File:Name Raphael Nhial Origin Awerial County – Lakes State Location Gudele road, Juba (14101480719).jpg

Raphael is Dinka. Peter is Nuer. They have known each other for eight months although their houses have been standing next to each other for more than three years. Peter is a retired lieutenant in the army and Raphael is a seasoned diplomat.

Raphael finished building the tall concrete fence that now surrounds his house in January 2010. Although this brought much needed security, it left no space for his large pick-up truck to fit. Peter noticed that Raphael would park the car outside his compound everyday and extended him an invitation to do so in his compound. This is how their friendship was formed, a bond that would later save Peter’s life.

Raphael There is a certain difference between people in South Sudan – those who fought and lived through the civil war and those who didn’t. Of course there would be a difference in opinion. In every country, there are differences in opinions but there are ways to resolve them without an escalation to violence.

When the fighting broke out, we were very surprised, but also very scared. Mobile phone networks stopped working but resumed on Monday. I started calling people I knew to make sure everyone was alright.

Before holding my current post, I was a deputy Ambassador of Sudan to Vietnam. When we were returning to Juba, my daughter asked me why we had to come back and I said it was because it was our home. She responded, saying, ‘Juba is good, but not a good place to stay.’ As we lay on the floor in my bedroom trying to keep safe, she looked up at me and said, ‘Told you dad.’

A human life is a human life. I was not worried that Peter being here would increase the risk to my family. Life is precious. If anything was to happen, it had better happen to me before it happens to anyone else. We are all the same people.