By Matik Kueth
A refugee woman living in Wedweil Camp, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, is still waiting for her rape case to move forward months after reporting the incident.
The alleged assault took place as she was travelling back from Nyamlel town in Aweil West County.
Manal Adam Abdallah stressed she reported the case to authorities in Wedweil Refugee Camp, but has seen little progress since.
“I was trading between Rqaybat and Wad-al-Hana, and as I was heading back, it was late, around 12 o’clock. I was raped by the driver. He stopped the car and dragged me to the forest. It was far, and there was no place near for anyone to assist me. It was just the driver alone and his 13-year-old assistant,” Abdallah said.
She added, “I came here after three days and opened a case, but they were demanding money and I had nothing. I went to NRC and they directed me to World Vision, who told me to meet Molana Deng. But when I went there, I found no help, only more questions and more delays.”
Manal bemoaned that instead of receiving support, she was repeatedly referred from one organization to another, without clear assistance.
“I was told that I should return to NRC, I went to NRC but none of them helped me with anything. NRC only wrote down my statement and told me they would come to my house, but they never did. Every time I go, they say come tomorrow or the manager is sick,” she stated.
“They keep transferring me from one place to another with no support. Even the police ask for money before they do anything. We refugees don’t have the money they ask for. I have been struggling alone from June until now, and nobody has done anything to help me,” she lamented.
Manal’s lawyer, Advocate Isaac Deng Athian, who was assigned to handle her case, declined to comment when contacted.
In refugee settings, survivors of sexual violence are expected to receive medical care, psychosocial support and legal assistance through a referral system. In Manal’s case, several actors acknowledge that this process did not function as intended.
Abass Dahab, the protection focal person in Wedweil Camp, confirms that Manal reported the incident and was referred onward, but says the system failed to deliver meaningful support.
“Yes, she went to Wedweil Health Centre and received some treatment, but there was no psychosocial support at all. World Vision did nothing about health care; they only shared the issue with protection partners like IRC, UNHCR and CRA. The referral even failed at CRA. We were in a meeting with all protection partners, and everyone was surprised how the case reached the Director General when they were already discussing it in Aweil. But in the end, nothing was done, and the matter fell silent,” he noted.
However, World Vision said it had already taken multiple steps to assist the survivor from the outset of the case.
“Understanding the urgency of the survivor’s case, World Vision provided her with comprehensive assistance. This included psychosocial support through counselling, a dignity kit, and financial assistance,” said the statement from World Vision, adding that the organization referred the case to UNHCR and CRA lawyers for legal support and case management.
The Commission for Refugee Affairs said the investigation has been complicated by difficulties in identifying the suspect.
Assistant Commissioner Nicodemus Nguet confirmed the case was reported, but says progress stalled when the survivor was unable to recognize the alleged perpetrator.
“It has come into our notice that the incident happened on May this year. The incident happened to a lady called Manal. When the case came to the attention of CRA, which is the Commission for Refugees Affairs, we informed the protection working group within the settlement to investigate the case and then see how we can follow up on the case,” he said.
“The protection working group investigated the case, and they informed us on how this culprit had to be apprehended. We followed up on the process. We went to the house where the guy was called to smuggle them out of the checkpoint,” he stressed.
“And we called the owner of the house. We called those who were in the house, but Manal was not able to recognize the person that did the incident. So we were seeing that we could not get genuine evidence to arrest those who were in that house,” he explained.
Despite the delays, Nicodemus said authorities are continuing to follow leads in coordination with police and other actors.
“We have come to work with the refugee settlement, but one police guy said he knows the owner of the Tuk-Tuk. And the owner of Tuk-Tuk has so many Tuk-Tuks, and he could only hire the rider to be the one doing his business. So, now we are obliged to engage the owner of the Tuk-Tuk to identify the person so that the case can be brought to court. We coordinate with the state ministry of gender, child, and social welfare. And they said they have been informed by the national club and social welfare on the incident,” he emphasized.
At the state level, officials said investigations are ongoing.
Ajak Ngor, Director General for Gender, Child, and Social Welfare in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, underlined that the search for the suspect has expanded beyond Aweil West County.
The perpetrators are still at large, because they are still under investigation, and yesterday they found the guy who has a tuk-tuk. A tuk-tuk was given to someone when the survivor was coming from that side of Kiradim to the refugee camp. So, they were looking for a businessman, so that they can meet him so that they can direct him to the person who committed the crime,” she said.
“So, we discussed it this afternoon that we will arrange the time to go to Aweil North County, because I heard this guy is from Aweil North County, and he is a bit far from Aweil West. So, I talked to them that to arrange with him, they will be going for an investigation, so that they can find the guy,” she narrated.
She stated that authorities remain committed to pursuing the case.
“If the person they meet directs them to the actual perpetrator, they’ll inform me, and now they will take the case to the court. We arranged to go on Tuesday. If there’s any response or whatever,” she narrated.
As Manal continues to wait, she stressed that she hopes the investigation will eventually move forward and her case will be heard.