Sep 2, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — A South Sudanese former liberator was caught on camera in the capital, Juba, allegedly trying to sell his two beautiful children as economic situation worsen.
The father of the two children, who was identified as Jackson Maker Thon from the Dinka-Bor community was trying to sell his two children and a member of the ethnic Murle community offered to buy them.
The father of the two sons, aged ten and seven, said he is stuck in Juba with the children as he can’t afford transport to travel to Torit, where he once held a job, or to Bor town to try his luck among his tribesmen.
According to former speaker of the Pibor Legislative Assembly, Judi Jonglei, who spoke on behalf of his Murle community in Juba, the suspect was trying to sell his two children because he couldn’t afford to take care of them.
Maker denied trying to sell his children but admitted that he was looking for a well-wisher who could adopt the children as he can’t afford to feed them.
Maker said his wife has abandoned him and married another man leaving him more helpless with the two little children.
Authorities in Juba intervened and arrested the father of the two boys for attempting to sell his children which is deemed illegal and may encourage child trafficking and abduction.
Police spokesperson, Major General Daniel Justin Bulo, confirmed the arrest saying that the suspect is in police custody pending investigation.
The two communities, Dinka-Bor and Murle, have been involved in conflicts that involve child abduction and raiding of cattle for many years and this story adds another layer to decades-long accusation on child abduction.
Intellectuals from the two communities have taken the issue to social media as one side tries to deny the incident and the other side tries to justifies it.
The number of children and women on the streets of South Sudan capital has significantly increased since independent leaving questions whether independent has brought blessing or suffering to the young nation.
A huge population of South Sudan has fled to IDPs camps within the country and others to refugees camps in the neighboring countries.
