This is the second time that I am a refugee, and I can’t believe that I’m living in a refugee camp again.
When the war erupted, in Malakal, my wife and my two children took a car to Nassir and I came to Ethiopia. They may now be in a refugee camp, and I want to find them. As I had been a refugee before, I know that the situation in a refugee camp is not easy. We have to struggle for our rights. Otherwise, nothing will happen.
Here, in the camp where I am living, I have represented my people through the refugee committees. Not many refugees speak English, thus they selected and appointed me to represent them. In a sense, I feel good representing my people. The life of a refugee is not easy, and I commit myself to help them. I cannot feel tired.
When I think about my future, I remember the life I had in South Sudan and in other countries that I visited. When I worked for a company responsible for doing assessment surveys for oil exploitation, I traveled a lot. I also lived abroad, working as a teacher and as a housekeeper in a hotel. Then, I came back to South Sudan and the war happened. I want to find my family, go back to my country, and continue my education. I hope the international community will help my country find peace again.
Bang’s testimony was taken by Luiz Fernando Godinho/UNHCR/2014. Read more stories on stories.unhcr.org.
Photo: UNHCR/P.Wiggers/2014. Bang Choul, 30 years old, from South Sudan, in Kule 01 refugee camp (Gambella, Ethiopia).
Share your refugee story on Twitter to @diplocourier, #WorldRefugeeDay.
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Ethiopia: Bang's Story
June 18, 2014
This is the second time that I am a refugee, and I can’t believe that I’m living in a refugee camp again.
When the war erupted, in Malakal, my wife and my two children took a car to Nassir and I came to Ethiopia. They may now be in a refugee camp, and I want to find them. As I had been a refugee before, I know that the situation in a refugee camp is not easy. We have to struggle for our rights. Otherwise, nothing will happen.
Here, in the camp where I am living, I have represented my people through the refugee committees. Not many refugees speak English, thus they selected and appointed me to represent them. In a sense, I feel good representing my people. The life of a refugee is not easy, and I commit myself to help them. I cannot feel tired.
When I think about my future, I remember the life I had in South Sudan and in other countries that I visited. When I worked for a company responsible for doing assessment surveys for oil exploitation, I traveled a lot. I also lived abroad, working as a teacher and as a housekeeper in a hotel. Then, I came back to South Sudan and the war happened. I want to find my family, go back to my country, and continue my education. I hope the international community will help my country find peace again.
Bang’s testimony was taken by Luiz Fernando Godinho/UNHCR/2014. Read more stories on stories.unhcr.org.
Photo: UNHCR/P.Wiggers/2014. Bang Choul, 30 years old, from South Sudan, in Kule 01 refugee camp (Gambella, Ethiopia).
Share your refugee story on Twitter to @diplocourier, #WorldRefugeeDay.
