As a member of the Dinka people, he has a personal connection to the plight of his community, which saw thousands of its members abducted and enslaved during the civil war between the Sudan Government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement from 1983 to 2005. James actively participated in frequent visits to the locations where abductees were held and has negotiated their release and repatriation with local leaders, government authorities, NGOs, and international organizations. He utilized his home in Khartoum as a reception center for released and escaped children and adults, facilitating their reunion with relatives in the area.
For many years, the Sudanese Government denied the existence of slavery and persecuted those who spoke out against it. Consequently, James has been arrested over 30 times and imprisoned on multiple occasions. James Aguer Alic’s relentless fight against child slavery has earned him numerous awards and international support from countries such as the United States and Germany.