By Denis Logonyi – 03 SEP, 2025
As the world commemorates the International Day of the Disappeared, it is yet another year of agony for Herman Sebit Elikima, a 67-year-old Anyanya veteran whose son disappeared in Malakal in 2014.
Elikima remembers the good times he had with his son before he was deployed to Malakal.
“We have visited his unit (Tiger Division) to check for his name among those who died in the war, but his name is not there. We have searched in different places, but in vain. We trust that God, who created us, will reveal to us where my son is,” he explained.
He says his son’s absence has brought immense sorrow to their family as his hope of retiring and passing on the family torch to the son was shattered by the 2013 crisis and his disappearance.
Elikima says he faces daily challenges, as his son’s two children constantly ask when their father will return. Despite reporting the case to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with the hope of fining his son, he states that there has been no resolution yet.
“We have been contemplating how we will care for these children. We are asking for assistance from the authorities to help us support the children of those who have disappeared,” Elikima said.
According to the ICRC, over 6,000 families are still searching for missing loved ones. Last year alone, 94,168 new cases were reported, with 16,000 individuals located and 72,000 reunited with their families through the Restoring Family Links network.
According to Florence Gillette, the ICRC Head of Delegation, this number represents only a fraction of the majority separated by conflict, violence, migration, or disaster.
“Every hour, we help clarify the fate of two missing persons. Every day, we help 20 people reunite with their families,” she clarified.
She also reiterated the ICRC’s commitment to supporting families who have lost their loved ones.
“Every unresolved disappearance is a wound that weakens our communities and hinders our collective healing. Finding answers is not just an act of compassion; it is necessary, it is the family’s right.”
Gillette hopes that the newly drafted bill on missing persons by the Ministry of Humanitarian and Disaster Management, together with the Ministry of Justice, will be a significant milestone towards recognition, accountability, and national healing.
In South Sudan, more than 2 million people have been displaced within and outside the country due to conflict, violence, or disasters.