Study from Bor, Twic East & Duk Counties in Jonglei
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SOUTH SUDAN: WAITING FOR PEACE TO COME STUDY FROM BOR, TWIC EAST & DUK COUNTIES IN JONGLEI By Simon Harragin* September, 2011 Local to Global Protection (L2GP) is an initiative intended to document and promote local perspectives on protection in major humanitarian crises. So far, community oriented studies have been carried out in Burma/Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. L2GP Jonglei South Sudan Study “And I always thought: the very simplest words Must be enough. When I say what things are like Everyone‟s hearts must be torn to shreds. That you‟ll go down if you don‟t stand up for yourself--- Surely you see that.” Berthold Brecht From: And I always thought * Simon Harragin is an independent consultant and writer on anthropology and development issues based in Paris. His research focuses on the East and Central Africa regions and on the delivery of aid in humanitarian emergencies. L2GP was initiated by a group of organisations within the ACT Alliance in cooperation with other organisations and individuals in the above countries. The initiative has been financially supported by Danida (Denmark) and Sida (Sweden). A paper summarising the initiative and synthesising key findings so far, will be published by the Overseas Development Institute's Humanitarian Policy Group (ODI HPG). The analysis and opinions in this report are solely the responsibility of the credited author(s) and cannot be attributed to any of the above mentioned institutions. L2GP studies from Burma/Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan and Zimbabwe are available at www.local2global.info Contact & further information: L2GP manager, Nils Carstensen: [email protected] 2 L2GP Jonglei South Sudan Study Local to Global Protection The 'Local to Global Protection' (L2GP) project explores how people living in areas affected by natural disaster and armed conflict understand 'protection' - what do people value, and how do they go about protecting themselves and their families, and communities? The research also examines how affected populations view the roles of other stakeholders, including the state, non-state actors (e.g. armed and political groups), community-based organisations, and national and international aid agencies. Are these viewed as protection actors, or sources of threat - or a mixture of both? The project asks similar questions of all stakeholders, but with a commitment to understanding the realities of civilians caught up in armed conflict and natural disaster, and trying to communicate their situation and priorities to the 'humanitarian industry'. Community oriented research has been carried out in Karen State and in the Irrawaddy Delta (Cyclone Nargis) of Myanmar, in Southern Kordofan (Nuba Mt.) and in Jonglei State of Sudan – as well as in Harare, Mashonaland East and Matabela Land North in Zimbabwe. 3 CONTENTS: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 13 1.1 Humanitarian Agency and Local Agency ........................................................................... 13 1.2 Methodology, Terminology and Accountability ................................................................. 14 2. Background ........................................................................................................................... 19 2.1 Conflict in Jonglei ............................................................................................................... 19 2.2 Local Institutions ................................................................................................................. 23 2.3 Changes since the signing of the CPA ................................................................................ 24 3. Protection in Jonglei .............................................................................................................. 26 3.1 Local Understanding ........................................................................................................... 26 3.1.1 Local Understanding of Protection ........................................................................ 26 3.1.2 Local Understanding of External Protection Threats ............................................. 27 3.1.2i External Livelihoods threats ................................................................................. 28 3.1.2ii External Security Threats ..................................................................................... 29 3.1.3iii Who needs to be protected from rioc .................................................................. 40 3.1.3 Local Understanding of Vulnerability ................................................................... 40 3.2 Local Self-Protection Strategies/Institutions ....................................................................... 46 3.2.1 Livelihoods ............................................................................................................. 46 3.2.1i Description ............................................................................................................ 46 3.2.1ii Analysis ............................................................................................................... 48 3.2.2 Security .................................................................................................................. 48 3.2.2i Description ............................................................................................................ 48 3.2.2ii Analysis ............................................................................................................... 52 3.2.3 Courts ..................................................................................................................... 54 3.2.3i Description ............................................................................................................ 54 3.2.3ii Analysis ............................................................................................................... 63 3.2.4 Culture & Kinship .................................................................................................. 66 3.2.4i Description ............................................................................................................ 66 3.2.4ii Analysis ............................................................................................................... 70 4 Government, Aid Agencies and UNMIS Protection .............................................................. 74 4.1 Government ......................................................................................................................... 74 4.1i Description ............................................................................................................... 74 4.1ii How local people saw input .................................................................................... 75 4.1iii How relates to own strategy ................................................................................... 76 4.1iv How it could be improved ...................................................................................... 76 4.2 Aid Agencies ....................................................................................................................... 79 4.2i Description ............................................................................................................... 79 4.2ii How local people saw input .................................................................................... 81 4.2iii How relates to own strategy ................................................................................... 81 4.2iv How it could be improved ...................................................................................... 82 4.3 UNMIS ................................................................................................................................ 86 4.3i Description ............................................................................................................... 86 4.3ii How local people saw input .................................................................................... 88 4.3iii Analysis ................................................................................................................. 89 Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 97 Bibliography .............................................................................................................................. 99 L2GP Jonglei South Sudan Study Key Points The Jonglei study stresses how local people associate „protection‟ with physical security from banditry and local clashes rather than the more „rights-based‟ definition used by humanitarian actors. Helping the new Government of South Sudan address such insecurity should be given the highest priority. For this the new UN peacekeeping mission (UNMISS) will need to cease being an „observer‟ mission like its predecessor and engage with the problems faced by local people and security providers through greater on-the-ground deployment. Aid agencies, for their part, need to work with a deeper understanding of the major factors that drive insecurity – in particular the role of livestock , the presence of small- arms and the lack of opportunities for the youth which mean that long-term historical