Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


South Sudanese Still Face Threat from Unexploded Mines, Munitions

Waakhe Simon Wudu

   JUBA , SOUTH SUDAN - Many South Sudanese have been returning home to
   farm the land and live their lives after United Nations Mine Action
   Service (UNMAS) workers spent years clearing huge portions of the
   country that were littered with unexploded ordnance. Still, officials
   warn the work is far from over.

   In December, U.N .mine workers detonated a number of unexploded
   ordnances in Amee, a village located 135 kilometers southeast of Juba,
   but civilians still come across unexploded devices.

   Okolo Joseph, a resident of Lokiliri Payam in Central Equatoria state,
   said his son James Wani, 6, was maimed by a landmine last April while
   playing with other children who found an unidentified object on the
   ground.

   "... He tried to chase the younger ones away and said, 'leave us
   alone.' At the end, when the rest of the children tried to turn their
   backs on [him], running away, he threw the object behind them and that
   was how the incident happened," Joseph told VOA's South Sudan in Focus.

   He said his son still feels severe pain in his injured leg and he
   cannot do much of anything in his day-to-day life without help. "For
   him to move without a stick is a problem. I am sure this guy cannot be
   able to do anything for himself because leg is important for you to
   stand, digging and maybe moving to collect something," Joseph said.

.