Ethnic violence poses great challenge for South Sudan

By Kamba Anthony

Juba: Recent fighting and tribal conflicts that broke out in Jonglei State in South Sudan are an indication that the world’s newest state faces enormous challenges to gaining peace. In Jonglei, the government and UN peacekeepers were slow to respond as clashes over cattle between Luo Nuer and Murle tribes escalated for two weeks. Fighters from the Luo Nuer tribe almost overrun the town of Pibor displaced thousands and killed hundreds of Murle people. Over the last week there were reports of revenge attacks by the Murle on Luo Nuer.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s government declared the area a “humanitarian disaster area” and called on international aid agencies to move in to provide assistance. The Pibor County Commissioner, Joshua Konyi initially said the number of the dead was in thousands from attacks that began 23 December until early
January when the government was able to reinforce the existing troops.
However the government has said only 57 people were killed in the ethnic violence and about 60,000 people have been displaced.

Even in the midst of what the UN undersecretary-general for peacekeeping operations, Herve Ladsous has called  ‘a very serious crisis’; seeking dialogue between the two communities should be top priority. Last week I attended a dialogue held in Juba by the Murle and Lou Nuer youth, which I thought, raised important issues.

Paul Kuakuak, the chairperson of the Murle youth in Juba said although they were still mourning the dead and trying to ensure hundreds still in hiding could return home, it is important to involve the youth finding solutions for the State. The Lou Nuer youth leader Yien Bhor also echoed the participants voice for dialogue. ” We as the Lou Nuer youth here in Juba, if we go back to our villages, they know us and can listen. Politicians can only tell government statements but peace will come form the youth.” he says.

The dialogue was mediated by two NGos, Community Engagement for Progress Organization (CEPO) and Hope Horn of Africa Peace Engagement.

Hope Horn of Africa peace Engagement Chairperson in South Sudan, Moses Mbikoyesu says engaging the youth instead of only elders would bring about a lasting solution since they are they are playing an active role in the clashes.

According to Kuakuak, the return of their displaced people will mark the beginning of a process that will see dialogue ushered in. However securing the livelihood of internally displaced people is what Barnaba Marial, South Sudan’s Information Minister says is among top priorities in the affected areas. Reports from the Pibor area of Jonglei speak of suffering, as many Murle villages were set ablaze.

The Pibor fighting according to Lou Nuer youth is deep-rooted in history. As far back as 1936, there was a dispute over the death of bull belonging to a Murle cattle keeper during a fight with a Lou-Nuer’s bull. The Murle cattle herder later revenged the loss of his bull by killing a bull that belonged to the Lou-Nuer herder and confiscated cattle.

This history of cattle raiding was raised at the dialogue but today’s raids have become deadly because of the proliferation of arms that have remains in the hands of civilians since the civil war. The youth from the two ethnicities living in Juba believe involving the youth might be only lasting solution to the matter even though currently many people are looking up to politicians.

South Sudan’s Vice president Riek Machar holds a great position among the Nuer people and many see him as important person to bring the hostilities to an end. Ismail Kony, an advisor of the President Kiir is highly respected among the Murle. But much as the political figures have respect in the communities, many are distanced themselves from the reality on the ground that the conflict is not political. For the conflict to end, there has to be a more active role played by these elected officials as well as involvement of the youth.

The Jonglei State conflict is one of many that South Sudan is facing just six months after the celebrating the a hard fought for independence from the mainly Muslim Arab Sudan.

Just before Christmas, the army killed the biggest rebel leader George Athor of South Sudan Democratic Movement. Athor’s fights together with the ethnic conflicts put Jonglei population in state of terror. His death was said to be “a lesson to other factions fighting the new state that there will be no room for instability,” according to different leaders in South Sudan.

But some analysts have wondered whether this wasn’t a precedent for government of South Sudan failing to negotiate peace and tackle widely spread corruption that most of the dissidents are pointing to.

Another new rebel movement- the South Sudan Liberation Army led by Tong Ayat threatens livelihood of people in Upper Nile while the  South Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SSLM/A) remains a cause of instability in the country’s oil rich Unity State under the leadership of Bapiny Monytuil.

Whether it is Jonglie or other states one thing is certain, South Sudan must worker harder to promote dialogue if the new nation is to be a free and democratic nation for all.