COMMUNITY CONSULTATION EPORT Upper Nile State
Transcript of COMMUNITY CONSULTATION EPORT Upper Nile State
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION REPORT
Upper Nile State SOUTH SUDAN
United Nations Development Programme
Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control
South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
The Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control under the Ministry of Interior is the Gov-ernment agency of South Sudan mandated to address the threats posed by the proliferation of small arms and community insecurity to peace and development. The South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission is mandated to promote peaceful co-existence amongst the people of South Sudan and advises the Government on matters related to peace. The United Nations Development Programme in South Sudan, through the Community Security and Arms Control Project, supports the Bureau strengthen its capacity in the area of community security and arms control at the national, state and county levels. The consultation process was led by the Government of South Sudan, with support from the Govern-ment of the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cover photo: A senior chief from Upper Nile. © UNDP/Sun-ra Lambert Baj
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION REPORT
Upper Nile State
South Sudan
Published by
South Sudan Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control
South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission
United Nations Development Programme
MAY 2012 JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
CONTENTS
Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... i
Foreword ........................................................................................................................... .ii
Executive Summary ......................................................................................................... iv
1. Introduction .................................................................................................... 1
2. Background on Upper Nile State ................................................................. 2
3. Methodology
3.1. PRA training of facilitators ............................................................. 4
3.2. County consultation process .......................................................... 4
3.3. The Validation Meeting .................................................................... 6
4. Summary of Findings
Nature of insecurity .................................................................................... 6
Insecurity dynamics .................................................................................... 7
Conflict affecting women .......................................................................... 9
Causes of insecurity .................................................................................... 9
5. County-Specific Findings
5.1. Akoka County .................................................................................... 11
5.2. Bailet County ...................................................................................... 14
5.3. Fashoda County ................................................................................. 18
5.4. Longochuk County ............................................................................ 21
5.5. Maban County ................................................................................... 24
5.6. Maiwut County .................................................................................. 27
5.7. Makal County .................................................................................... 29
5.8. Manyo County ................................................................................... 32
5.9. Melut County ..................................................................................... 35
5.10. Nasser County .................................................................................. 38
5.11. Panyikang County ............................................................................ 41
5.12. Renk County ..................................................................................... 44
5.13. Ulang County .................................................................................... 47
6. Observations and Conclusions .................................................................... 51
7. Next Steps ........................................................................................................ 53
Maps
Map of Upper Nile State ...................................................................................................... 3
Seasonal grazing areas ........................................................................................................ 8
Annex 1. Summary of Proposed Conflict-Sensitive Projects in Upper Nile ....................... 54
ACRONYMS
BCSSAC Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control
CAP Community Action Plan
CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement
CRMA Crisis Risk and Mapping Analysis
CSAC Community Security and Arms Control
DDR Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
FAO Food Agricultural Organization
GoSS Government of South Sudan
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
IDP Internally Displaced Person
NGO Non- Governmental Organization
JIU Joint Integrated Units
PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal
RCO Resident Coordinator’s Office
RRA Rapid Rural Appraisal
SAF Sudan Armed Forces
SPLA/M Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement
ToT Training of Trainers
UN United Nations
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNMISS United Nations Mission in South Sudan
UNS Upper Nile State
WFP World Food Programme
i
FOREWORD
At the core of peacebuilding and development in South Sudan
is the achievement and sustainability of security among com-
munities who stand to benefit most from peace dividends.
However, small arms and light weapons (SALW) continue to
proliferate amongst civilians, posing a threat to community
safety and largely, to the political stability and economic devel-
opment of the country.
The Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control
(BCSSAC) is addressing this threat by mobilising and building
bridges between communities and the government towards
peaceful disarmament. The Bureau also leads the process of
formulating small arms control policies and regulations as well
as develops rule of law and conflict-sensitive development
measures to address the root causes of community insecurity. The Bureau works in partnership with
the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Community Security and Arms Control
(CSAC) Project and other regional and international bodies to foster a collective action that will ad-
dress the larger issues around the illicit proliferation of small arms.
The Bureau has been leading the process towards conducting community consultations, with techni-
cal and financial assistance from UNDP. This approach is part of our long-term agenda of creating
an enabling environment within communities, by extending state authority to the grassroots. The
consultations allow the Bureau to effectively gather communities’ knowledge and opinions of com-
munity security in 55 counties thus far, thereby facilitating for an evidence-backed process for pro-
gramming and policy formulation. Going down to the county level provides communities most af-
fected by insecurity the opportunity to voice their concerns. In turn, it provides authorities inroads
to the perception and attitudes of their communities. County authorities and community members
are empowered to identify the root causes of conflict and create a county action plan that will ad-
dress these issues.
The Bureau subscribes to this dynamic, bottom-up approach which is a proven methodology that
brings the Government to the people and has the ability to triangulate the governance, security and
socio-economic aspects of conflict in South Sudan. We are therefore pleased to disseminate the out-
comes of community consultations to other stakeholders, decision-makers and policy-makers.
The Bureau recognizes the valuable partnership it has with UNDP through the CSAC Project, the
South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission (SSPRC), other UN agencies and programmes,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), state and county governments, and most of all the com-
munity members who were actively involved in the consultations.
Major General Daniel Deng Lual
Chairperson
Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control
Ministry of Internal Affairs
South Sudan
ii
FOREWORD
Following South Sudan’s independence in July 2011, commu-
nities most affected by conflict have made security their chief
priority. The Government and communities recognized that
security is a pre-requisite for service delivery, economic activ-
ity and growth. In the process of state-building, it is equally
important that the Government interface with communities to
understand their needs and concerns.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in
South Sudan supports the country’s statebuilding process by
focusing, among others, on peacebuilding and community
security efforts. We work with the Government and communi-
ties to ensure that conflict sensitivity and responsiveness are mainstreamed into state and county
planning.
The Community Security and Arms Control (CSAC) Project is the cornerstone of UNDP’s peace-
building efforts. Since 2009, CSAC has supported the Bureau for Community Security and Small
Arms Control (BCSSAC) and the South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission (SSPRC) to ad-
dress the root causes of armed violence and implement conflict-sensitive development projects and
peacebuilding measures at the county level. CSAC supports the extension of state authority by sup-
porting county consultations to understand the needs of the community and give the local govern-
ment the opportunity to deliver services that meet these needs, thus undermining the demand or ci-
vilian use of small arms.
UNDP has supported the Government address the security priorities that communities identified
during the consultations, through conflict-sensitive projects being implemented in six states in South
Sudan. While current CSAC projects on the ground are limited to address the communities’ top-most
security needs, these projects complement other government initiatives whose programmes have
been supporting conflict prevention at the state and county levels.
UNDP fully supports the Government’s key priorities as it moves forward to establishing commu-
nity security and development. We value our partnerships with our national counterparts and will
continue to support their initiatives towards providing greater stability for communities most af-
fected by conflict.
George Conway
Country Director, a.i.
United Nations Development Programme
South Sudan
iii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005, the Government of
South Sudan has focused on peacebuilding, conflict prevention and recovery. The United Nations Develop-
ment Programme (UNDP) supports the Government and national partners secure peace and stability
through targeted crisis prevention and recovery projects. UNDP’s Community Security and Arms Control
(CSAC) Project works with the state agencies, namely the Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms
Control (BCSSAC) and the South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission (SSPRC) to conduct exten-
sive consultations in counties across the states.
The consultations support conflict-sensitive initiatives identified at the county level. The strategy is tailored
to enhance the visibility and legitimacy of government especially at lower levels. By fostering extensive dia-
logue and engagement between the communities and the state government, both parties can find solutions
to existing insecurity.
Community consultations in Upper Nile State were conducted to identify key insecurity issues and priori-
ties, as well as assess the challenges of county governments in addressing insecurity. Most importantly, the
exercise aimed to identify a wider peacebuilding and stabilisation framework for Upper Nile.
The Upper Nile region bore the burden of violence during the civil war primarily due to militia groups liv-
ing and operating in the area. It has become one of the most marginalised states in South Sudan; humanitar-
ian aid started to increase only in 2006. Despite a number of private oil companies in the state, Upper Nile’s
development indicators remain negligibly low for education, health, sanitation and access to clean drinking
water. Further, communities in the southwestern border suffered from violence following elections and the
political defeat of the renegade army commander George Athor, later captured and killed by the Sudan Peo-
ple’s Liberation Army (SPLA). Upper Nile State also faces external threats from the bordering Gambella
region in Ethiopia which is dominated by armed groups and plagued with inter-communal disputes and
competition for scarce natural resources.
The consultation process employed Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods to collect data, i.e. com-
munity mapping, seasonal calendars, trend lines and semi-structured interviews in each of the 13 counties.
Consultations were held in May 2010 to get an in-depth understanding of community members’ perceptions
on the different security issues affecting their respective counties. To facilitate a more open discussion, re-
spondents were at times consulted in different groups, namely women, youth, traditional leaders/elders,
security organs/law enforcement teams and county administrators.
In summary, participants identified economic and sociocultural influences, land and/or boundaries, and
arms trading as the key causes of conflict across Upper Nile. Majority of the participants expressed that cat-
tle raiding stems from both the economic need and the desire for prestige. Closely related to this is conflict
from unclear land demarcation between counties or between a county and its neighboring states. As pastor-
alists herd their cattle, crossing borders can become violent as herders and communities fight over their his-
torical territories, or over scarce water and pastureland. Clashes also occur between communities that use
land for agriculture and those that use land for cattle grazing.
Community participants perceived that the presence of gangs possessing small arms are crucial to their
safety. Communities particularly cited the marginalized and disenfranchised youth “who have no tribal
affiliations and operate across tribes” as a threat to their security.
Detailed findings were documented per county, including a conflict analysis matrix, prioritisation of secu-
rity issues and a Community Action Plan. These are presented in detail in Section 5. Findings from the con-
sultations were used to feed into state government projects, with support from CSAC, which will address
the top-most insecurity priorities of communities. A map of Upper Nile on Section 7 illustrates the various
locations of these projects. The findings will also serve as an important base information for Government
programming and policy making, as well as for other organizations working towards building community
security in South Sudan.
iv
1. INTRODUCTION
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in January 2005 marked a critical juncture for
Sudan, and especially for South Sudan, the area most affected by Africa’s longest running civil war.
The prolonged conflict has left South Sudan with development conditions among the lowest to be
found anywhere in the world, as measured by almost any indicator. Some of the challenges include
enormous and urgent social and economic recovery as well as the need to mitigate the risks of both
man-made and natural crises further impacting the development prospects of the region.
UNDP, through its Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit (CPRU), carries out programmes that sup-
port national partners to secure peace and stability. More specifically, UNDP implements targeted
crisis prevention and recovery projects. Localized conflicts, internally displaced people and the mass
return of refugees illustrate that continued efforts to promote peace and stability in South Sudan are
essential.
The Community Security and Arms Control (CSAC) Project supports the Government to strengthen
its capacity in the area of community security and arms control at the national, state, and county
levels. Government leadership or engagement in all activities is essential in all CSAC projects.
CSAC works through the Government agencies, the CSSAC Bureau and the SSPRC, formerly the
Ministry of Peace and CPA Implementation. Since 2009, CSAC has been providing capacity building
support to both agencies, as well as to state and county governments to conduct extensive consulta-
tions in counties across six states in South Sudan, including Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Unity,
Upper Nile and Warrap. The consultations support conflict prevention initiatives identified at the
county level. Through a developed strategy of engagement between state-civil actors, a process is
initiated where communities have an opportunity to voice their concerns and set priorities that feed
into decisionmaking and state planning. The ‘force multipliers’ are conflict-sensitive projects which
are implemented based on the Community Action Plans and priorities set by community members
during the consultations.
Consultations done in Upper Nile in May 2010 aimed to determine the causes of conflict and de-
velop action plans that would address these issues, as prioritised by members themselves. Specifi-
cally, the consultations aimed to:
Identify key insecurity concerns affecting community members with a focus on key pri-
orities in addressing and mitigating insecurity;
Provide information on the trends and levels of community insecurity and conflict in a
regional state;
Identify components of a wider peacebuilding and stabilisation framework for the re-
gional state; and
Identify priority areas based on consultation with local communities, which can then
feed into the eventual state and county planning process.
1
2. BACKGROUND ON UPPER NILE STATE
Upper Nile State is located in South Sudan’s north-eastern region. It has a total area of 77,283 sq km
and an estimated population of 964,353.1 The state is composed of 13 counties which include Akoka,
Bailet, Fashoda, Longochuk, Maban, Maiwut, Makal, Manyo, Melut, Luakpiny/Nasser, Panyikang,
Renk and Ulang. The state’s dominant tribe is Shilluk but also has residents from the Nuer and
Dinka tribes, the Bari-speaking groups as well as Arabs.
The Upper Nile region is among the areas that bore a disproportionate burden of violence and un-
rest during Sudan’s civil war due to the preponderance of militia groups living and operating in the
region. Upper Nile State has since become one of the most marginalised and devastated regions in
South Sudan because of the presence and activities of militias, harsh environmental conditions and
the state’s proximity to the cultural and military population of the North. Perhaps due to these
seemingly insurmountable difficulties, the region only began to experience a significant increase in
the presence of humanitarian agencies in 2006.
Agriculture is the primary economic activity in Upper Nile. People are nomadic agro-pastoralists
who engage in both agriculture and the rearing of livestock, primarily cattle. Local farmers are par-
ticularly susceptible to the vagaries of the area’s unpredictable weather patterns, a factor which
greatly affects their productivity from year to year. Even when rains come, its patterns are unreliable
and sparse, making it difficult for farmers to plan effective crop rotations. Combined with other en-
vironmental deterrents such as the outbreak of pests, disease and flooding, farming in Upper Nile
has become a complex and difficult endeavour with little promise of a successful crop yield or food
security. Floods have become particularly pronounced in recent years. Farmers have refused to plant
in some areas, especially in the lowlands, for fear of loss of agricultural capital.
Despite the number of private industry-based oil drilling sites in Upper Nile, the region remains
extremely poor with negligible service levels in basic development indicators such as education,
health, sanitation, and access to clean drinking water. The meager and contractually obligated com-
munity development initiatives carried out by Petrol Dar, one of the area’s most prominent oil com-
panies, have done little to affect the quality of life of local communities. Instead, these initiatives
generally benefit the local militias which have reportedly terrorized the regional communities and
perpetuate patterns of forced displacement.2
There has been some violence in the communities along Upper Nile’s southwestern border follow-
ing elections and the political defeat of the renegade army commander George Athor. Despite his
electoral loss in 2009, he continued to challenge the ruling party and the South Sudan army by de-
manding that the then-elected state Governor and now the President of South Sudan, and the man
who bested him in the election, Salva Kiir Mayardit, step down while issuing both threats to attack
and somewhat fatuously offering to negotiate further. Athor was later captured and killed by the
SPLA in December 2011.
In addition to internal disputes, Upper Nile faces external threats. After years of war and instability,
many areas of the state’s border with the Gambella region in Ethiopia are prone to security issues
and are dominated by armed groups, unresolved inter-communal disputes, multiple waves of dis-
placement, and competition for land, water, services and citizenship.
2
1 5th Sudan Population and Housing Census 2008. In Statistical Yearbook for Southern Sudan 2010. Southern Sudan Cen-tre for Census, Statistics and Evaluation, p. 16.
2 “Oil and Violence in Sudan Drilling, Poverty and Death in Upper Nile State.” European Coalition on Oil in Sudan (ECOS). 2006. http://www.ecosonline.org/reports/2006/OilandViolenceinSudanDrillingPovertyandDeathinUpperNileState.pdf
3
During the dry season, local wa-
ter sources dry up and the area’s
various ethnic groups, including
the Nuer-Lao, Nuer-Jikany and
the Muerle, drive their cattle to-
ward the Sobat and Pibor rivers
in Akobo County. The seasonal
concentration of cattle, combined
with the multitude of tribes and
armed groups in a small area
often results in increased tension
and inter-ethnic fighting, con-
tinuing well into the rainy sea-
son, until the Muerle moves
south toward their rainy season
pastures.
There are also issues in the re-
gion’s constantly shifting cattle
raiding practices.3 As stated by
an officer in charge of Ulang
County, “Traditional cattle raid-
ing have always taken place, but
we have traditional ways of deal-
ing with that. What we are see-
ing now are youth gangs with no
tribal affiliation and are operat-
ing across tribal affiliations – we
refer to them as the ‘Niggas.’”
According to the majority of the
region’s traditional mores,
women must carry out solely
reproductive and domestic roles
in the community rather than
political ones. This perception is shared by the majority of the population – including the women
themselves - and undermines efforts to increase their representation and participation in politics.
The conservative attitudes of both men and women, coupled with a general lack of female educa-
tion, information about female rights, limited advocacy initiatives for female empowerment and the
general dearth of self-confidence and self-esteem hinder women’s capacity to participate in local
politics. Thus far, this has resulted in the marginalisation, if not the complete exclusion of women
from decisionmaking processes.
Participants in the consultations often referred to the political initiatives which influence violence
and insecurity in their communities as an area of primary concern. This state of affairs is mostly the
result of the ingrained concentration of power along ethno-military lines using political structures as
a vehicle for domination. This tendency has been employed to support groups such as the so-called
‘Niggas’ mentioned earlier at the expense of all other state residents. Such an ill-conceived policy
further divides communities along an ideological fault line based on political ideologies. This divi-
sive pattern has been modelled on the power dynamics of political actors in Juba and has been
propagated by those in positions of power at all levels of government.
3 Ulang Administrative Officer
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1. PRA training of facilitators
A four-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) program
methodology was conducted for UNDP staff, Government staff members and volunteers participat-
ing in the consultations from 30 April - 3 May 2010. County consultations were subsequently held on
04-16 May 2010. The overall objective of the training was to increase the knowledge and skills of all
participating field staff, partner representatives and county community representatives in applying
PRA methods and techniques to better inform both consultation leaders and members of the local
government in the PRA dynamics. This training was geared toward preparing local teams to facili-
tate county consultations, identify community security needs and key conflict-sensitive projects that
the local communities believe would reduce instability in the 13 counties of Upper Nile State.
Key tools discussed in the workshop included:
Community mapping: enables participants to identify conflict and areas of insecurity
in their respective counties, as well as local level insecurity issues, parties involved and
possible conflict-sensitive projects to address the problems identified.
Trend lines: allow PRA facilitators to explore changes in security dynamics and the
evolving incidence of violence in the years since the signing of the CPA, directly ad-
dress factors that influenced the increase and decrease in county security, analyse com-
munity perceptions of security issues, and encourage the exploration of possible inter-
ventions to prevent and/or manage instability.
Seasonal calendars: map out the seasonality of security issues, enables discussions on
the factors contributing to conflict patterns and the exploration of possible interven-
tions to prevent or manage insecurity.
Data organisation tools: allow for the presentation of all emerging security issues and
suggests solutions to prepare for the participating stakeholders’ validation process. The
data in this specific study was compiled in a cause/effect matrix.
Prioritisation process: allows county stakeholders to identify the most pressing insta-
bility issues, opportunities for increased diversity of priorities by gender (men, youth
and women) and an understanding of the rationale behind the different rankings by
participants in each of the above categories.
Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions: enable participants and
stakeholders to cross-check issues which emerge as a result of utilising the various PRA
tools discussed above.
3.2. County consultation process
The county consultation process was designed to be as inclusive as possible and brought together
community representatives and key stakeholders such as members of the Government on the local
and county levels, and regional interest groups. Makal County, by virtue of being the host, was the
first to undergo the county consultation process and proved to be an excellent venue for pre-testing
4
the facilitators’ newly learnt PRA methodology. Consultation leaders from the UN and its govern-
ment counterparts were divided into four groups and each had an opportunity to visit three coun-
ties.
The team proceeded with the consultation process through the following phases:
Phase 1: Setting the pace
Teams were introduced to participating community members and the objectives of the county con-
sultations were shared. This was to refresh everyone on the purpose of the discussion and create a
common understanding.
Phase 2: Isolation and mapping out of conflict issues and areas
Participants used the appropriate PRA tools including community mapping, seasonal calendars, and
trend lines to map out what they believed to be areas of insecurity and conflict areas. They identified
and described the dynamics of specific issues and the parties involved, and discussed the causes of
those insecurities more fully in a shared forum.
Participants also sketched a county map to identify the critical issues which affect stability to capture
evidence-based concerns. The map was sketched on the ground in an open space, using locally
available materials. These critical issues were translated to a set of priorities, or ‘key issues,’ ana-
lysed and put in the context of localised patterns of insecurity.
Phase 3: Semi-structured interviews
PRA facilitators conducted semi-structured interviews with leaders/county administrators, chiefs,
youth and women. Situations and results differed from county to county.
Phase 4: Data organization and presentation
The PRA team reviewed, summarized, presented and confirmed the results with community mem-
bers before sharing them to the state and national governments. Based on the conclusions from the
focus groups, communities were able to build consensus on conflict issues and assign a priority level
to each, analyzing the causes, primary actors, and effects/impact each has on community life.
Phase 5: Preference ranking
Communities identified the most integral needs to their safety and quality of life, using the prefer-
ence ranking tool, one being the highest priority.
Phase 6: Community Action Plan (CAP)
This was the most tangible result of the community consultations and is intended to delineate the
following:
Development priorities as agreed upon by the community; Proposed actions and requirements; Duties and responsibilities of individuals and groups, work schedules; Identification of areas where the community requires external assistance.
Phase 7: Steering committees
Participants created a county steering committee in each county with representatives from the local
youth, women, elders, chiefs, security forces and the Government. Steering committees are responsi-
ble for initiating project coordination to managing projects in the community.
5
6
3.3. The Validation Meeting
The validation meeting, held two days after the consultations, brought together community mem-
bers, state government representatives, county commissioners, members of the SSPRC, the CSSAC
Bureau, Upper Nile State security personnel, NGOs, donors and UN technical staff including UNDP,
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Mission in South
Sudan (UNMISS). The meeting intended to share the outcomes of the comprehensive county-level
consultations widely to all relevant authorities and stakeholders. The meeting was also an opportu-
nity to validate the agreements made with the communities to ensure that their priorities would be
addressed.
4. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
This section provides an overview of the key findings and discussions which emerged from the
county consultations.
Outcomes from the CSAC consultations are complemented by results from community consulta-
tions on socioeconomic threats and risks, through the Crisis Risk and Mapping Analysis (CRMA)
Project of UNDP, in partnership with the South Sudan Bureau for National Statistics. CSAC and
CRMA collaborated in developing their methodologies and information to provide a layered and in-
depth community perception database. As such, some of the CRMA socioeconomic risks and threats
data complement the issues discussed in this report, as a context for the conflict drivers identified in
the CSAC consultations.
Nature of insecurity in Upper Nile
The specific nature of insecurity varied from county to county. Despite their localised contexts, all of
the participating counties expressed consistently recurring issues, underscoring major security prob-
lems in the state. Below is a summary of the observations made by the consultation team.
Youth are considered to be a major determin-
ing factor in the stability of individual com-
munities. If disenfranchised, they can be a
destabilizing threat. Many also participate in
conflicts either in self-defence or to avenge
attacks on their communities.
Boundary/land disputes remain a key security
issue common to almost all the counties vis-
ited.
The presence of military barracks within the
township posed a number of security prob-
lems for women and girls with reported cases
of rape and harassment allegedly conducted
by drunken soldiers.
The lack of water during the dry season and cattle raiding are inter-related. Cattle-raiding
peaks during the dry season when nomads migrate to river banks in search of water and
pasture for their animals. Competing for such limited resources often led to clashes. Cattle
raiding was also often done for quick inflow of capital and to pay high dowries.
Differing political ideologies increased security concerns in some counties which were con-
sidered to be strong bases for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Democratic Change
(SPLM-DC). Clashes occur between supporters of SPLM-DC and the more centralized
SPLM, and often go unreported in the international community.
Violence against women occurs regularly but gets little attention. Women are responsible
solely for domestic concerns and are often violated when performing actions related to these
roles.
The so-called ‘Niggas,’ or the marginalised and disenfranchised youth on the margins of
society, are the primary threat to community security. These youths are seen as lawless and
are often distinguished by their distinct dress code adopted from neighbouring countries
and movies. They are associated with the majority of rape and theft cases.
Uncontrolled natural wildlife is a security threat to a number of communities. Snakes and
lions are a significant concern to daily productivity, especially among women and girls who
search for firewood and water.
Border issues and the competition for resources have become increasingly problematic, es-
pecially in the southwestern counties like Ulang County bordering Jonglei State. The Nuer-
Luo ethnic group also occupy land used by Nuer-Jikany along the Sobat River.
Insecurity dynamics
Upper Nile is something of a unique entity when compared to the rest of states in South Sudan.
Having been under the control of the Government of Sudan for many years, and due to its location
bordering South Sudan and Ethiopia, it has constantly been under siege from some hostile threat. As
a consequence, it has adopted a multi-dimensional and complex outlook on the nature and dynam-
ics of instability. Over the course of the two civil wars in Sudan (from 1956–1972 and from 1983–
2005), Upper Nile has experienced a multitude of parallel local conflicts, the legacies of which still
impact human security today. It continues to suffer from ongoing violence, with organised rebels,
ethnic militias, and bandits responsible for the bulk of the violence.
Despite that consultation participants routinely acknowledged that the state is part of South Sudan,
facilitators observed a divided loyalty between the two regions and conflicted perceptions which, if
not well managed, indicate a serious possibility of increased current and future conflicts. There was
a strong sense of neglect among the participants, as well as lack of assurance from the Government,
both at the state and national levels, which could easily become a sense of profound alienation and
anger.
Chronic underdevelopment in Upper Nile, the lack of investment in state infrastructure, and the
influx of large numbers of returnees have led some residents to react violently to the uncontrolled
unrest in their areas and the subsequent increased competition over resources. A closer inspection of
the causes of insecurity at the county, payam and boma levels reveal an increased pressure on indi-
vidual actors to meet their own basic needs, making local residents more desperate. The changes in
demographic profiles at this level might mask more complex political dimensions.
The level of civilian small arms possession remains extremely high in the post-CPA period. Wide-
spread access to arms is undeniably a fundamental factor in the high levels of fatal violence and gen-
eral insecurity in the region. Any attempts at civilian disarmament would be unrealistic in the re-
gion’s current state, as the size of the task, local insecurities, cross-border threats and conflicts and
the earlier failure of previous accords (Addis Ababa and 1997 Khartoum Peace Agreement4) would
make such interventions both ill-conceived and close to impossible. In fact, following a more recent
7
attempt at disarmament accomplished very little; instead of surrendering their weapons, many lo-
cals hid them to retain as a security measure.
Conflict affecting women
Women were affected twice as much
by security issues. Most local
women were widowed during the
protracted war and have been con-
spicuously marginalised by tradi-
tional practices. The persistent pres-
sures from drought have also wors-
ened the food security situation and
adversely affected the ease of
“female work.” In most of the com-
munities in Upper Nile, women were
seen as hunters and gatherers, re-
sponsible for providing for their
families. Whenever the female
household heads were unable to pro-
vide, the incidence of domestic vio-
lence greatly increased, primarily
wife beating. Most of the groups
highlighted increased food production as a priority area which would address the issue of insecu-
rity.
Causes of insecurity
Insecurity in Upper Nile is multi-faceted and constantly evolving. Violence is far more complicated,
prevalent and threatening than mere cattle rustling, as is common in other areas. Violent clashes are
still fuelled by quarrels over resources but also remain bound in historical group issues and hostili-
ties. The main causes of the conflicts include:
Economic and sociocultural influence
Cattle and resources
The main threats to security in Upper Nile are killings, robbery, and loss of livelihoods through loot-
ing or crop theft. Most incidents are connected to cattle rustling, a source of relatively easy income
for many of the area’s pastoralist inhabitants. Cattle are a highly valued commodity: ‘They are our
bank account,’ said one resident. Cattle rustling is not only an expression of economic need but also
of inter-tribal rivalry over resources and grazing.
Land and boundary conflicts
Land is a major concern throughout South Sudan as a whole and Upper Nile is not an exception, as
land issues remain at the heart of tensions between bordering communities. Traditionally, land has
been owned by communities and administered under customary law, but there is currently no clear
framework for dealing with these issues following the CPA. The Land Act, aimed at establishing a
framework for land administration and mandating the South Sudan Land Commission, has yet to be
9
4 Brief history of modern Sudan. Valentino Achak Deng Foundation. Accessed May 2012. http://www.valentinoachakdeng.org/history_of_sudan.php
Semi structured interview with women in Fashoda County. © UNDP
passed into law. According to commu-
nity members, the set boundaries in
the state remain hotly contested such
that new county boundaries have
threatened to cause havoc.
Participants claimed that land-related
conflicts emerge primarily as a result
of 1) the constant migration of pastor-
alist communities in search of water
and pasture, 2) competition over land
use for agricultural versus grazing
purposes, and 3) the drying up of wells
and water points, which are perceived
as a threat among neighbouring communities. Arab nomadic goat herders had reportedly set fire to
neighbouring fields to ease the movement of their animals while on their seasonal migrations, delay-
ing harvests by the local Shilluk (Chollo) farmers. In the past, this has caused many groups to mi-
grate in search of water points and has often led to collision and violence.
Competition over water
The dearth of clean water sources remains a central concern for nearly all of the participating com-
munities. Attempts to access and use potable water have led to intense conflicts and security prob-
lems among bordering communities in Upper Nile.
Social factors
There are multiple social factors that have either caused or led to escalating insecurity including
widespread alcoholism and the pervasive appeal of social groups such as the so-called ‘Niggas.’
Local and international boundaries
Upper Nile has a high number of both national and international boundaries which permit the pro-
liferation of small arms from multiple sources, making it difficult to control arms flow into the state.
Counties bordering Ethiopia and Sudan are particularly unstable. Widespread access to arms re-
mains a fundamental factor in the high levels of fatal violence and the general levels of insecurity in
this region.
In addition, armed barracks located along inter-county and international borders often caused more
harm than good to domestic security. Barracks are strategically located to best cope with external
insurgence yet they threaten the domestic safety of the very states which they are supposed to pro-
tect.
Arms trading
Small arms are prevalent across borders and among pastoral communities. They are widespread and
a major deterrent to local safety. These arms are typically in the unsafe hands of thugs and criminals
who terrorize villages and communities, causing fear and unrest. Their discursive role in society has
become so widespread that both community members and security personnel freely acknowledged
that these malcontents would deal arms in public forums and were responsible for arms prevalence
throughout Upper Nile and other states of South Sudan. Others reportedly rent out their weapons to
earn a living.
Upper Nile State Consultation Validation Meeting. © UNDP
10
5. COUNTY-SPECIFIC FINDINGS
All 13 counties in Upper Nile were visited for the consultation: Akoka, Bailet, Fashoda, Longochuk,
Maban, Maiwut, Makal, Manyo, Melut, Luakpiny/Nasser, Panyikang, Renk and Ulang. The sum-
mary of each county provided here is based on the analysis of problems and priorities collected and
discussed during each consultation.
The Community Action Plan for each county was developed to include the priorities established
during the plenary presentation of the consultations. It is then intended to inform the Government's
conflict-sensitive projects with support from UNDP.
5.1. Akoka County
Akoka is the newest county in Upper Nile and is composed of four payams. Despite the presence of
a number of powerful oil drilling companies in the area, the county is underdeveloped and the envi-
ronment is highly polluted. Agricultural activities have been affected by the residual effects of pollu-
tion and local residents have associated an increased number of health problems with the oil indus-
try’s practices, including a high level of miscarriages in pregnant women.
The lack of clean drinking water is also a major concern in Akoka County. Boreholes and water
points are limited and there are often clashes over limited available clean drinking water, especially
among the women who are responsible for providing for their families and grow the crops. Some
community members claimed that some people lost body parts in Mayom Payam after drinking pol-
luted water.
The main economic activities in Akoka are rearing animals and growing crops such as maize and
sorghum using traditional agricultural farming methods.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions - Akoka
11
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Border
disputes Land ownership Revenue collec-
tion
SPLM –DC Government of
Sudan Akoka community
Loss of lives and property Constant fear Cattle raiding Diseases Hunger
Disarm the Shilluk Clear demarcation of borders Government protection for civil-
ians Reconciliation after GoSS has dis-
armed the Fashoda people
Lack of clean
drinking
water
Few water points Drought Far distance from
the Nile
GoSS UNS Akoka community
Diseases No harvests Hunger Loss of animals Migration
Construct more dams and bore-
holes
Diseases
(calazar)
Lack of potable
water Few and inade-
quate health cen-
tres Sun flies
GoSS Akoka community Animals
Death Disability Poverty
Provide clean water Establish health centres Provide drugs and trained medical
personnel
Cont...
12
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Competition
over agricul-
tural land
Petrol Dar Chinese Canadians Malazianes Indians Akoka
Loss of lives, animals and
plants Incidence of miscarriage Soil pollution Disabilities (in Mayom people
lost body parts after using
polluted water) Water pollution Diseases, e.g. cancer
Compensate the community Petrol Dar should put the so-
cial and environmental aspects
of their drilling into considera-
tion or the practice should be
stopped Petrol Dar should be sued in
court
Police posts
No funds to con-
struct posts Inadequate police
personnel Lack of communica-
tion equipment
GoSS UNS NGOs
Insecurity due to increased
crime levels Reduced law and order
Construct more police posts Increase the number of police
personnel Communication equipment
Cattle
raiding Acquire wealth Tribal clashes Dowry Border disputes
Akoka community Fashoda community
Loss of lives and property Constant fear among the
people
Establish police posts in the
area Disarm the Fashoda
Unemploy-
ment
Poor education Few jobs No NGOs and pri-
vate firms to offer
jobs Tribal conflicts
Youth Women Men GoSS UNS
Crime Poverty Street children Insecurity
Vocational training for youth
and women
Education
Lack of qualified
teachers No educational
infrastructure Poor meals in
schools
GoSS UNS Community Youth Children
Poverty Unemployment Illiteracy Underdevelopment
Construct schools Employ more teachers Improve meals in schools
Transporta-
tion infra-
structure
Poor roads Very few vehicles
Akoka community GoSS
Loss of lives due to inability
to rescue Unable to access basic ser-
vices such as health centres
Construct roads Establish passenger transport
companies
Cont...Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions—Akoka County
Prioritisation of security issues – Akoka
Security issue Women Youth Elders Authority Total Rank 1-Highest 9-Lowest
Lack of clean drinking water 2 3 3 4 12 1
Diseases 3 2 5 3 13 2
Police posts 6 6 1 2 15 3
Education 5 1 4 8 18 4
Competition over pastoral land 4 4 2 9 19 5
Transport issues 1 8 6 7 22 6
Border disputes 7 5 9 1 22 7
Cattle raiding 8 7 7 5 27 8
Unemployment 9 9 8 6 32 9
13
Community Action Plan – Akoka
PROBLEM 1: Lack of clean drinking water
Project Action/resources Possible partners Start date Follow up actors
Construction
of boreholes
Land Construction
materials Hire a water
drilling com-
pany
Local Govern-
ment Donors GoSS NGOs UNDP
December 2010
GoSS UNS County council Community leaders Local steering com-
mittee
PROBLEM 2: Diseases
Construction of
health centres
Land Building mate-
rials Hire a con-
struction com-
pany
Local Government GoSS Donors UNDP UNS NGOs
December
2010
GoSS UNS County council Community leaders Local steering com-
mittee
5.2. Bailet County
Bailet County is approximately 25,000 sq km in size and has six payams. It borders Panyikang,
Makal, and Fashoda Counties to the west; Manyo and Melut Counties to the north; Maban, Lon-
gochuk and Nasser Counties to the east; and Jonglei State and the Ulang and Nyirol Counties to the
south. Bailet City is the capital of the county and its most populous area. The county has an esti-
mated population of 48,010.5 There are 11 different sub-clans from the Ngok, Lual and Yak-Dinka.6
The main economic activities in Bailet are growing crops and fishing – all areas typically deemed to
be in the realm of male work.
Security issues facing Bailet are based on external threats. Coupled with the area’s lack of develop-
ment, community members revealed their lack of confidence in the Government and its ability to
disburse resources and implement projects at the grassroots level.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Bailet
Cont...
14
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Land
disputes
Friendship (freeloaders) Competition over water Lack of respect for borders Migration of cattle Attempts to prevent others
access to water during dry sea-
son Displacement Diseases Poverty
Politicians (from
Shilluk) Communities Militia Arab politicians
Displace-
ment Killing Hunger Fear
Government intervention Peace conference Unity among the politi-
cians Border demarcation
Cattle
raiding
Wealth Food Presence of firearms Dowry Compensation Tax payments Business Death/fighting Scattered families Broken relationships Cause insecurity Poverty
Lou-Nuer Jikany-Nuer Matia Youth Men
Loss of
property Death Insecurity Constant
fear
Deploy enough police on
cattle raiding routes Government-created job
opportunities Create water points in
‘their’ places, e.g. Lou Bring perpetrators of
crimes to justice Identify raiders through
community reporting Public death sentence for
criminals (shoot in front
of people)
Poor
health
War Few doctors and nurses No lab equipment or medical
storage facilities No ambulance or transport for
patients No salary for medical person-
nel No GoSS or state budget for
building and maintaining hos-
pitals No hospital beds High incidence of maternal
death and disease
Sudan Armed
Forces (SAF) SPLA Tribal and clan
clashes Government and
state
Preventable
deaths High death
rates Miscarriages
among
women Malnutrition Decrease in
population Poor food
production
Deploy qualified doctors Government must build
hospitals, wards and
accommodation for doc-
tors Provide drugs and medi-
cal equipment Peace within the commu-
nity
5 Ibid, p. 16. 6 Upper Nile State Strategic Plan 2009-2010
15
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Migration Large number of disabled
people Death of youngest genera-
tion Poverty Maternal health
Poor
education
War No teachers, school build-
ings, offices or residences to
attract potential teachers Lax parents Remote locations Criminals Lack of development Migration
SAF SPLA Government
High illiteracy Unemployment High dropout
rates Increase in
criminal gangs
and activities Early marriages Lack of skilled
manpower
Build schools Deploy teachers Ensure salaries and
workers Construct boarding
schools with provided
meals
Inadequate
law en-
forcement
Lack of stability and secu-
rity No well-trained police No prisons and custodies Few police transportation
vehicles No judge or court structures Frustration No equality, justice
State government Community Convicts
High crime
rates Fear Injustice Killing Abduction of
girls Early/forced
marriage High abuse of
women rights Drunkards Child abuse Lack of trust Insecurity
Provide prison buildings
and custodies Construct offices and
residences for legal con-
sultants and police Transport and communi-
cation infrastructure for
police Community can help
build houses with gov-
ernment assistance
Lack of
communi-
cation
facilities
Government (State) Ministry of Transport and
Communication (MOTC) County authority
MOTC County authority Zain Company
Lack of access
to correct infor-
mation Mistrust
Provision of new net-
works such as Zain
Violence
against
women
Women not doing house-
work or tending to children Male lack of responsibility Polygamy Drinking wine (men and
women) Little respect between cou-
ples Prostitution (women) Laziness (men) No participation of women
in county structures (CPA
25%)
Women and men Unemployed Drunkards Relatives
Divorce Killing Fighting Trauma Distrust Hopelessness Illiteracy Poor health Miscarriages
among women
in reproductive
ages
State government and
GoSS should provide jobs Family and marriage
laws Prevent the making of
alcohol Increase dialogue be-
tween community mem-
bers
Cont...
Cont...Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions—Bailet County
16
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Unem-
ployment
No job opportunities No laws for unemployed youth Nepotism and clanism (sector) No local companies, industries,
factories or businesses Thieves, cattle raiding, crimi-
nals, robbery Drunkards Prostitution Hunger Death Early marriage
Youth Women and men State government GoSS Ministry of Labor
Food insecurity Cattle raiding Youth gangs
activities Fighting/killing Children not
going to school Poor health Early/forced
marriages
Create an agricultural
scheme Government-created job
opportunities (for those
having certificates) Legal process for labor
office (selection process) Vocational training
schools Create laws governing
unemployment Provide opportunity for
investment in communi-
ties
Competi-
tion over
water
Lack of water in some areas,
such as for the Lou Nuer The river Grazing Theft Violence and death Fear of losing crops Presence of small arms and
light weapons (SALW) Poverty Activities in conflict areas
Lou Nuer Cattle keepers Jikany
Fighting Killing Cattle raiding Seasonal mi-
gration
Government should pro-
vide water to communi-
ties Raiders should be dis-
armed A meeting should be
conducted between com-
munities Clean water for all
payams Community issues
should be resolved with
government intervention Complete disarmament
Child
abduction
Causes are not fully known by
community Childless parents Depression and hard feelings Discomfort in the family Caretakers for elderly Death, suicide
Murle Trauma Killing Displacement
Government should take
care of children and solve
this problem Community will go to
the Murle to resolve the
issue as the government
does nothing
Early or
forced
marriage
Girls and women No forced marriage in Bailet Not responsible to themselves Mothers not taking care of their
daughters Delivery is hard and the mother
and child often die No respect for customary laws
in the new generation Silence in community about
issue although well known
Boys and girls Death during
child birth Trauma High rate of
illiteracy Unstable fami-
lies/fighting Divorce Poverty
Mothers should super-
vise their daughters and
sons Government should pass
laws regulating marriage
and give six months
prison for violators Boys and girls should not
be allowed out at night
(curfew)
Cont...Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions—Bailet County
Prioritisation of security issues – Bailet County
17
Security issue Women Youth Elders Authority Total Rank 1-Highest 10-Lowest
Cattle raiding 1 5 1 4 11 1
Unemployment 5 1 6 1 13 2
Health 3 3 5 2 13 3
Lack of law enforcement 6 2 2 6 16 4
Land disputes 2 4 3 7 16 5
Communication 4 7 4 3 18 6
Competition over water 7 6 7 5 25 7
Child abduction 9 8 8 10 35 8
Early or forced marriage 10 9 9 8 36 9
Violence against women 8 10 10 9 37 10
Community Action Plan – Bailet
PROBLEM 1: Insecurity
Project Action/resources Possible partners Start date Follow up actors
Cattle raiding
Deploy police and army along strategic
border areas (create police posts)
GoSS Community State County
1 June
2010
UNDP Community GoSS County State
Unemployment
(agricultural and
vocational train-
ing)
Agricultural tools Manpower Engineers Fencing and barbed wire Water pumps
GoSS Community State County
1 June
2010
UNDP Community GoSS County State NGOs
Health
(improving health
service)
Hospitals Doctors Technicians Ambulance Vehicles Medical instruments Training of medical assistants and mid-
wives Drugs
GoSS Community State County NGO
20 June
2010
UNDP Community GoSS County State NGO
Lack of law
enforcement
(judicial and legal
advisors)
Offices and accommodations Government should provide trained
personnel Transport Trained judiciary
GoSS State Community
June 2010 County GoSS State
5.3. Fashoda County
Fashoda County borders Manyo, Akoka and Makal Counties, as well as the Southern Kordofan State
in Sudan. It is composed of three payams and has a population of approximately 36,518.7 Its ethnic
groups are primarily the Shilluk, Dinka, Nuer and the Arab tribes from Southern Kordofan.
The county’s most lucrative economic activities include agriculture through traditional methods,
pastoralism, fisheries whose products are exported to Sudan, and the harvesting of gum Arabic. In
terms of trade, most shops are owned by Arabs and very few South Sudanese participate in such
organized commercial endeavours.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Fashoda
Cont...
7 Ibid, p. 15.
18
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Land
disputes
Political manipulation Lack of respect for individual
rights by the government Tribalism Presence of arms No social co-existence Migration Armed clashes
Shilluk and
Dinka (from
Akoka County)
Distrust Displacement Fighting Killing Loss of prop-
erty Restriction of
movement Fear Food insecu-
rity
Disarmament Respect for individual right to
property Clear border demarcation for
counties Peace and reconciliation con-
ferences
Border
disputes
Unclear border demarcation Extension of territories Occupation policy Insecurity No social co-existence Migration Armed clashes
Shilluk and
Dinka (from
Akoka County)
Fighting Killing Displacement Distrust
Border demarcation for coun-
ties Peace and reconciliation con-
ferences Establish mutual respect be-
tween the two tribes
Competi-
tion over
water and
pasture
Lack of enough water Seasonal migration by the
Arab nomads Armed conflicts Migrations, general instabil-
ity
Community Arab nomads
Food insecu-
rity Fighting Killing Cattle raiding Seasonal mi-
gration
Provision of water sources
Unemploy-
ment
Lack of institutions to em-
ploy disenfranchised youth Low salary scale offered by
GoSS discourage youth from
contributing to legal activi-
ties Insecurity Arabic education
Primarily the
youth Women
Early/forced
marriages Youth gangs Street chil-
dren Drunkards
Creation of developmental
projects Improve security at the river Migration to other parts of
South Sudan Establish vocational centres Intensify formal education Establish small scale indus-
tries
19
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Alcohol abuse Need for jobs Migration to north Slow repatriation from
the north
Cattle raiding Food insecurity Violence against
women Prostitution
Alcohol abuse
Peer influence Cultural inheritance Lure of imported alco-
hol (beer) Unemployment Family breakdowns Poverty
Youth Women Men
Fighting Divorce Death Lawlessness Poor health
Create employment opportu-
nities Prohibit alcoholic drinks in
the county Encourage self-discipline
Violence against
women
Alcoholism Cultural influence Polygamy Early and forced mar-
riage Poverty Poor health Divorce Broken families
Youth
(‘Niggas’) Armed ex-
soldiers Prostitution Traditional
male attitudes
Early/forced mar-
riages Polygamy Divorce Fighting Killing Poor health Malnutrition Anaemia Trauma Raping
Employ youth Sensitize community on the
issue of female education Polygamy should be discour-
aged Policy on drinking – it should
be discouraged
Military barracks
located within
the civilian popu-
lation
SPLA leadership deci-
sion Clashes with civilians
SPLA soldier Civilians
Raping Fighting Killing Prostitution Abuse of alcohol Distrust Fear
Relocate military barracks
outside town Encourage mutual respect
between soldiers and civilians Soldiers should not carry guns
in public places such as mar-
kets
Violent youth
groups (‘Niggas’)
Western influence Unemployment Peer pressure
Youth Killing Fighting Raping Fear Insecurity Stealing Trauma Illiteracy
Create laws to ban these
groups Parental guidance Vocational centres Sensitize youth to pertinent
issues
Cont...Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions—Fashoda County
20
Prioritisation of security issues – Fashoda
Security issue Youth Women Elders/ admin
Total Rank 1-Highest 9-Lowest
Land disputes 2 3 1 6 1
Competition over water 3 1 4 8 2
Border disputes 1 2 9 12 3
Alcohol abuse 6 6 2 14 4
Location of military barracks 5 8 3 16 5
Violence against women 7 4 5 16 6
Unemployment 4 7 6 17 7
Competition over water (pasture) 9 5 7 21 8
Violent youth groups (‘Niggas’) 8 9 8 25 9
Community Action Plan – Fashoda
PROBLEM 1: Insecurity
Project Action/resources Possible partners Start date Follow up actors
Establish four
police stations
Community mobilization Community can provide
land Provide local materials Provide building materials Labor
County authority Community leaders GoSS UNDP
1 June 2010 GoSS County authority County steering com-
mittee UNDP
Create an
agricultural
scheme and
fishing project
Community mobilisation Land Tractors Fishing supplies: boats,
nets, hooks
County authority Community leaders GoSS UNDP
1 June 2010 GoSS County authority County steering com-
mittee UNDP
Create nine
water stations
Mobilisation of the commu-
nity Site allocation Building materials Labor Pipes
County authority Community leaders GoSS UNDP
1 June 2010 GOSS County authority County steering com-
mittee UNDP
5.4. Longochuk County
Longochuk County stretches 6,972 sq km and is bordered by Ethiopia and five counties in South Su-
dan: Bahet, Nasir, Malut, Maban and Maiwut. It is composed of seven payams, namely Malual,
Guelguk, Wudier, Dajo, Jangok, Pamach and Mathiang, the county capital. Its total population is
estimated at 63,166.8 Longochuk County contains a high population of returnees from neighbouring
countries and other areas. The county itself is underdeveloped with poor roads and little develop-
ment of infrastructure. Respondents claimed that they preferred to stay in the capital town in
Mathiang which they deemed to be better developed as it had health care facilities.
The main economic activities in Longochuk are growing crops such as maize and sorghum using
traditional methods and tools.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Longochuk
Cont... 8 Ibid, p. 16.
21
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Cattle
raiding
Hunger Revenge Recovery of dowry
in case of divorce Unemployment
Youth from the Jonglei
State, Nasser and other
border countries such as
Ethiopia Former soldiers and
men from other security
organs not re-integrated
into society Other community mem-
bers (elders inclusive)
Killings Hunger Disputes among
counties, payams
and family mem-
bers Migration Prevents border
trade
Agriculture scheme/
project Deploy army/police at
the county border line Employment opportu-
nities for the educated
and schools for the
uneducated Establish water points
throughout the county
Competition
over water
No water points and
catchments
All community mem-
bers but mostly women
Family disputes Diseases Miscarriages Poor sanitation
Construct boreholes
for people and water
catchments for ani-
mals Construct a canal
from the River Nile to
Longochuk County Re-open the Machal
stream from the Sobat
river
Poor roads Newly established
county Political interference
from Northern Su-
dan
Government Humanitarian sup-
port delayed or
unable to reach its
destination Migration to Ethio-
pia No/reduced trade Inaccessibility of
health centres
Government should
construct roads Humanitarian donors
should support the
government
Diseases Poor hygiene Little potable water Lack of food Few health centres Consumption of
dead animals Early pregnancies
Community members Government
Deaths Mental problems Disabilities such as
blindness, deafness
and paralysis
Government should
construct health cen-
tres in each of the
payams Households should
construct latrines Education sessions on
sanitation for the com-
munity
Cont… Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions—Longochuk County
22
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Diseases Poor hygiene Little potable
water Lack of food Few health cen-
tres Consumption of
dead animals Early pregnan-
cies
Community members Government
Deaths Mental problems Disabilities such as
blindness, deafness
and paralysis
Government should
construct health cen-
tres in each of the
payams Households should
construct latrines Education sessions on
sanitation for the com-
munity
Famine and
food security
Lack of rain and
infrastructure to
deal with
drought Lack of tools
and equipment Laziness Insecurity Poor roads
Community members Government Natural factors
Deaths Inter-community
fighting Alcoholism Migration Lack of productiv-
ity Human reproduc-
tivity is low
Government should
provide tools and
equipment to each
payam Construct irrigation
facilities People should involve
themselves in agricul-
tural production Government should
provide security in
the county
Violence
against
women
Women who
refuse advances
from men are
raped Presence of of-
ten violent un-
married soldiers Polygamy Alcoholism Family conflicts
Men Security personnel
Divorce Trauma Family and com-
munity conflicts Death Affects children of
the parties involved
Practice monogamy Raise awareness on
the dangers of vio-
lence against women Women should seek
redress in courts
Communica-
tion
Poor road net-
works Newly estab-
lished county Government has
no capacity to
provide neces-
sary equipment
Government Difficult to inform
the appropriate
authorities about
security issues or
the outbreak of
diseases
Government should
provide communica-
tions equipment
Education No salaries for
teachers No permanent
school struc-
tures
Government Community
Cattle raiding when
people are unable
to secure employ-
ment due to poor
education Teachers migrate to
urban centres or
other countries
where they are paid Migration of some
children to secure
better education Early marriages
Government should
pay the salaries of
teachers Construct permanent
schools structures Community should be
involved in the con-
struction of the
schools.
23
Prioritisation of security issues – Longochuk
Security issue Women Youth Admin/
elders
Total Rank 1-Highest 12-Lowest
Competition over water 1 2 3 6 1
Poor roads 3 6 1 10 2
Famine and hunger 4 7 2 13 3
Education 2 5 7 14 4
Diseases 7 4 4 15 5
Cattle raiding 9 1 6 16 6
Unemployment 5 3 9 17 7
Communication 8 8 5 21 8
Violence against women 6 10 10 26 9
Inter-clan and tribal clashes 12 9 8 29 10
Armed robbery 10 11 11 32 11
Abductions 11 12 12 35 12
Community Action Plan – Longochuk
PROBLEM 1: Competition over water
Project Action and resources Possible partners Start date Follow up actors
Construct boreholes in
each of the following seven
payams: Jangok, Pamach,
Dajo, Mathiang, Malual,
Guelguk and Udier
Land Construction materi-
als Contract a water
drilling company
Local govern-
ment UNDP Other donors
November
2010
Local steering
committee
Construction of water catch-
ments for animals in each
of the seven payams
Land Machinery for con-
struction Fencing materials
Local govern-
ment UNDP Other donors
November
2010
Local steering
committee
PROBLEM 2: Poor roads
Construct roads connecting
all of the payams
Hire a road construc-
tion company
Government November
2010
Local authority Local steering
committee
5.5. Maban County
The name Maban derives from the designation given to the local indigenous people meaning
“people of the land.” Geographically, Maban is in the northeast area of Upper Nile and stretches
11,854 sq km.9 It is bordered by the Blue Nile region to the northeast, Renk County to the west, and
Maluth and Longochuk Counties to the south. It has an estimated population of 45,238 and is com-
posed of five payams: Boung, Banshowa, Khor-Elhamer, Jin-magda and Jin-Kowata.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions - Maban
Cont...
24
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Border disputes Caused by political oppor-
tunists who want to benefit
from the chaos Some communities do not
respect established
boundaries (Dinkas from
Malut and Renk) Need to collect more reve-
nue by Malut and Renk
Counties Presence of gum Arabic
(Done by the Dinkas.
These trees are only found
in Maban.)
Maban com-
munity Dinkas in
Malut and
Renk Nual of Lon-
gochuk
Conflicts Death Prevented the
county’s last census Causes the unofficial
change of names in
different areas
throughout the
county Women are in danger
during the disputes
Seek dialogue among
the conflicting coun-
ties Establish county bor-
der demarcation com-
mittees Bring in experts to
assist local commit-
tees in officially defin-
ing borders
Famine and food
security
Laziness Weather fluctuations
sometimes bring floods Lack of modern tools for
agriculture Misuse of harvested food Fires set by nomads Big families
Weather Community
members
Migration Deaths of people and
animals Food theft
WFP should supply
food Introduce advanced
farming methods and
equipment Construct water ca-
nals for irrigation
Transportation
infrastructure
Insufficient county budget
for materials and ma-
chines to construct roads
and bridges Lack of state budget to
actually construct roads
and bridges
Children Women Men Youth
Death, especially
among children Prevents accessibility
of health centres,
especially for preg-
nant women
Government should
construct roads and
bridges Donors should pro-
vide financial capital
to construct roads and
bridges Provide materials and
equipment to the
county to encourage
local initiatives
Poor Education Untrained and unqualified
teachers - currently work-
ing as volunteers, no sala-
ries Shortage of teachers in
some payams Inconsistencies - syllabus
in English and teaching in
Arabic
Community
members Government
High illiteracy Early marriage Poor development
Government should
pay teachers’ salaries Teachers should be
able to speak English Employ more teachers Laws encouraging
childhood school at-
tendance should be
created
9 Ibid, p. 11.
Cont… Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions—Maban County
25
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
No teacher accommoda-
tion Few to no preschools and
female teachers Few available teaching
materials Little adult education Parents prevent their chil-
dren from attending school
Community
members Government
High illiteracy Early marriage Poor development
Boarding schools
should be created for
students from distant
communities Construct more
schools within the
payams for easier
access Form parent-teacher
associations to moni-
tor progress in schools
Violence against
women
Common traditional prac-
tices such as polygamy Women who refuse the
advances of men are raped Presence of many unmar-
ried men Women are beaten for re-
fusing to support men and
complete domestic tasks
Men Women
Divorce Death Affects the children
of the involved par-
ties
Mass sensitization to
the rights of women Encourage gender
mainstreaming Encourage female
education Encourage good male-
female relationship by
promoting communi-
cation in the home Raise awareness of
women’s rights and
issues surrounding
violence against
women
Unemployment Few jobs Lack of education and ex-
perience in general public Tribalism determines hir-
ing practices No budget allocation for
employment by county Illiteracy especially among
women
Youth Women Employers -
oil compa-
nies Men Local au-
thorities
Crimes increase -theft Increased drunken-
ness Beggars and poverty Hunger Family conflicts
Provide loans to
youth Establish vocational
training centres Create environments
conducive to encour-
aging outside invest-
ment and thus pro-
vide job opportunities Create income gener-
ating activities
Poor health ser-
vices
State government does not
supply drugs Few students enroll in
medical school NGOs are not actually
supplying drugs as man-
dated Lack of coordination be-
tween the community and
state on medical issues
Government Community
Death Government should
assign medical per-
sonnel and lab techni-
cians to county health
centres Construct drug stor-
age facilities Government should
supply necessary
drugs Establish a medical
training centre in mid-
wifery
Prioritisation of security issues – Maban
11Koch commissioner, Police commissioner, South Sudan Wildlife service, South Sudan People’s Liberation Army, and South Sudan People’s Liberation Movement secretary
26
Security issue Women Youth Admin/
elders
Total Rank 1-Highest 8-Lowest
Famine/food security 2 1 1 4 1
Competition over water for people
and animals
3 2 3 8 2
Education 4 3 2 9 3
Border disputes 1 6 6 13 4
Health 5 5 5 15 5
Transportation infrastructure 6 7 4 17 6
Unemployment 8 4 7 19 7
Violence against women 7 8 8 23 8
Community Action Plan – Maban
PROBLEM 1: Famine/ food security
Project Action/Resources Possible partners Start Date Follow up actors
Advanced agricul-
tural farming prac-
tices in Jinmada
and Bugaya
Agricultural materials:
seeds, pesticides, tools,
irrigation, tractors, land
and labor Agricultural experts to
teach improved farming
methods
Community State GoSS UNDP Donors
August 2010 Local govern-
ment Local steering
committee
PROBLEM 2: Competition over water for animals and people
Construction of
boreholes in each
of the four payams
Land Contract a water drilling
company
Local govern-
ment UNDP Other donors State
November 2010 Local govern-
ment Local steering
committee
Construction of
water catchments
for animals in each
of the five payams
Land Machinery for construct-
ing the catchments Fencing materials
PROBLEM 3: Poor education
Construction of
boarding schools in
each of the five
payams
Construction materials:
land, labor Contract a construction
company
Local govern-
ment Community UNDP Other donors State
November 2010
PROBLEM 4: Border disputes
Dialogue meeting
for conflicting
counties (to take
place in Malakal)
Mobilization of delegates Transportation Accommodation Meals (cows)
Local govern-
ment UNDP Other donors
November 2010
5.6. Maiwut County
Maiwut County is located in the eastern area of the Upper Nile State. Its total population is esti-
mated at 45,238 and has a surface area of approximately 3,788 sq km10 and shares borders with
Ethiopia and Maban, Nasir and Longochuk Counties. Maiwut has nine payams: Maiwut, Jotome,
Wuor, Malek, Uleng, Kigile, Pagak, Turnur and Jekow.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Maiwut
27
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Cattle raiding Hunger Lack of water Presence of arms
(Ethiopians)
Ethiopians Sudanese
Killings
Increase the number of
police stations in all nine
payams (one station in
each payam) Peace talks between
Ethiopia and Sudan
Competition
over water
No boreholes Little to no rainfall
Migration Family disputes
Construct boreholes for
people and water catch-
ments for animals
Crime (theft
and homicide)
Competition for fertile
land Poverty Revenge
Community
members
Loss of lives and
property
Construct police posts
with prisons in each
payam Vehicles Provide communication
equipment
Poor roads Wars in Sudan de-
stroyed roads Government’s refusal
to construct roads in
the county
Government Community
Deaths by ani-
mal attack Little to no busi-
ness Accessibility
difficult in times
of invasion
Government should con-
struct roads
Violence
against women
Lack of water, leading
to women being raped
when they go in search
of water Poor roads which lead
to women being am-
bushed
Men Animals
Loss of lives Unwanted preg-
nancies
Construct water points,
such as boreholes with
distribution networks
Unemploy-
ment
No jobs Lack of qualifying edu-
cation Tribalism No budget allocation
for counties to employ
locals Illiteracy, especially
among women Little job experience
Youth Women Employers (oil
companies)
with tribalistic
practices Men Local authori-
ties (tribalism),
especially at
county level
Crime increases
(theft) Drunkenness Beggars Hunger Family conflicts
Provide loans to youth Establish vocational train-
ing centres Create environments con-
ducive to encouraging
outside investment that
provides job opportuni-
ties Create income-generating
activities.
10 Ibid, p. 15.
28
Prioritisation of security issues – Maiwut
Security issue Women Youth Admin/
elders
Total Rank 1-Highest 9-Lowest
Unemployment 1 1 2 4 1
Poor roads 2 2 1 5 2
Competition for water 3 3 4 10 3
Diseases 4 4 3 11 4
Cattle raiding 7 5 5 17 5
Lack of clarity on who governs
the county
6 6 7 19 6
Crime 8 7 6 21 7
Violence against women 5 9 9 23 8
Wild animals 9 8 8 25 9
Community Action Plan – Maiwut
PROBLEM: 1 Unemployment
Project Action/resources Possible partners Start date Who will follow up
Construction of voca-
tional training centres
in each payam
Construction materials: la-
bour, bricks, sand, roofing
materials, cement, metal bars,
poles, general equipment and
tools Salaries for instructors Instruction in vocational
skills: tailoring, weaving, ma-
sonry, carpentry, soap mak-
ing, pottery, metal works
Government Community UNDP Other donors
November 2010 Government County council Community leaders Local steering com-
mittee
PROBLEM 2: Poor Roads
Construction of road
network from
Mathiang Fagak Maiwut, to include all
payams
Contract a road construction
company
Government November 2010 Government Local leaders Community
PROBLEM 3: Competition for water by animals and people
Construction of two
water catchments in
each payam for ani-
mals
Land Machinery for construction Fencing materials
Local govern-
ment UNDP Other donors
November 2010 Government Local leaders Community
Construction of bore-
holes and water dis-
tribution networks in
each payam
Land Labour Construction materials
Local govern-
ment Community UNDP Other donors
November 2010 Government Local steering com-
mittee
PROBLEM 4: Diseases
Establishment of
health centres in each
payam
Land Labour Construction materials Drugs Hospital equipment Health personnel
Government
5.7. Makal County
Makal County contains the capital of Upper Nile State, Malakal. It has a surface area of 737 sq km
and a total population of 126,483.11 It is composed of five payams: Lelok, Central and the Northern,
Eastern and Southern payams. The presence of SPLA in the south, SAF in the north and the Joint
Integrated Unit (JIU) in the central payams poses a number of security concerns for the local com-
munity. The presence of arms is widespread throughout all levels of society from civilian to soldier
and has led to a high level of violence and death in the county. There are often conflicts between ci-
vilians and soldiers in the Malakal markets.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Makal
11 Ibid, p. 11.
29
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Competition over
water
Widespread
water short-
ages One particular
community
does not have
its own source
of water
All members
of the commu-
nity are in-
volved Youth Elders Men
Loss of human
life and prop-
erty Women and
children ab-
ducted
Water dams Water catchments, Boreholes Attempt reconcilia-
tion between the Lou
and Jikany so that
the Lou can peace-
fully graze their cat-
tle in the Jikany area
Small arms Attacks on
Jikany during
the dry season
because of
their natural
water sources
Lou Nuer Youth Men
Loss of human
life in conflicts,
especially
youth and
men Abduction of
children Loss of assets
Peaceful disarma-
ment with the in-
volvement of those
who own weapons Government and
community involve-
ment, responsibility
Tribal clashes Ownership of
land contested Improper use
of land Perceived ab-
sence of re-
spect for land
boundaries
Dinka and
Shilluk tribes Residents of
Akoka,
Fashoda, Me-
lut, Manyo,
Bailet and
Panyikang
Counties
Loss of human
life and prop-
erty Destruction of
relationships Animals and
homes de-
stroyed
Mobilize and educate
people on the issues
surrounding
boundaries Lobby the Upper
Nile State and GoSS
authorities to re-
define and delineate
boundaries
Boundary
conflicts
Land disputes
and tribal con-
flicts Use of force/
power
Dinka Collo/Shilluk
Displacement Death Fear, food
security No free move-
ment
Prioritisation of security issues - Makal
Community Action Plan –Makal
Cont...
30
Security issue Women Youth Admin/ elders Total Rank 1-Highest 10-Lowest
Presence of firearms 1 1 1 3 1
Child abduction 11 10 11 32 2
Border disputes 10 2 5 17 2
Unemployment 5 4 8 17 3
Competition over water 2 3 12 17 4
Presence of ‘Niggas’
and street children
3 5 9 17 5
Cattle Raiding 7 9 3 19 6
Land disputes 8 6 6 20 7
Violence against
women
4 7 10 21 8
Tribal clashes 6 12 4 22 9
Presence of land mines 9 8 7 24 10
PROBLEM 1: Army barracks
Project Action/resources Possible partners Start date Follow up actors
Construction of
army barracks
out of town
Construct new barracks Council for Defence of
Arms State GoSS USA Community
1 Nov
2010
GoSS State government County council Community lead-
ers
PROBLEM 2: Militias
Disarmament of
small armies and
militias
Awareness mecha-
nism Policies on disarma-
ment and disposal
1 June
2010
GoSS All Army JUIC (Joint
Defence Force) County com-
mittee
31
Cont… Community Action Plan –Makal County
PROBLEM 3: Land
Border/land
demarcation
Government should
set clear boundaries
through maps Form dispute manage-
ment committee Transport Money Sign post
State authority University Administration
officers UNDP
1 Nov
2010
State authority Local admini-
stration
Agricultural
project
Tractors Seeds Workers Land Tree clearing Spare parts Tools Water pumps
UNDP Agriculture Community GoSS UNDP NGOs
15 June
2010
County com-
mittees Ministry of
Agriculture
Vocational
training centre
Carry out survey/
assessment Trainees Teachers Land around indus-
trial area Building materials:
iron sheets, generator,
machines, equipment,
generator and diesel Money for a computer
centre
GoSS UNDP
1 Nov
2010
Local authority County council
PROBLEM 4: Water
Extension of
water pipes
Water station in east-
ern towns Survey for establish-
ing the extension prac-
tically Water drawing times
defined by each sta-
tion Pipes Generator
Water coopera-
tion State
1 June
2010
Water coop-
eration County com-
mittees NGOs Chiefs
5.8. Manyo County
Manyo County is bordered by the White Nile to the north and Southern Kordofan State to the east.
It is composed of five payams: Wadakona, Kak, Magenis, Athidhway, and Kwalo. The population of
the county is approximately 38,01012 people, the majority of whom are of the Shilluk (Chollo) ethnic
group. There are also members of the Arab tribes originating from the White Nile and Southern Kor-
dofan States, the Nuer, the Dinka and the Brun.
The area’s primary economic activities are fishing, agriculture, charcoal burning, gum Arabic pro-
duction and the rearing of livestock.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Manyo
32
12 Ibid, p. 15
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Border disputes Unclear border demar-
cation Conflicts over limited
resources
Instability Politicians GoSS Upper Nile State Southern Kordofan White Nile State
Conferences be-
tween the three
states Newer demarcation
of borders than the
previous decision
of January 1956
Land disputes Encroachment into
others’ territory Rivalry over resources
Death Conflicts
Dinka Shilluk (Chollo)
Meetings should be
held between the
elders of the two
warring tribes
Competition over
water
Water scarcity Drought and the subse-
quent movement of
nomads
Migration High cost of wa-
ter Disease Pollution
Nomads Citizens
Dig boreholes,
hand pumps, dams
and reservoirs Water stations
Competition for
pasture
Scarcity of pasture and
grass Setting fire to fields Late harvest of crops
Conflicts between
farmers and no-
mads Deaths of animals Migration
Nomads Farmers Hunters Charcoal makers
Fire lines Enlighten nomads Farmers in tree
control Awareness of is-
sues
Cattle theft Unemployment Hunger Greed
Loss of property Poverty Conflicts Death Frustration
Some members of
the youth Butchers Cattle traders
Issue passes and
permits Cattle raiding Institute check-
points at the border
Armed robbery Presence of arms cul-
ture
Violence Insecurity Fear Hunger
Ex-combatants Creating security
apparatus Disarmament Patrolling
Land mines War Death Danger
SAF SPLA
De-mine through-
out the county
Cont...
Cont… Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions– Manyo County
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Presence of Sudan
Armed Forces
(SAF)
No implementation of
Security Protocol
Agreement
Instability Fear
SAF Demobilization Border demarcation
Conflicts between
farmers and cattle
owners
Agriculture Lack of pasture Fire Gum Arabic
Conflicts Death Insecurity
Farmers Nomads
Fire lines Demarcate farming
areas with input of
elders and chiefs
Disputes related to
taxes
Tax collection Overlapping ad-
ministration be-
tween counties
Administration of
three states: Upper
Nile, White Nile
and Southern Kor-
dofan
Border demarcation Joint taxation teams
Presence of popu-
lar defense forces
(Northern Sudan)
Strengthen the posi-
tions of Arab nomads
Social instability NIF/Government of
Sudan Silem Tribe Awlad Hamid
Disarmament Border demarcation
Presence of fire-
arms
Tribal conflicts Political manipulation
Fear Death Instability
Arab tribes Disarmament Formulation of
laws controlling the
ownership of weap-
ons
Competition over
gum Arabic
Wealth Natural Scarcity
Little production Owners and traders
Prioritisation of security issues – Manyo
Security issue Women Youth Admin/
elders
Total Rank 1-Highest 9-Lowest
Border disputes 1 2 1 4 1
Presence of armed groups 2 1 2 5 2
Competition over water 6 3 4 13 3
Land/border disputes 3 8 3 14 4
Violence against women 4 5 9 18 5
Tribalism 5 9 5 19 6
Presence of landmines and
UXOs
7 6 6 19 7
Tax/revenue disputes 8 4 7 19 8
Conflict over gum Arabic 9 7 8 24 9
33
34
Community Action Plan – Manyo
PROBLEM 1: Water and security infrastructure
Project Action/Resources Possible partners Start date Follow up actors
Establish fifteen
water stations
(water pumps,
boreholes and res-
ervoirs)
Mobilization of com-
munity Map water points Provide materials,
tools and equipment Labor Machines for drilling
Community
elders and
chiefs Engineers GoSS State County UNDP
May 2010 Community Local steering
committee
Build 10 police
posts
Land Local building mate-
rials Engineers Law enforcement,
police Labor
Community County State UNDP
May 2010 Community Local steering
committee Government
PROBLEM 2: Agriculture
Agriculture
scheme
Land Tractors and equip-
ment Bulldozers Tippers Puklin Irrigation pumps
State County Community
May 2010 Community Local steering
committee Government Local leaders
PROBLEM 3: Land
Fire lines and/or
roads for cattle
Survey Dig boreholes
GoSS State County Community UNDP
June 2010 Community Local steering
committee Local leaders GoSS County
Construction of
schools in the fol-
lowing locations:
Jangok, Pamach,
Dajo, Mathiang,
Malual, Guelguk,
and Udier payams
Land Labour Construction materi-
als Contract a construc-
tion company
Local govern-
ment State
November 2010 Local steering
committee Government
PROBLEM 5: Health
Construction of
health centres in
each payam
Land Labour Contract a construc-
tion company Drugs Salaries for medical
personnel
Community Local govern-
ment
November 2010 Local govern-
ment Local steering
committee
35
5.9. Melut County
Melut County has a total surface area of 6,950 sq km and an estimated population of 49,242.13 The
city of Maluth is the largest and most populous in the county. The region is bordered by Manyo
County to the west, Renk County to the north, Maban and Longochuk Counties to the east and
Bailet County to the south. Melut is composed of six payams and a total of 39 bomas. The area’s eth-
nic structure is 90 percent Dinka, 3 percent Cholluk, 2 percent Nuer and 5 percent are from other
tribes. The county’s economic activities include fishing, agriculture, charcoal burning, gum Arabic
production and livestock raising.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions– Melut
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Border and
land disputes
Land ownership Need 2% from oil
revenue Arabs offer large
quantities of money
to buy grazing land Presence of nomads
in the area
The Arabs Petrol Dar company Melut community Government of Su-
dan SPLM- DC
Loss of lives Constant fear Displacement No unity within the
community
Separate the North and
South Promote unity within the
South Train people in conflict
and security issues GoSS should close or ex-
pel the Petrol Dar com-
pany
Police posts No funds to con-
struct posts No communication
equipment or vehi-
cles
GoSS UNS Melut County ad-
ministration Melut community
Constant fear Increased crime Little to no law en-
forcement Lack of development Constant insecurity
Construct more police
posts Increase the number of
police personnel Outfit police with com-
munication equipment
and vehicles Organize training work-
shops for police in the
fields of conflict manage-
ment, resolution and
transformation
Tax/revenue
collection
disputes
Need to increase
revenue in a number
of counties No clear demarca-
tion of borders Little border control Abuse of power
Melut County Maban County Akoka County Renk County
Displacement Instability Reduced economic
activity
Strengthen laws govern-
ing tax collection Create a clear revenue
collection policy Respect and implement
the CPA
Pollution Harmful practices of
the Petrol Dar Com-
pany, especially in
Gakbeny, Mayom,
Pabuny and
Nyangeu
Petrol Dar Chinese Canadians Malazianes Indians Community
Loss of lives, crops
and animals High incidence of
miscarriages Soil pollution Disabilities - in the
Mayom Payam people
lost body parts after
using polluted water Water pollution Diseases such as can-
cer
Compensate the commu-
nity for damages Petrol Dar should con-
sider the social and envi-
ronmental aspects of their
activities or be expelled Petrol Dar should be sued
in court
13 Ibid, p. 15
Cont… Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions– Melut County
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Presence of
JIU in town
The SAF barracks
are currently located
in the town limits
Melut County com-
munity SAF
Death Theft House burning
Relocate the JIU army
outside the town limits Separate Northern and
Southern Sudan SAF and SPLA should
also be in barracks lo-
cated outside of the town
Cattle raiding Presence of nomads
in the county Acquisition of
wealth
Arab nomads County Community
Death Loss of property Constant fear
Establish police posts in
the area Disarm Arab nomads
Poor roads Heavy vehicles car-
rying oil destroy the
roads Petrol Dar has not
constructed roads
according to their
CPA obligations GoSS did not estab-
lish roads as priority
in Melut County
Petrol Dar UNS Melut County GoSS
Low economic activity Increased accidents Increased insecurity Inaccessibility of basic
services, such as
health centres
Government and Petrol
Dar should construct
roads for civilian use
Presence of
pits dug by
road construc-
tion compa-
nies
Dug by companies
in need of soil, did
not cover the pits
when finished with
their projects
Road construction
companies Melut County Community
Diseases Loss of lives - both
people and animals Disabilities
Pits should be covered Compensation should be
given to those injured by
the presence of the pits
Competition
for clean wa-
ter by people
and animals
The most utilized
river is far from the
area Borehole water is
salty due to presence
of oil Few vehicles to
transport water
Melut County Community Petrol Dar Animals
Local unrest Diseases Migration
Provide adequate clean
water for community
members and animals
Decision to
demand com-
pensation
from offend-
ing compa-
nies (petrol,
road construc-
tion etc.)
Loss of land Loss of fields Diseases caused by
pollution
Melut County Community Petrol Dar Government of Su-
dan
Conflict between the
community and Petrol
Dar company Destruction of Petrol
Dar property Loss of lives in the
course of violence
Petrol Dar should ade-
quately compensate the
community for damages
caused by their presence
and work
Mistreatment
of county
residents by
Petrol Dar
Marginalization of
people in South Deliberate denial of
development initia-
tives in the South
Melut County Community Petrol Dar
Poverty common in
the Melut community Fighting between the
community and Petrol
Dar personnel Constant dismissal of
employees from South
Sudan
Promote equality Compensate those af-
fected and unable to gain
employment Sensitize all involved to
concepts surrounding
universal human rights
36
Prioritisation of security issues – Melut
Security issue Women Youth Elders Authority Total Rank 1-Highest 9-Lowest
Environmental pollution 1 2 6 1 10 1
Competition over clean water 4 3 2 3 12 2
Decision to demand compensation from
offending companies (petrol, road construc-
tion, etc.)
3 1 3 5 12 3
Mistreatment of county community by Pet-
rol Dar
3 1 3 5 12 3
Poor roads 2 4 5 2 13 4
Border/land disputes 6 7 1 7 21 5
Presence of pits dug by road construction
companies
5 6 8 8 27 6
Presence of JIU in town 8 5 4 10 27 7
Dispute over collection of taxes/revenue 10 8 7 6 31 8
Cattle raiding by pastoralists 9 10 10 9 38 9
Community Action Plan – Melut
PROBLEM 1: Environmental degradation
Project Action and
resources
Possible partners Start date Follow up actors
Water Truck Vehicles
and Tankers
Vehicles Tanker Drivers
UNDP/ other do-
nors/GoSS/NGOs July 2010
37
Cont...
5.10. Nasser County
Nasser County is bordered by Ulang, Bailet, Longochuk, and Maiwut Counties and Ethiopia to the
south. The county has a number of natural water sources, including the Sobat River which runs east
to west throughout the region and the Nile which lies further north. It is composed of 15 payams
and has an estimated population of approximately 700,00014 people, primarily from the Nuer ethnic
group. The region’s economic activities include traditional agriculture, pastoralism, fishing and inter
-county trading.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Nasser
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Border/land
disputes
Land ownership The need for 2% from
oil revenue Arabs who offer big
money to buy grazing
land Presence of nomads in
the areas
The Arabs Petrol Dar com-
pany Melut community Government of
Sudan SPLM- DC
Loss of lives Constant fear Displacement Disunity among the
community
Separation between the
North and South Promote unity among the
people in the South Training in conflict and
security issues GoSS should get rid of
Petrol Dar company
Police posts Lack of funds to con-
struct the posts Lack of equipment
like communication
gadgets and vehicles
GoSS UNS Melut County Ad-
ministration Melut community
Constant fear
among the people Increased crimes Lack of enforce-
ment of laws Lack of develop-
ment Constant insecurity
Construction of more
police posts Increase police personnel Equip police with com-
munication gadgets and
vehicles Organize training work-
shops for the police in the
field of conflict manage-
ment, resolution and
transformation
Dispute over
collection of
taxes/revenue
The need to increase
revenue by different
counties No clear demarcation
of the borders Lack of border control Abuse of power
Melut county Maban County Akoka county Renk county
Instability Reduced economic
activity Displacement of
people
Strengthening the laws
that govern tax collection Clear revenue collection
policy Respecting and imple-
menting the CPA
Environmental
pollution
Existence of the Petro-
leum company-Petrol
Dar especially in Gakbeny Mayom Pabuny Nyangeu
Petrol Dar Chinese Canadians Malazianes Indians The community
Loss of lives of ani-
mals Loss of lives of peo-
ple Plants are de-
stroyed women get miscar-
riages Soil pollution Disabilities in
Mayom people lost
body parts after use
of polluted water) Water pollution Diseases e.g. cancer
Compensate the commu-
nity Petrol Dar should put the
social and environmental
aspects into consideration
or else it should be ex-
pelled. Petrol Dar should be sued
in court
14 Ibid, p. 15
38
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Presence of JIU
in town
The barracks of SAF is
in the town
Melut community
- SAF
Loss of lives Stealing Burning of houses
Relocate the JIU army Separation between the
North and South SAF and SPLA should be
in barracks
Cattle raiding The presence of no-
mads in the county Acquisition of wealth
Arab nomads County community
Loss of lives Loss of property Constant fear
among the people
Establish police posts in
the area Disarming the Arab no-
mads
Poor roads Heavy vehicles carry-
ing oil destroy the
roads Petrol Dar has not
constructed roads
according CPA GoSS did not put
roads as priority in
Melut
Petrol Dar UNS Melut county ad-
ministration GoSS
Low economic ac-
tivity Increases accidents Increases insecurity Inaccessibility to
basic services such
as health centres
Government and Petrol
Dar should construct
roads
Presence of pits
dug by road
construction
companies
Companies in need of
soil Companies not cover-
ing the pits
Road Construction
companies Melut community
Diseases Loss of lives of peo-
ple and animals Disabilities
Pits should be covered Compensation of the af-
fected people
Competition
over clean water
by for human
animal con-
sumption
The river is far from
the area Borehole water is
salty due to oil Few vehicles trans-
porting water to vari-
ous places
Melut community Petrol Dar Animals
Fighting/ clashes in
the community Diseases Migration
Provision of enough
clean water to community
and animals
The demand for
compensation
from different
companies e.g.
Petrol company,
road construc-
tion companies
etc.
Loss of land Loss farm fields Diseases caused pollu-
tion
Melut community Petrol Dar com-
pany Government of
Sudan
Conflict between
the community and
Petrol Dar company Destruction of pet-
rol Dar property Loss of lives in
course of clashing
Petrol Dar should ade-
quately compensate the
community
Discrimination
of county
community by
Petrol Dar com-
pany
Marginalization of
people in south Deliberate denial of
the south to develop
Melut community Petrol Dar
Poverty among the
Melut community Fighting between
the community and
Petrol Dar person-
nel Constant dismissal
of employees from
the South
Promote equality among
the people Compensate the affected
people. Respect the rights of the
people
Cont… Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Nasser County
39
Prioritisation of security issues – Nasser
Security issue Women Youth Elders Authority Total Rank 1-Highest 9-Lowest
Environmental pollution 1 2 6 1 10 1
Competition for clean, potable water 4 3 2 3 12 2
Decision to demand compensation
from offending companies (petrol,
road construction, etc.)
3 1 3 5 12 3
Mistreatment of county community
by Petrol Dar
3 1 3 5 12 3
Poor roads 2 4 5 2 13 4
Border/land disputes 6 7 1 7 21 5
Presence of pits dug by road con-
struction companies
5 6 8 8 27 6
Presence of JIU in town 8 5 4 10 27 7
Dispute over collection of taxes/
revenue
10 8 7 6 31 8
Cattle raiding by pastoralists 9 10 10 9 38 9
Community Action Plan – Nasser
PROBLEM 1: Insecurity
Project Action/resources Possible
partners
Start sate Follow up actors
Water
trucks
and tank-
ers
Vehicles Tankers Drivers
UNDP Other
donors GoSS NGOs
July 2010 GoSS UNS County council Community leaders Local steering committee
40
Cont…
5.11. Panyikang County
Panyikang County has a surface area of 5,107 sq km and an estimated population of 45,42715 people.
Panyikang is composed of six payams and 40 bomas .It is dominated by members of the Shilluk
(Chollo) ethnic group which constitutes the majority of the county’s population (95 percent), fol-
lowed by the Nuer (2 percent), and other groups (3 percent). In general, the tribal groups in Panyi-
kang have normal relations and co-exist peacefully, but on the western bank of the county’s primary
river, the Shilluk (Chollo) and the Dinka fight over border and land issues. There are also clashes
between county residents and those from Bentiu in Unity State, primarily over cattle raiding prac-
tices.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions - Panyikang
15 Ibid, p. 15
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Boundary
conflicts
Lack of water and
resources prompt-
ing nomadic be-
havior War Firearms Taxes (local reve-
nue collectors)
Politicians Army generals
Conflicts arise Instability Migration Lack of develop-
ment Poverty
Create a series of confer-
ences for community eld-
ers Clearly demarcate borders Police stations should be
established Establish women’s asso-
ciations
Land disputes Advocacy and
claim disputes Little fertile land Unregistered land Illegal settlements Taxes
Politicians Leadership Shilluk (Chollo) Dinka Nuer
Death Migration Instability Fear Poverty Sickness
Establish conferences and
meetings on the issue Encourage role of police
and local authorities
(chiefs) Clearly demarcate borders
Cattle raiding Wealth Culture Marriage Few laws actually
implemented
Different tribes Arab animal
keepers
(nomads)
Death Instability Poverty
Employ forces to discour-
age raiding Create conferences be-
tween counties to address
the issue Government intervention Formulate laws concern-
ing land issues Disarmament
Tribal conflicts Politics Illiteracy Presence of fire-
arms Land Few applicable
laws
Politicians Power abuse Culture
Death War Poverty Instability
Community leaders Formulate appropriate
laws Education Development projects
Presence of
firearms
Tribal conflicts Guns imported
from outside the
county
Different tribes Behaviour of
Arab nomads Militias Nuer from Ben-
tiu and Jonglei
State
Death Anarchy Tribal conflicts Insecurity Border disputes
Disarmament
41
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Violence
against women
Polygamy Social norms Forced marriage Economic reasons Alcoholism
Men Women
Rape Poor health Psychological
torture Divorce Financial insta-
bility Social isolation Domestic vio-
lence Early marriage
Form women’s associations Encourage female education –
children and adults Disarmament Encourage control in alcohol
consumption Peace and reconciliation Preserve cultures and traditions
of the Shilluk Sensitize community to issues
surrounding violence against
women
Alcohol abuse Unemployment Poverty Illiteracy Imported alcoholic
beverages
Men Youth Women
Poor health of
men, youth and
women Breakdown of
social and family
dynamics Loss of social
status Death Violence
Create employment opportuni-
ties Educate community on the
dangers of alcohol Formulate laws regulating alco-
hol use
Unemployment Limited business op-
portunities Few employment op-
portunities in govern-
ment and NGOs The majority of the
population was edu-
cated in Arabic - mak-
ing their qualifications
irrelevant Fishing and cattle rais-
ing has become dan-
gerous Idleness
Men Youth
Unemployment Emergence of the
water pipe Theft Cattle raiding Possession of
firearms Alcoholism
Provide job opportunities Build vocational training cen-
tres to teach necessary skills Agricultural projects Provide loans Politicians should not exploit
youth for their own gain
Street children Few government-
created job opportuni-
ties Urbanization Poor quality of orphan-
age life Lack of parental re-
sponsibility Children not ade-
quately provided for
by parents
Orphans Children Alcoholics Children ‘Niggas’ Youth The unem-
ployed Women
Government should create jobs
for the unemployed Create reputable orphanages Develop counties and payams
economically and socially Create agricultural schemes to
encourage employment Build vocational centres for
women and youth Build schools in each of the
payams
Presence of
landmines
War SAF Farmers
De-mine
Competition over
water
Scarcity of water in
farming areas
Restricted move-
ment Difficult to effec-
tively use land Poor crop yields
Dig boreholes to assist farmers
in better irrigation
Cont… Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions - Panyikang County
42
Prioritisation of security issues – Panyikang
Security issue Women Youth Elders Authority Total Rank 1-Highest 9-Lowest
Border disputes 1 2 2 1 6 1
Presence of firearms 2 1 1 4 8 2
Tribalism 3 3 4 2 12 3
Land disputes 4 5 5 3 17 4
Cattle raiding 6 8 3 6 23 5
Competition for water 9 7 6 5 27 6
Unemployment 5 9 7 7 28 7
Drunkenness 7 6 8 8 29 8
Violence against
women
8 4 9 9 30 9
Community Action Plan - Panyikang
PROBLEM 1: Insecurity
Project Action/resources Possible partners Start
date
Follow up actors
Food secu-
rity project
Agricultural tools (tractor, seeds,
pesticide) Community mobilization Dig boreholes in each of the
county’s six payams Grinding mills (appropriate ma-
chinery) Land
Community lead-
ers Community GoSS State County UNDP NGOs
June
2010
Community Local steering
committee UNDP Government
Build six
police posts
Community and law enforcement
mobilization Land Building materials
Security commit-
tee Chiefs/elders Community Government UNDP
June
2010
Community Local steering
committee UNDP Government
Clear Lol
River
Movement of ferry boats, cranes
and labor
Government Financial stake-
holders UNDP Community
June
2010
Community Local steering
committee UNDP Government
43
Cont...
5.12. Renk County
Renk County has a total surface area of 10,031 sq km and an estimated population of 137,751.16 The
city of Renk is the largest and most populated in the county. It is bordered by Jodah City to the
north, Maban County to the east, Melut County to the south and Manyo County and the White Nile
to the west. The state is composed of four payams and the majority of its inhabitants are members of
the Dinka ethnic group (5 percent), the Chollo (20 percent), the Nuer (15 percent) and other groups
(15 percent). The area’s most lucrative economic activities include fishing, agriculture, charcoal
burning, gum Arabic production and livestock raising.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Renk
16 Ibid, p. 15
Conflict
issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Border/land
disputes
Need for arable land
Conflicts over land
ownership
Government of Sudan
needs to create a buffer
zone between north and
south by forcefully giv-
ing the border land to its
supporters from north
Little representation of
Renk County residents
on the border commis-
sion
Government of
Sudan
Egyptians
Renk County
community
members
Food security
Social/ psycho-
logical unrest
Low economic
activity
Displacement
Disregard of
CPA commit-
ments
GoSS and a border com-
mission should demarcate
the border according to
CPA
Create and strengthen a
new border commission
Educate community on
issues surrounding the
CPA and its proper imple-
mentation
Elect members of the Renk
County community for the
border commission.
Inadequate
police posts
Insufficient funds to
construct posts
No communication
equipment or vehicles
for police use
GoSS
UNS
Renk County
administration
Renk County
community
Increased crimes
Constant fear
Insecurity
Little enforce-
ment of laws
Little progress
made in devel-
opment
Construct more police
posts
Increase the number of
police
Provide the police with
communication equipment
and vehicles
Organize training work-
shops for police in conflict
management, resolution
and transformation
Taxes and
revenue
collection
disputes
Lack of border control
Need to increase the
revenue of different
counties
Abuse of power
Renk county,
Blue Nile State
and White Nile
State
Traders
Government of
Sudan
GoSS
UNS
Reduced eco-
nomic activity
Instability
Internal dis-
placement
Clear revenue collection
policy
Strengthen laws governing
tax collection
Respect and implement the
CPA
44
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Land
mines
Wars in Sudan
SAF SPLA Renk County
community
Deaths of civil-
ians Disabilities,
especially
physical
trauma Displacement
De-mine affected areas
Land
disputes
Northern Sudanese
residents encroaching
on Southern Suda-
nese territory Armed nomads
Renk County
community Northern no-
mads Government of
Sudan
Loss of lives Food security Internal dis-
placement Lack of devel-
opment
Disarm nomads Demarcate land for
grazing and cultivation Establish police posts in
affected, conflict-prone
areas
Crime Presence of the army/
SPLA in town Drunkenness Unemployed former
service men and
youth
SPLA Youth Former ser-
vice men Community
Death Loss of prop-
erty Constant fear Rape of
women Trauma
Establish police posts Remove the army from
within the town Frequent police night
patrols
Poor roads
and com-
munication
Heavy vehicles carry-
ing oil which destroy
the roads GoSS has not con-
structed roads GoSS did not estab-
lish new roads as a
priority for Renk
County
GoSS UNS Renk County
administra-
tion
Low economic
activity Increased acci-
dents Increased inse-
curity Inaccessibility
of basic ser-
vices, such as
health centres
Local government,
GoSS, and UNS should
construct roads
Presence of
electric and
petrol lines
in the area
– not for
local use
GoSS has not com-
pensated the commu-
nity
Government of
Sudan Petrol Dar Community National Elec-
tricity Corpo-
ration
Diseases Pollution, es-
pecially in soil
Compensate the com-
munity for damages and
use of land
Disputes
over
islands
located
between
Renk and
Manyo
Counties
Valuable grazing
land Fishing areas Arable land for culti-
vation especially
vegetables
Renk County
community Manyo
County com-
munity
Loss of lives Poor relations
between the
communities
of Renk and
Manyo Coun-
ties Little produc-
tive economic
activity
GoSS should clearly de-
marcate the two coun-
ties’ borders Strengthen law and or-
der
Cont...Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Renk County
45
Prioritisation of security issues – Renk
Security issue Women Youth Elders/
admin
Security Total Rank 1-Highest 11-Lowest
Border/land disputes 1 1 1 1 4 1
Inadequate police posts, no communi-
cation equipment or vehicles
4 2 2 2 10 2
Tribal clashes between Arab palatas
and the county residents regarding
arable land
2 3 9 5 19 3
Poor media network 5 5 7 4 21 4
Tax and revenue collection disputes 3 7 6 6 22 5
Crime 11 4 3 7 25 6
Poor roads 6 10 8 3 27 7
Dispute over islands located between
Renk and Manyo counties (potential
issue for escalation of pre-existing
community tensions)
7 8 5 10 30 8
Land mines 8 11 4 9 32 9
Presence of petrol lines passing un-
derneath farm land - the community is
requesting compensation
9 6 10 8 33 10
Presence of electric lines that passing
over farm land – the community is
requesting compensation
10 9 11 11 41 11
Community Action Plan – Renk
PROBLEM 1: Security
Project Action/Resources Possible
partners
Start ate Follow up actors
Construction of
police posts in
Kumbhuer,
Tibin, Gongbar,
Smara, Dung-
kern and Latham
payams
Land Building materials:
bricks, sand, roofing ma-
terials, cement, metal
bars, equipment and
tools Labour Basic furniture and
equipment
Local govern-
ment Community UNDP Other donors
July 2010 Community leaders County council GoSS Local steering com-
mittee UNS
Provide police
with communi-
cation tools, nec-
essary equip-
ment and vehi-
cles
Communication equip-
ment Vehicles
UNPD GoSS Other donors NGOs
July 2010 GoSS
46
5.13. Ulang County
Ulang County has an estimated population of 85,044 and a surface area of 4,773 sq km.17 It is bor-
dered by Bailet County to the north and Nasser County to the east, as well as Jonglei State’s Akobo
and Nuirol Counties to the south and west, and Ethiopia to the south. The county has a number of
natural water sources, including the Sobat River which runs east to west throughout the region and
the Nile which lies further north. It is composed of eight payams: Kurmut, Barmach (Gonyar),
Duma, Nyangora, Ulang (Joka), Yomding, Kierchot, Makak.
Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions – Ulang
17 Ibid, p. 16.
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Insecurity / cattle
raiding
Presence of armed robbers House burnings Violence against women Prevalence of firearms Tribal clashes which often end in
death Incidence of psychological prob-
lems Hunger Little security Pursuit of wealth Little desire for development in
community
Youth from
Akobo and
Jikany
payams Elders
Loss of lives Fear Distrust Malnutrition Limited move-
ment
Deploy army to patrol cattle
raiding routes Disarmament Provide transport and com-
munication equipment to
army and police Deploy police units to ensure
security Establish a peace initiative
within the community
Land mines
and small
arms and
light weap-
ons (SALW)
Death Theft/crime Internal displacement Tribal clashes Destruction of personal property No security or development During attempted DDR, many
simply hid their arms Some communities have not
been officially disarmed Politicians of the Jonglei State
are to blame for the flow of
weapons into the county Chiefs must be blamed for not
attempting to control the issue
Luo (Akobo) Youth (Luo
and Jikany) SPLA / SAF in
Nyayin, Lony
and Ying bo-
mas
Food insecurity Disable people No free move-
ments Fear Loss of life
Provide machinery to disarm De-mine Begin a total disarmament Soldiers should stop supply-
ing arms to civilians Community initiatives
should be established to re-
port civilians with arms to
authorities
Land
disputes
Displacement of resources Zones created by SPLA Poverty (hunger) Presence of firearms Death Little education
Jonglei State Lou Nuer Politicians Akobo Armed groups Some SPLA
support
Fighting Death Hunger Displacement Distrust
Government, UNS and the
Jonglei State should solve
problems and encourage
peace Commissioner should in-
volve all tribes in the peace
process Joint reports and documenta-
tion GoSS should clearly demar-
cate borders Governors and police should
work as one unit
Cont...
47
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Unemploy-
ment, street
children
Fallout from conflicts between
Luo and Jikany Insecurity Displacement, leading to no food
production Increasing cooperation between
criminal groups Bad roads limit trading Widespread disappointment due
to lack of support Hunger Armed groups committing
crimes Drunkenness, fighting, depres-
sion, divorce Street children
Lou Nuer Gajak
Low income Hunger Malnutrition Cattle raiding Raping Prostitution Drunkards
Disarmament Loans to local traders State government, GoSS and
NGOS should create job op-
portunities for residents of
both the Jonglei State and the
Upper Nile State Build a school for children
Violence
against
women
Irresponsible men unable to pro-
vide for their families Unemployed women Male misconceptions regarding
female responsibilities Depression Alcoholism No start-up business capital Domestic conflicts No basic infrastructure: hospital,
school, government institutions The Akobo routinely take
neighboring lands Fear of violence Routine ambushing of workers Cattle raiding Little respect for women in tradi-
tional structures Choose mates based on wealth
Men Women
Forced /early
marriages Divorce Frequent fight-
ing Polygamy Trauma
Control the sale of alcohol State, GoSS and NGOs
should create job opportuni-
ties for unemployed commu-
nity members
No law
enforce-
ment
No police headquarters or prison Community only able to access
traditional courts and SPLA re-
fuses to respect judgment from
such structures No cooperation between police
and community elders – chiefs
not paid for their work, not re-
spected by law enforcement offi-
cials Corruption in law enforcement
and prisons Excessive use of force by army
and law enforcement officials
Prison Police Chiefs SPLA State and local
authority
Fear Violence Injustice Human rights
abuse Corruption Power abuse
Supply community with an
official judge and lawyers,
train chiefs to serve as offi-
cial delegates in law enforce-
ment Deploy additional police
forces Construct a concrete prison Government should address
the issue of cattle raiding Disarmament must be un-
dertaken in all communities Cooperation between tradi-
tional authorities and official
government should be en-
couraged
Cont...Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions– Ulang County
Cont...
48
Conflict issues
Causes Actors Effects Possible solutions
Competi-
tion for
water
Conflicts regarding ownership of
river bank, water, and pastures
for grazing Intensity of conflicts varies by
season No water distribution network Conflicts especially common
between women Displacement Death
Lou Nuer Jikany Nuer State and local
authority
Seasonal migra-
tion Fights Loss of life Cattle raiding Diseases Displacement
Government should control
water use and distribution A canal should be built to
supply Lou Nuer with water Dig boreholes near commu-
nity for easier access
Famine and
food secu-
rity
Fear of Lou Nuer attack Unemployment Post-conflict destruction has
increased internal displacement Diseases Plant pests Lack of resources Few arable fields and poor agri-
cultural skills Little industry No peace, stability Death
Punishment
from God Drought War Armed groups Robbery State and local
authority
High
food prices Malnutrition Poor health Death Theft Abuse of poor Migration
Government should increase
the deployment of police
officers Training in modern agricul-
tural methods and tools
should be provided by gov-
ernment Government should con-
struct a canal Encourage industry through
outside investment Officially separate Northern
and Southern Sudan Encourage security and sta-
bility
Cont...Conflict Analysis / Community Perceptions– Ulang County
49
Prioritisation of security issues – Ulang
Security issue Women Youth Elders Authority Total Rank
1-Highest
12-Lowest
Health problems 3 2 3 7 15 1
Unemployment 5 4 7 3 19 2
Presence of firearms and
mines
9 1 1 9 20 3
Education 12 3 2 6 23 4
No mobile network 11 5 5 2 23 5
Land disputes 8 7 6 4 25 6
Cattle raiding 10 6 10 1 27 7
Competition for water 6 8 8 5 27 8
Hunger 2 11 4 12 29 9
No law enforcement 7 10 9 8 34 10
Violence against women 1 12 11 10 34 11
Early or forced
marriage
4 9 12 11 36 12
Community Action Plan – Ulang
PROBLEM 1: Insecurity
Project Action/resources Possible partners Start date Follow up actors
Build police posts Engineers
Identify site
Construction materials: sand,
roof, sheets, gravel, cement,
wood, bricks and timber
Government
NGOs
Community
Women
Youth
15 June 2010 County commissioner
Community leaders
UNDP
State
GoSS
Land and border
demarcation (roads
and bridges)
Engineers and surveyors
Sign posts
Security to protect process
Government
UNDP
NGOs
Community
15 June 2010 County commissioner
Community leaders
UNDP
State
GoSS
UNMIS
Education Building materials
Human resources (teachers)
Land
Government
NGOs
UN
Community
15 June 2010 County commissioner
Community
State
Ministry of Education
UNDP
Health Facilities Building materials
Medical equipment
Visiting doctors and nurses
Government
NGOs
UN
Community
15 June 2010 County commissioner
Community
Government
Ministry of Health
UNDP
50
6. OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Although violence is undoubtedly a pervasive and destructive force, it is merely a symptom of
the area’s true underlying instability issues. Instead, the majority of the region’s insecurity stems
from its lack of natural resources – the violence being merely a manifestation of the constant bat-
tle for said resources. All of the interviewed community members understood this situation
clearly and aimed their suggested development projects appropriately: choosing to address the
root cause of instability. Generally, the security problems from county to county are quite simi-
lar and interrelated in both cause and methodology. However, despite the number of similari-
ties, there are also a few features which are unique and localized in nature and justify a program
of context-based and individualized conflict-sensitive projects for the benefit of the state’s coun-
ties and payams. For example, the counties that border Sudan and Jonglei State tend to require
police reinforcement-oriented projects.
The influence of the Government is almost non-existent in many parts of Upper Nile due to lo-
gistical shortcomings. It has not yet reached out to the majority of the area’s counties, payams
and bomas. During the interview and consultation process, a number of county authorities ex-
pressed discontent from their state government. At the county level, the South Sudan Police Ser-
vice (SSPS) remains unfunded, under-equipped and under-manned and with very limited ca-
pacity to provide basic services.
There are a number of oil fields in this state, making it a potential conflict zone.
Traditional leadership is valued across all of the major communities in Upper Nile . Unlike the
Government, their active participation in community stabilization and local conflict mitigation is
seen as central to sustainable community stability. However, in eastern Upper Nile the general
disquiet related to insufficient fertile land and water, which has led to a questioning of tradi-
tional ways of life, particularly amongst the youth who would prefer to explore more modern
lifestyles and approaches to agriculture. Although such explorations could potentially become
positive steps for these communities, their geographical remoteness makes them difficult to
achieve.
The underemployment and subsequent disenfranchisement of the state’s youth is a major con-
cern for stability. Without incomes or the means of creating private enterprise, there is little hope
for their livelihoods and potential for productively contributing to society in the short/medium
term. In the consultations, it became clear that many were frustrated and unrealistically expected
the referendum and possible secession to solve their problems almost immediately. A pro-
gramme of public awareness should be conducted to adjust expectation and provide a basis for
preparation in the communities.
More information is needed on the reported youth groups referred to by community members
as ‘Niggas,’ which were seen as a serious threat to local residents and the larger stability of the
state. Their reported activities dramatically reveal the insufficient capabilities of the local police
forces and challenge traditional methods of conflict mitigation.
Pollution of water sources from oil was a significant issue in Melut County (block 3/7) and re-
quires immediate intervention. These communities have been expected to bear an unfair burden
and their livelihoods have been both threatened and degraded while oil revenue and its benefits
are diverted to other communities.
51
During the consultations, participating communities uniformly expressed that this was the first
time they felt that their opinions had been included in governmental decision-making process.
They were very positive about the nature and methodology of the consultations, particularly the
consultations’ female participants, who were mostly well-represented. They were open, honest
and communities had a general willingness to discuss issues affecting women.
Throughout the consultation, participants doubted that any concrete action would be taken on
their suggested reform programmes. Although many community members were thrilled to be
included in the discussion of positive steps to address local security concerns, they also had
trepidations about whether or not any of those suggestions would actually be implemented.
Constant engagement with the communities and the timely completion of identified projects
would partially address this concern. For maximum efficacy, Government stakeholders should
also be checked to ensure they do not only value the information-gathering aspect of the process,
but also deliver on the ground.
Five years into the CPA, the security and conflict situation in the state still remains very fluid
and potentially volatile. It has historically existed as an entity of both Sudan and South Sudan, a
fact which has affected both the psychology and expectations of its inhabitants. The adjustment
between the two has not been easy, particularly on the dynamics of referendum and the citizen’s
need for reassurance that their concerns can be addressed under the leadership of the new Gov-
ernment. Any positive action in this area must begin by addressing security issues (and their
underlying causes), as well as provide access to rule of law. This is undoubtedly the most effi-
cient way to begin a course of progressive and effective development programming.
52
7. NEXT STEPS
Across Upper Nile State, communities proposed conflict-sensitive projects that will address insecu-
rity in their respective counties.
Jonglei
Renk
Melut
Fashoda
Makal Panyikang Bailet
Longochuk
Nasser
Maban
Ulang Maiwut
Manyo
Akoka
Ethiopia
Southern Kordofan Blue Nile
Sennar White Nile
Schools Vocational training centres Roads Health centres
Agriculture project Food security project State capital
Boreholes Water catchments Water pipe extension Water truck vehicles and tankers
Police posts Communications equipment and vehicles Army deployment/barracks Dialogues on border demarcation
53
Annex 1 – Summary of Proposed Conflict-Sensitive Projects in Upper Nile
County Nature of project Rationale/comments
Akoka Construct boreholes
Construct health centres
Akoka is a new county and is underdeveloped, which ex-plains the highly prioritized issues of borehole construction
and health centres.
Bailet Deploy police and army along strategic border areas, create police post
Agricultural tools, manpower, engineers, tools fencing and barbed wire, and water pumps
This county borders Makal and Fashoda Counties to the west, Manyo and Melut to the north, Maban, Longochuk
and Nasser Counties to the east, Ulang County to the south and Nyirol County in Jonglei State to the south. Due to the
large number of contested borders, its residents clearly ex-pressed the need to deal with external threats before other
development projects.
Fashoda Construct four police posts on the eastern bank of the river
Establish an agricultural scheme and fishing project
Construct nine water stations in the following locations: Akuc, Dobe,
Olam, Padekur, Abynay, Atar, Kalagany, Pabo and Oriny
Fashoda is one of the oldest counties. It is underdeveloped
and has no reliable source of revenue. The construction of
police posts was prioritized because the county’s major issue is the prevalence of land/border disputes with their
neighbors.
Longochuk Create water sources such as boreholes and catchments in each of the
county’s seven payams; Jangok, Pamach, Dajo, Mathiang, Malual, Guelguk and Udier
Construction of roads from Malut to Maiwut Counties, Mathiang and
to every payam
Establish an agricultural scheme using advanced farming tools
The majority of conflicts occur during the dry season. It is hoped that if boreholes and water catchments are provided,
conflict between communities will decrease.
Maban Establish an agricultural scheme using advanced farming tools in Jin-
mada and Bugaya
Construct boreholes and water catchments in each of the county’s five
payams
Construct boarding schools in each of the county’s five payams
Dialogue meeting among conflicting counties (to take place in Malakal) and establish border demarcation committees
Socioeconomic factors, and livelihood considerations domi-nated in this county.
Maiwut Construct vocational training centres in each payam
Construct roads from Mathiang Fagak to Maiwut County and extend-ing to all payams
Construct water catchments for animals - two in each payam
Construct boreholes and create a distribution network in each payam
Job creation for the youth and the poor, as well as infrastruc-tural development dominated discussion in this county.
Makal Construct army barracks out of town
Small army disarmament
Demarcate borders/land
Agricultural project
Vocational training center
Extend water pipes
Persistent harassment of civilians by the military and inci-dence of armed robberies concerned most residents of this
county.
Manyo Establish fifteen water stations (water pumps, boreholes and reser-
voirs)
Build 10 police posts
Agricultural scheme
Fire lines or roads for cattle
Socioeconomic factors and livelihood considerations domi-nated in this county.
Melut Water truck vehicles and tankers Lack of water is severe; reaching water tables is also difficult during the construction of boreholes.
Nasser Food security projects
School construction
Clear border/land demarcation
Establish industries, vocational training and schools
Provide meals for children
Socioeconomic factors and livelihood considerations domi-nated in this county.
Panyikang
Food security projects
Build six police posts
Clearing of Lol River
Socioeconomic factors and livelihood considerations domi-nated in this county.
Renk Construct police posts in: Kumchuer, Tibin, Gongbar, Samara, Dung-
kem and Latham payams
Equip police with communication tools and vehicles
Insecurity is a major concern and the reason why police posts were requested.
Ulang Construct police posts
Demarcate land and borders
Construct schools
Construct health centres
Insecurity resulting from land/border disputes and poor infrastructural facilities explains their prioritized issues.
54
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