The Sudan’s government forces in Northern Sudan, there is chance that the 20 year-old civil war would still be raging to this day. Well over 15,000 Southern Sudanese are said to be living in Kenya. Little wonder that the Southern Sudanese flag bears a startling resemblance to the Kenyan flag.
It has taken me two and a half months of persistent phone calls, text messages and emails to (finally) get this interview with Lual. The only thing that is more outstanding than the size of this man's shoes is his dazzling smile! This is a glimpse into the life of Lual Peter Dau; political activist, community mobilizer and chef extraordinaire:
1. Tell us about yourself.
I am a Dinka man. (Note from the author: the Dinka, also refered to as the Jieng, is the largest ethnic group in Southern Sudan and they are mainly agro-pastoral people.) I come from a very big family in Southern Sudan. My father took for himself several wives. I was born to the sound of the drum beating to the rhythm of war. I left Sudan when I was very young, and I moved to live with some family members who had migrated to Uganda. (Note from the author: Uganda, found to the south of Southern Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the interlacustrine region of East Africa.) I studied in Uganda for most of my elementary education. When I completed my basic education, I worked for sometime in Southern Sudan with the Lion Commercial Bank. Thereafter I moved to Kenya to embark on my tertiary education at the United States International University. I am currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in International Business Administration.
2. Why did you leave The Sudan?
The primary push factor was the dilapidated social amenities back at home. No schools, no hospitals, no roads … tell me, would you want your child to grow up in such an environment? (Consternation fills his eyes.)
(His phone rings; the ringtone is a traditional Dinka folk song. “Come here, upstairs,” he says to the person on the other end of the line. As he talks on the phone, he asks me how my day was and simultaneously places an order for ‘very strong coffee’ with the waiter who is standing patiently at the right hand side of our table. I busy myself by staring at the huge plasma screen that is hanging above his head. Throughout our interview, his phone kept ringing. And throughout the interview, Southern Sudanese kept streaming to our table to say hi to him. And throughout the calls and the streams of people, I kept staring at the plasma screen.)
3. Take us through what a regular week in your diary would look like.
I am a fulltime student. That is why I am here in Kenya, and not back home in Southern Sudan. In fact, right now, I should be back home in Southern Sudan. From 9am to 7pm, Monday to Thursday, I am at the university. On Fridays, I clear all my assignments. Saturdays through to Sundays are the days that I set side for the activities that are organized by the Southern Sudanese students who live in Kenya. I use my phone to coordinate a lot of activities here in Nairobi, and in several other towns across Kenya. In fact, almost half of my monthly budget is allocated to my phone bills. I am always in touch with my fellow Southern Sudanese. And not just here in Kenya, but also in Uganda, in Australia, in Egypt, in USA … you can choose any country that you want. We are all over the world. And all of us are going back home!
4. This month (March), the world celebrated the International Women’s Day. Recently, Southern Sudanese voted resoundingly to cede from Northern Sudan. In relation to women’s rights, what do you think the immediate priorities for the new State should be?
In fact, these women are very important!
(In a show of great ferocity he cuts a blow across the air with his right hand.)
Let no one deceive you; in Southern Sudan we value our women greatly. If it was not for the support that we received from our women, we could not have succeeded in our fight for liberation. No, that is definite; we could not have succeeded! In addition to actively participating in the frontline, these women also provided our soldiers with food, medical supplies and substantial amounts of alcohol, amongst many other things. Let me tell you about the alcohol: this alcohol that they made for us was local brew. This brew helped to boost the morale of our soldiers as they went to the battle field to face the enemy. The alcohol helped to make us brave; it helped to make us fearless!
Now, to your question. The Government of Southern Sudan has introduced a quota system by which women are automatically granted 25% of representation in the army and all arms of civil service. I congratulate the government for this move, and encourage the government to keep going out of its way to empower our women and to build their capacity so that they can make a significant contribution to the advancement of our new nation. We need our women to take control of the new nation, in the same way that they were in control during the war; even though they may have been behind the scenes.
5. What are some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the women of Southern Sudan?
Alright please. In my culture, there are many wise sayings about the important roles that our women play in society.
(He pauses and frowns deeply, as though to squeeze thoughts from his brain. It seems to work! He launches into an avalanche of idioms in his native tongue – Dinka. I do not speak the tongue, but fear to interrupt and point this out, mostly because he leaves no room for interruption. I keep nodding my head, as I zealously note down what he says, syllable-for-syllable. Then I get lucky: a text message is delivered to his phone. He pauses to read the message. That’s all the two seconds that I needed. I jump on the question again: “What are some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the women of Southern Sudan?”)
Oh yes! Sorry about that. Well, as I said earlier the Government’s mandatory 25% representation system for women is definitely one of the opportunities that the women can take maximum advantage of. And of course, a major challenge will be for the women to make up for all the years lost in war and to catch up with the development rate of women in other countries across the world. And they must work hard to attain proper education. School is very important. We need well educated people to help us establish the foundation for our new nation.
6. You are actively involved in matters to do with the Southern Sudanese Students’ Association in Kenya (SSSAK). Tell us about that.
(Note from the author: In the upcoming SSAK elections, Lual intends to run for the position of Vice Chairperson.)
Okay, thank you. First of all, this is not the first time that I am involved in student associations. In high school, when I was in Uganda, I was part of the team of Southern Sudanese students who started a students’ association there. In that capacity, I served as the Secretary of Information. Here in Kenya, the main objective of establishing SSSAK (the Southern Sudanese Students’ Association of Kenya) was to promote the co-existence of the Southern Sudanese students in tertiary institutions of learning here in Kenya. We specifically target students in high schools and universities. We have a following of about 5,000 students spread across approximately 17 universities and 83 colleges. My involvement in these student associations stems from my deeply held conviction that Southern Sudanese need to care for each other and support each other, and more so when they are away from home. Those that have stand in the gap to support those that do not have. Some Southern Sudanese students in the Diaspora need much more assistance than others. Some may not have money for medical attention, for food, or even for school fees. Then the ones that have support the ones that do not have. We share all our problems. That is how Southern Sudanese people are. It is in our nature. The Students’ Association here in Kenya is recognized by the Government of Southern Sudan. In fact, every year, they disburse funds to us which we give to our members as educational grants. There is also an Educational Attaché at the Southern Sudanese embassy here in Kenya who we report to. We are also recognized by the Government of Kenya.
7. What are some of the tangible things that the Southern Sudanese Students’ Association in Kenya has done to address some of the challenges that your people are facing back at home?
In my opinion, perhaps the most important thing that we have done is to coordinate the transfer of manpower and skills from Kenya to Southern Sudan. We have organized for many of our members to go back home as volunteers in order to build the capacity of the people in our growing nation. Nowadays, we do not consider just going to school as progress. You need to show us what you have learned by going to that school! Okay, you went to the university and studied Hotel and Restaurant Management. Good. Now can you come home to Southern Sudan and teach our people how to start up and run hotels? Because if you can not, then we have no need for you. You need to show us the results of what has been keeping you so busy. Show us!
8. In comparison to the friends that you left in Southern Sudan, what would you say are some of the advantages that you have enjoyed as a migrant student in a foreign land?
There are no educational facilities back at home that you could compare to what we have at our disposal here in Kenya. For me, this is the greatest advantage that students in the Diaspora have. In addition, for a business man like myself, I have had an opportunity to meet with many prospective investors from all over the world because there are many more different nationalities of people found here in Kenya in comparison to the number that you would find in Southern Sudan. I have also had the opportunity to make friends with people that I may have never met if I had stayed at home and not travelled to another country.
9. What are some of the challenges that you experience as a migrant student in a foreign land?
Discrimination: It takes time to settle in a foreign land and to be fully accepted as being deserving of all the privileges and opportunities that are available to the natives of that country. And also, this foreign language is a big, big, big problem. And then we also have the problem of food. Tell me, if a Dinka man comes to your house and you give him githeri to eat, do you really think that he can be comfortable? (Note from the author: Githeri is a traditional delicacy in Kenya. Beans and maize are boiled together, and then fried in tomatoes and onions to make this meal. Sometimes, meat and irish potatoes could also be included.)
10. If you could meet with anyone in the world, who would you want to meet with, and why?
(He locks me in his gaze.)
Former President of Kenya, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi. Now, a person like him, seeing him would be a great honor! In fact, he has done so much for my people. When we were still fighting, he was always travelling to Southern Sudan, and telling our leaders, don’t do like this, do like this, and don’t look behind! He is like my father, and not just my father alone, but the father of all Southern Sudanese. Seeing a man doing such things for us and he is not even a Southern Sudanese, how do you think it makes me feel?!! He has really worked hard to promote development in Southern Sudan. I respect him a lot.
11. What are your goals for the next year and beyond?
(He deflects the question from himself and instead focuses it on the aspirations that he holds for SSSAK – the Southern Sudanese Students’ Association of Kenya.)
Aaaaah, well. We want to give SSSAK more visibility. We want to be better understood and more popular. We shall also carry out several mobile sensitization campaigns that will focus on various issues ranging from prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS to promoting a culture of environmental consciousness. We also intend to establish a well-structured loaning system for our members who need assistance paying for their education.
12. Parting shot: A message to the Southern Sudanese women back at home.
(My pen fails, and I panic because it dawns on me that I have no other! I curse under my breathe: "Why wasn’t I warned about this in Journalism school??!" He notices my frantic efforts to resuscitate the pen and swings his sleek gold-coated pen at me. I am embarrassed. I apologize profusely for the hitch.)
You know, women are the backbone of our country – Southern Sudan. Their contribution during the war is what made us to go through. And in the same way, their contribution to our current government is what will make our new country to go through. In fact, for example, right now, Maama Rebecca, the wife of the late Dr. John Garang, is the one who is running affairs in our government. The women should take their rightful position as the ones that will educate our men about good leadership and effective development. Do not wait to be given this position; it is already rightfully yours. Just take it. And also, please, if you have not yet attained proper education, go back to school and read. Get education; develop your skills, so that you can be better leaders.
13. Is there anything else that you feel would be important for us to take note of?
My encouragement to the youth in the Diaspora: I encourage unity amongst ourselves. Let us maintain good leadership, and also put in a lot of effort towards attaining quality education. We are privileged to be in school. Let us take maximum advantage of this opportunity, put a lot of commitment, and go back home and show the people the difference that quality education can make. We need to show them tangible results of this education that we keep telling them is so important. And also, most important of all, let us focus on the development of our new nation – Southern Sudan.
For the youth at home: You must cooperate with the government. If the government does not have your support, it will not be very effective at the grassroots. We must use our networks across the ten states to support the government’s efforts politically, socially and economically. Why? Because we command a great majority and we are very influential. If we do not support the government, they will not achieve full success in Southern Sudan. And let us not forget our culture. Who we are; who our people are; where we have come from; and where we intend to go. A people without their culture are a lost people.
(This last question is not part of what I had planned to ask him, but I am persuaded to because Lual’s reputation of being an outstanding chef precedes him by far!)
14. Who taught you to cook as well as you do?
No, those are simple things. It would be much better for us to discuss politics. (He smiles.) I watched my mother cooking when I was a young boy and after I left home and I went to live in another country, I found strange food that you can’t give to a serious Dinka man. So I taught myself how to cook, just the way that I used to see my mother cooking for us. Why should I starve when I cook for myself? You know, on average, 10 to 15 people come to stay with me in my apartment, week-in and week-out. And these are big men, big Southern Sudanese men. Big like me, and some are even bigger than me! (He chuckles.) Now, you tell me, if I do not cook for them good food, do you think that they will ever come back to visit me? (He looks at me intently, and I am not sure whether to respond or not. I choose not to respond.) No, they will not! And if they go and never come back, I will miss out on blessings. When you have visitors coming to your house, those are automatic blessings. Wouldn’t you want these blessings?
(At the end of the interview, we walk out of the restaurant in much the same fashion that we walked in. He walks ahead of me, all the while maintaining a distance of about one meter. I meekly maintain my position behind him. And yes, his phone keeps ringing.)
End//
Theme (s): Migration, Development, Education, Women’s Rights
The author is a humanitarian analyst and she writes on migration. Email her on: msanyu@yahoo.com
