Juba March 2013

The ashes from the burnt letters drifted through the hot air up into the red blossoms of the tree outside. Leaning out of the window the women took it in turns to set light to thoughts they had written forgiving and asking for forgiveness, a process of letting go of past hurts and darkness. It was very still inside the room except for the single fan and the soft weeping. A young Murle woman provided tissues for the older Dinka widow. The day before, the tears had been of laughter as pairs of women struggled to practice ‘bad’ listening and get the point of what ‘good’ listening really sounds like.

The first Creators of Peace Circle in South Sudan ran in Juba over three days in March. It was co-facilitated by Joy Mbaabu from Kenya, Director of Amani Communities Africa, and Jean Brown, an international co-ordinator of Creators of Peace from Australia. The very interactive, wide ranging conversation and the very deep and painful sharing gave lie to those who said the women of South Sudan would find it hard to open up, too traumatised to share. As one woman said ‘I have carried a heavy burden for the past years.....last night I slept well after a long time and woke up feeling very happy.’

The President of the Jonglei Womens’ Association came straight from a five day women’s peace conference in her State. They issued a statement at the end saying, among other things that, ‘they would leave their homes and refrain from child bearing if men in their communities continued to seek violent solutions to ongoing conflicts in the troubled region rather than peaceful dialogue.’

Another of the participants was the President of the national South Sudan General Women’s Association. In partnership with Creators of Peace she is looking at a possible women’s forum to be held later in April to explore the understanding of and direction for the national reconciliation movement  proposed by the government in partnership with Initiatives of Change.

Photos by Dele Ajakaiye