As a former child soldier in Sudan, South Sudanese singer and activist Emmanuel Jal knows what it is like to experience extreme violence in what he calls "hell on Earth." After surviving an endless civil war in his country and being forced to fight as a child soldier, Jal told participants at the ABC Continuity Forum 2012 that he is determined to promote peace worldwide.
Jal, who has performed with the likes of Radiohead and Coldplay, has launched a campaign called "We Want Peace." The campaign, which launched in 2010, looks to promote peace "through the power of music" throughout the world, its website states.
Speaking to a packed conference room in Miami on Tuesday, Jal described the hardships he, and 2.5 million other people, were forced to endure during the horrific Sudanese civil war that cost the lives of millions. Jal's own family was greatly affected by the war. He said his mother and uncles died during the conflict, while his sisters suffered repeated rapes or were forced to marry at a young age.
As a young boy, Jal was sent to Ethiopia to seek refuge from the ongoing struggle and to get an education. Along with thousands of other boys, Jal walked from his home in South Sudan to Ethiopia. He described how he witnessed many of his fellow Ethiopia-bound refugees die of starvation, dehydration or killed by wild animals. "I seen my people die like flies," Jal told the crowd.
Shortly after arriving in Ethiopia, Jal was recruited to fight for the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). While in SPLA training, Jal said he experienced a lot of violence and saw many other child soldiers die. Eventually, he and a group of child soldiers were able to escape. He soon met a British aid worker, who took him out of Sudan and helped his get his education.
Although he admitted to still dealing with the effects of war, Jal has used his innate ability to connect through music to launch a career in peaceful activism. "Musicians are emotional leaders, today's prophets," he said during the forum. Using his international stardom, Jal has dedicated his life to motivate people to join his peace campaign.
In 2010, Jal launched his "We Want Peace Campaign" in hopes of promoting peace around the world. During his time in Miami, Jal performed his hit song "We Want Peace," which has been at the forefront of his campaign. With his insurmountable energy and enthusiasm, Jal was able to get everyone at the forum to their feet and is sure to attract many to his cause.