Seasonal Gloom Overshadows Christmas
In Upper Nile’s historic town of Malakal, December lights flicker against a backdrop of emptied pockets and uneasy calm. Local women say the usual carols are drowned out by memories of fighting and the rising cost of everything from maize flour to children’s shoes.
“There is little to celebrate,” admits market vendor Merry William, adjusting a faded Santa hat that no one is buying. Her remark sums up a sentiment echoed along the muddy alleys leading to the White Nile.
Mothers Bear the Conflict’s Scars
Many mothers describe a cycle of birth and bereavement. “Sometimes it feels safer not to give life than to watch it stolen,” says William, recalling neighbours who buried sons long before their first school report.
Health workers note rising trauma-related illnesses among women, ranging from persistent insomnia to hypertension, straining an already fragile clinic network.
Tribalism Entangles Peace and Farming
Interviewees trace today’s suffering to tribal rivalries they liken to a slow-acting poison. Because fields near the town remain contested, many residents buy grain instead of harvesting their own, pushing prices beyond reach.
“One tribe should not fight another; each should farm so hunger ends,” insists trader Rebecca Nya Hakim, whose stall stocks only dried okra and hope.
Cash Drought Darkens Festivities
The local market now runs more on credit than cash. Suppliers hesitate to send new goods, citing payment delays, leaving shelves thin on cooking oil, sugar and the bright garments children cherish on Christmas morning.
Resident Nyan Aleu Lual calls for salary disbursements to states, arguing that liquidity would restore dignity to families and stimulate small business growth.
Quiet Hopes for a Brighter Year
Faith groups plan joint prayers on Christmas Eve, seeking what politics has yet to deliver: sustained peace and economic revival. Community elders say dialogue, not weapons, must guide 2026 if children are to sing without fear.
For now, Malakal’s women knit resilience from shared stories, holding onto the belief that, someday, Christmas will again feel like Christmas.