Narus, South Sudan
Encyclopedia
Narus is a community in the Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan
. It is the principal community of Kapoeta East County
.
to Lokichoggio in Kenya.
Narus lies on the Narus River
, which originates in the Didinga Hills
to the west and discharges into the swampy area northeast of the community. The river floods during the rainy season, but ceases to flow at other times.
During the rainy season, the river virtually cuts the town of Narus in two as the riverbed fills and sometimes floods.
The small market area is also cut into two halfs, one on each side of the riverbed.
During the Second Sudanese Civil War
(1983–2005) Narus remained reliably accessible for transport of supplies and personnel by road, being a one hour drive from Northern Kenya.
The trip still had hazards of rough roads and risk from bandits, cattle rustlers and factional fighters.
In 2004 the first phase of an upgrade to the gravel road from Narus to the Kenyan border town of Nadapal
was completed.
There were plans to further upgrade the road through earthworks, grading, construction of drifts and installation of culverts.
Cattle, goats and sheep play a central role in their society, and the Toposa have always been engaged in cattle raids and counter-raids with the Turkana people
across the border in Kenya
.
During the civil war the Narus schools became refuges for orphans of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from other communities.
As of 2008 there were about 10,000 IDPs in Narus.
The school is named after Josephine Bakhita
, the first Sudanese to be declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
As of 2002 St. Bakhita’s, run by the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church of the Torit Catholic diocese, was the only girls’ boarding school in southern Sudan, with 600 primary school students and 33 secondary students.
Narus is also home to the Comboni Boys’ School, which was opened in 1997 by the Torit diocese after the Sudan People's Liberation Movement had given assurances that they would not recruit the pupils.
, where they fought for the Mengistu regime in late 1990 and early 1991. After this regime collapsed, the boys and other refugees returned to South Sudan, gathering at large camps at border towns such as Nasir, Pochalla, and Pakok
. In its 1992 dry season offensive the government of Sudan attacked Pochalla. The boys moved southwest into Greater Kapoeta
, through difficult country combining marshy and desert terrain, harassed by Toposa bandits.
By 22 April 1992 there were 12,241 boys and 6,600 "teachers and dependents" in Narus.
Kapoeta town was re-captured by the Government of Sudan in 1994 and many people were displaced to Narus.
Refugees already in Narus moved south into Kenya, with about 12,000 boys reaching Lokichokio in late May 1992.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Torit left his official residence in Torit
and moved to Narus during the civil war.
Narus later suffered from bombing raids by the government.
In one raid in December 1998 a government plane dropped 14 bombs over a period of three days, killing six people and wounding sixteen.
In September 2000 a Sudanese government plane dropped a dozen bombs on a Catholic mission in Narus.
A medical dispensary was destroyed and six people were injured including a nurse and children.
In April 2001 the government dropped two bombs near St. Bakhita School, injuring one student and damaging buildings.
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
. It is the principal community of Kapoeta East County
Kapoeta East County
Kapoeta East County is an administrative region of Eastern Equatoria state in South Sudan, bordered by Kenya to the south, Ethiopia to the east and Jonglei state to the west. It is part of the Greater Kapoeta region of the state...
.
Location
Narus is 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) north of the Kenyan border on the road from KapoetaKapoeta
Kapoeta is a town in South Sudan. It is located in Kapoeta South County, in Eastern Equatoria State, in southeastern South Sudan.-Location:The town lies on the east bank of the Singaita River...
to Lokichoggio in Kenya.
Narus lies on the Narus River
Narus River, Kapoeta
The Narus River originates in the east of the Didinga Hills in Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan. It flows eastward and discharges into the swampy area northeast of Narus...
, which originates in the Didinga Hills
Didinga Hills
The Didinga Hills are an upland area in Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan, lying mainly within Budi County. They are named for the Didinga people who live in the region....
to the west and discharges into the swampy area northeast of the community. The river floods during the rainy season, but ceases to flow at other times.
During the rainy season, the river virtually cuts the town of Narus in two as the riverbed fills and sometimes floods.
The small market area is also cut into two halfs, one on each side of the riverbed.
During the Second Sudanese Civil War
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
(1983–2005) Narus remained reliably accessible for transport of supplies and personnel by road, being a one hour drive from Northern Kenya.
The trip still had hazards of rough roads and risk from bandits, cattle rustlers and factional fighters.
In 2004 the first phase of an upgrade to the gravel road from Narus to the Kenyan border town of Nadapal
Nadapal
Nadapal is a community in the north of the Turkana District of Kenya near the border with the Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan. The Nadapal belt is an area stretching southward from the border with South Sudan to Lokichogio in Kenya....
was completed.
There were plans to further upgrade the road through earthworks, grading, construction of drifts and installation of culverts.
People
The local people around Narus belong to the Toposa community, a pastoral people.Cattle, goats and sheep play a central role in their society, and the Toposa have always been engaged in cattle raids and counter-raids with the Turkana people
Turkana people
The Turkana are a Nilotic people native to the Turkana District in northwest Kenya, a dry and hot region bordering Lake Turkana in the east, Pokot, Rendille and Samburuto the south, Uganda to the west, and Sudan and Ethiopia to the north...
across the border in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
During the civil war the Narus schools became refuges for orphans of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from other communities.
As of 2008 there were about 10,000 IDPs in Narus.
Schools
St. Bakhita's Day and Boarding Girls' Primary School was established in Narus in 1994 with the goal of helping girls of Southern Sudan whose schooling had been disrupted by the civil war.The school is named after Josephine Bakhita
Josephine Bakhita
Josephine Bakhita was a Sudanese-born former slave who became a Roman Catholic Canossian nun in Italy, living and working there for 45 years. In 2000, she was declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:...
, the first Sudanese to be declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
As of 2002 St. Bakhita’s, run by the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church of the Torit Catholic diocese, was the only girls’ boarding school in southern Sudan, with 600 primary school students and 33 secondary students.
Narus is also home to the Comboni Boys’ School, which was opened in 1997 by the Torit diocese after the Sudan People's Liberation Movement had given assurances that they would not recruit the pupils.
Civil war
During the civil war, boys were used as soldiers by both sides. Many were orphaned or were no longer accompanied by family members. Thousands had found their way to EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, where they fought for the Mengistu regime in late 1990 and early 1991. After this regime collapsed, the boys and other refugees returned to South Sudan, gathering at large camps at border towns such as Nasir, Pochalla, and Pakok
Pakok
Pakok, formerly Khor Shum, is a community in South Sudan on the border with Ethiopia.Pakok is near the border with Ethiopia, near Dimma, Ethiopa....
. In its 1992 dry season offensive the government of Sudan attacked Pochalla. The boys moved southwest into Greater Kapoeta
Greater Kapoeta
Greater Kapoeta is the name given to the eastern half of Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan, at one time an administrative region with headquarters in the town of Kapoeta....
, through difficult country combining marshy and desert terrain, harassed by Toposa bandits.
By 22 April 1992 there were 12,241 boys and 6,600 "teachers and dependents" in Narus.
Kapoeta town was re-captured by the Government of Sudan in 1994 and many people were displaced to Narus.
Refugees already in Narus moved south into Kenya, with about 12,000 boys reaching Lokichokio in late May 1992.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Torit left his official residence in Torit
Torit
-Location:The town is located in Torit County, Eastern Equatoria State, in the southeastern part of South Sudan, close to the International border with the Republic of Uganda. Its location lies approximately , by road, east of Juba, the capital and largest city in that country...
and moved to Narus during the civil war.
Narus later suffered from bombing raids by the government.
In one raid in December 1998 a government plane dropped 14 bombs over a period of three days, killing six people and wounding sixteen.
In September 2000 a Sudanese government plane dropped a dozen bombs on a Catholic mission in Narus.
A medical dispensary was destroyed and six people were injured including a nurse and children.
In April 2001 the government dropped two bombs near St. Bakhita School, injuring one student and damaging buildings.