Consul By Night,Until yesterday, Eilat hotel cleaner Bith Thiyang was just another of the 8,000 Sudanese refugees working illegally in Israel. But with the declaration of South Sudan’s independence, the temporary government has appointed him ambassador to Israel. Switching from his morning concierge uniform to an official-looking spanking suit and tie in the afternoon for his first week on the job, Thiyang says a partnership between Israel and South Sudan is natural. “Israel is our best friend in the world.”
The Red Sea sparkles on our left while the red mountains of Edom glisten to our right yet the heat threatens to melt us. The border between Egypt and Israel is closer than ever but there aren’t too many tourists outside today. Who would be outdoors when it seems that Gehinnom has come to the earth to pay a visit?
We emerge from the air conditioned car but Bith Thiyang — soon-to-be Israel’s ambassador of embryotic South Sudan — doesn’t mind the heat at all. Emerging from behind a wagon stacked with hotel towels and linens he jumps out to greet us decked out in a tailored suit and garish necktie. Thiyang has no problem with hot weather. “When you come to South Sudan ” he whispers in broken English his tone muted in his effort to adopt a diplomatic air in light of his new position “you will see what true Gehinnom is. Compared to the heat in our country this is like the Swiss Alps.”
I examine his charcoal-black skin. Not a drop of perspiration appears on his face. “Come with me” he says leading us to a hilltop where he points to a spot on the border between Egypt and Israel deep in the surrounding mountains. “There is that is where I was captured by the IDF when I crossed the border. I was imprisoned in an Israeli jail but that is also where my freedom began the freedom that was made complete last week when my president announced our independence. Now we have a state and no one can tell us what to do.”
The story of our hero Bith Thiyang may be the tragic tale of all the South Sudanese refugees in the State of Israel. It is the story of a hotel room attendant who was transformed overnight into an ambassador and diplomat.
Create a free account to keep reading.
