In the Town of Akobo

The civil war is escalating in South Sudan.

Renewed fighting between government (the SSPDF) and opposition forces (the SPLA-IO) is intensifying a humanitarian crisis in a region long overlooked by the West.

Since December, over 280,000 people have already been displaced across Jonglei state, with many fleeing across the border into Ethiopia.

Homes have been burnt, water poisoned and hospitals destroyed or looted.

In the town of Akobo, the situation is most acute. At the beginning of this month, people were ordered to leave by government forces. The SSPDF then launched military offences and those who remained were killed or injured.

Everyone has fled. This includes many humanitarian organisations who have had to suspend operations, leaving over 20,000 displaced civilians without food, shelter, healthcare or clean drinking water – these are basic human needs.

South Sudan displaced

Internally displaced people gather around a church compound in Akobo on 21/02/26.

Figure source: Florence Miettaux, 2026.

As someone far from the brutality of this conflict, I’ll be honest I have only recently started to comprehend its impacts. Over the last few months, I have been volunteering with Care4Calais, supporting people seeking safety in both the UK and France. While listening to people’s stories, playing football or sharing a coffee, I’ve also been learning from activists like Giel Malual alongside a range of media sources. The gravity of violence on our borders slowly started to sink in, and when I came across the image above something suddenly clicked.

I started to notice how most of the testimony I came across about what is happening in Akobo mainly came from women and a few remaining reporters. Pictures, of course, only ever reflect what the photographer sees and are interpreted through the eye of the beholder. Yet the image of mostly women, girls and young children contrasts with what I saw on the border at Calais. Here, the vast majority of people I saw were young men and boys moving with the aim of seeking sanctuary. Many were unaccompanied minors of 15, 14, 13 or even younger. Seeing this image was like coming across a missing puzzle piece, bringing the broader picture into view. As the first to be targeted or recruited by militia, families are sending off their sons in a desperate hope to save them.

People who I had the privilege of meeting in Calais often made dangerous journeys over land and sea, away from conflicts like the one impacting Akobo. The route brings its own challenges. Most, if not all people on the move face extreme threats of exploitation, slavery, trafficking, violence and illegal detention in the hope of seeking safety. There are few options but to cross borders – something I have had the privilege to take for granted.

Of course, I am generalising, as each person has their own unique story. I am often fearful about making sweeping statements that bundle people into boxes without allowing individual personalities to shine. On the border, I was honoured to spend time with people, exchange languages, and sometimes learn a little about each other’s lives. But I do not want to tell a story that is not mine to share. Instead, I turn here towards people from South Sudan who are already speaking out, whose voices should be heard in times like these.

People group together under tarpaulin while charging their phones at a Care4Calais distribution site in the rain.

Figure source: Care4Calais, [no date].

In solidarity with the thousands of civilians now facing enforced starvation, three activists, John Kuei, Giel Malual and David Yambio are taking part in a hunger strike. As the crisis unfolds, they intend to bring international attention to South Sudan, urging our leaders to push opposing forces towards dialogue and a ceasefire.

They also aim to continue their hunger strike until at least £10,000 is raised to fund immediate humanitarian assistance in Jonglei State. For reasons outlined at the end of this post, I will not be joining in the hunger strike or sharing any further details about it. However, I do stand in solidarity and seek instead to do all I can to amplify the message and catalyse action.

Beginning on Monday 16th March, John, Giel and David are now five days in and have almost reached their target. While this is important and I urge you to consider donating, the situation continues to unfold in South Sudan. This is something John, Giel and David remind us of everyday by platforming the voices of people on the ground, piecing together a crisis that is happening before our very eyes.

For too long, violence in South Sudan has been a ghost to media headlines in the West. Present, but never quite seen. The media selects stories that concern us, which in turn shapes our political agenda. By overlooking a region on the brink of civil war, the lives we care about continue to follow patterns seen at the height of colonial rule. Issues are separated as those that affect ‘us’ and those that affect ‘them’, making it difficult for us to recognise how we are connected to each other.

In 20 years’ time, perhaps we will read stories of the violence and hear accounts of benumbed suffering. We will resonate with narratives in music, art and dance as we do for Biafra in Chimamanda Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, and British soldiers in Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est. We will watch films about the town of Akobo and wonder why we didn’t act sooner.

That is why I ask my MP, Yuan Yang, to;

  • Press the government of South Sudan for an immediate ceasefire and to engage in dialogue.
  • Demand protection for civilians.
  • Support humanitarian assistance for affected communities.

I also add Care4Calais demands, in recognition of how the humanitarian crisis is entwined with lives lost on our borders;

  • Demand safe routes for people to claim asylum.
  • Oppose the end to permanent refugee status in the UK, as proposed by the current Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood.
  • Stand against the Hostile Environment and policies that criminalise refugees.

In these times, many of us worry about our fragmenting world and may be drawn to turn inward. However, if we are to address injustice and reconcile a world where everyone has access to their basic human rights, we need to work together. We must demonstrate solidarity and give this crisis the attention it deserves. Now, more than ever.

Please consider sharing this appeal, writing to your MP and donating what you can. And, most of all, listen to as many people as possible, especially survivors and those seeking refuge.

 

H _ M

*I will not be joining the hunger strike or sharing specifically about it. As you may know, I am on a long journey of recovery from an eating disorder, and many people within my networks are at various stages in theirs. Although I am far from that place of vulnerability and have grown confident in my strength and resilience, I know my risk factors and the impact a hunger strike could have on my health. I’m also acutely aware of how hearing and speaking about experiences of not eating can be triggering for people with an eating disorder, and I feel a responsibility to my younger self and people with similar experiences not to engage in these conversations. For me, eating well has its own challenges and I feel it is better for me to be healthy, more present and able to speak than to hide away in an eating disorder as I used to. This is, I hope, the best way for me to demonstrate solidarity. I hope that in writing this, other people may be able to consider ways to take action that are within their capacity. No matter how small or how big your action may seem, the most impactful one is the one that you have the commitment and capacity to carry through. 

Bibliography:

Al Jazeera Staff., AP., Reuters. 2026. Thousands flee Akobo after South Sudan army issues forced evacuation order. Al Jazeera. [Online]. 8 March. [Accessed 20 March 2026]. Available from: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/8/thousands-flee-akobo-after-south-sudan-army-issues-forced-evacuation-order

Malual, G. Emergency Appeal for Displaced Families in Akobo- South Suda. GoFundMe. [Online]. [no date]. [Accessed 20 March 2026]. Available from: https://www.gofundme.com/f/emergency-appeal-for-displaced-families-in-akobo-south-suda

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