Children of Bentiu
Among the hundreds queuing for their food ration, a 10-year-old girl grabbed our attention. She was soaked in her sweat and carrying a bundle above her head. We approached her. She was so shy when she opened the bundle that she could not speak. Inside the bundle was some dirt mixed with some corn kernels. She was collecting the leftovers around the ration distribution area. I asked about the girl and found out she had no family or relatives; both her parents had been killed in the war; or maybe starved to death. “There are hundreds like her in this camp. They are left to their own devices,” said an old man who lived in the camp. The image of this girl remained carved in my memory. It was one of the darkest moments in my time as a journalist. “I wish those who had sparked the war were there to see this girl; to see the price common people are paying for their lust for power,” I said to myself.
In our pursuit for the truth, we were taken to many places in the country. We saw villages completely deserted; thousands fleeing for their lives. Also, caravans of citizens crossing the border seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Starvation was not their only companion; diseases and other natural disasters were too. Al Jazeera was always the first to cover the stories and carry the voices of those unheard human beings. Al Jazeera has truly made a difference; as many relief organisations reacted to our coverage. I am really proud to belong to this media organisation.
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