On October 1st 2008 Providence college hosted Emmanuel Jal. An individual who's story boggles the mind and puts one's own life in perspective. I am entering my 3rd year of college and I can safely say this was the most significant speaker I have sat down and listened to.
Emmanuel Jal is a former child soldier. Born into civil war in Sudan he was forced to participate in the bloody civil war because of his father's association with the Sudan People's Liberation Army a southern Sudanese force fighting against the Muslim dominated northern government. The man has lost family and friends to the ravages of war and starvation. He has had to fire an AK-47 before he could read and he has been driven to such desperate hunger he was tempted to eat one of his peers.
Emmanuel was coming to Providence college, a place where most people's lives are relatively sheltered. There is a reason why Emmanuel was coming to PC, and other schools and institutions in the United states and around the world. He carries a message of survival, a story of recovery, hope and impact. Emmanuel is now a musician, after his lost childhood. In one of his songs "War Child" Emmanuel declares, "I believe I have survived, to tell my story and touch lives." Not only does his story touch lives but his presence made it that much more real to the Providence college community.
Emmanuel spoke with a great sense of humor for someone who has seen the worst man is capable of. I cannot imagine what it took to get over the trauma Emmanuel went through during his time fighting in the Sudanese civil war that took the lives of millions and displaced countless others.
Emanuel's appeal was simple, the world has not done enough to help the people of Sudan, a country torn up by war, racism, and religious tension. College kids have every opportunity to make a difference as they are the leaders of tomorrow and they are very easily mobilized if they are united towards a cause. Sudan is not the only crises that is receiving conditional and slow attention. There are conflicts in places like Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo that have been receiving relatively little International attention. Not to undermine the people who are making efforts to improve the situations of the people in these and other conflict riddled places but awareness in the West is limited. With limited awareness action is less likely. This makes the work of people like Emmanuel Jal and other activists that much more important.
The civil war in Sudan ended in 2003, fresh conflict erupted almost immediately in Dafur, where since 2003 it is approximated that 300,000 have lost their lives and over 2t.5 million have been displaced. Emmanuel is fighting to raise awareness about this conflict and who better to tell the story that someone who went through something similar. He certainly had a compelling message and I hope people in the 200 + crowd were impacted enough to strive to make a difference.
Emmanuel Jal has a website, where you can find out more about his story, his music and his activism: emmanueljal.org
He also runs a charity named Gua Africa: guaafricaonline.com
