Sudan 1993: The Face of Truth

The Little Child

I was not born into a poor family, yet I became a victim of a famine in the middle of a war. Don't blame me neither blame my parents, they ran off earlier to secure a portion of food from the UN. I thought I could meet up but here I am, dying slowly as the worms eat through my intestines in hunger. Enemies in and out, this bird looks more fed than I do, I thought there was famine! I saw it look at me the same way I look at my mom's breasts when I am hungry.

As I closed my eyes to a world I was just born into, I saw flashes. "Oh it's a well-fed man, when was the last time I saw one and why is his skin white?" He was my guardian angel, he chased away the enemy right after storing the memory in his 'black thing'. Today or tomorrow, death comes for Everyman. What famine failed to do, Malaria did years later. Here I am in my white walking towards the light disappointed. Most of what the living think they know are lies!

The Vulture

If you don't eat, throw the first stone! I did not make myself this way, like the aroma from your kitchen I cannot resist a dying food. When people starve, my ration is cut short but there are more bodies on the streets. 'A bird must eat, its prey must die,' it is how it is. After a little search for dinner, I found a skinny little child. Not enough but on my way back, I hope to find more. Is he dead or dying? 

Oh! who is this big human flashing white light on me? Don't even try it! Stop shushing me! Now I must fly away, now I must sacrifice my dinner. Everyone will call him the hero and name me villain, so I thought. Oh, I love rumors, the compensation I needed. He made me the most popular vulture in the world but those who were not there blamed him for not doing what he did.

The Photographer

I left my family and little daughter for the horrors of a starving nation. I enjoy doing what I do but not watching people starve to death. I was out like other days keeping memories safe in images when the end began. "Oh my! I see it, how best can I communicate my experience here than..." Now that I have the image that will turn things around, off you go, selfish predator! 

I only took a snapshot, now I am being haunted; He could have been my daughter. I never knew the world would accept my work this much, now I am being awarded for capturing horror. Out of sight is not out of mind, how do I put my soul to rest? Even though our lives are given us a gift, we all get to put a full stop to it one day. It's a year now, let mine be today! 

Rather than walk into the light, I looked back at the living in curiosity. They thought I killed him! They thought I left him to die! They believe I did nothing! They believe what they want to! Who will tell them of my works? The boy is safe! The world got to know and came to their aid! Regrets and disappointment, I think it's time to embrace the light.

Face of Truth

No man wants to be misunderstood, there is always more to what you think you know. Before you cast the next stone, be sure your judgment is right. History speaks back to us, today is another history in the making, we are speaking into the future. I can be anyone, the child can be anyone, the vulture can be anyone and the photographer can be anyone. I heard this story first from the movie Citation, and since then I couldn't help but learn more and express myself.

Check out this link or this to know more about the testimonies of these three.