Unity State SOUTH SUDAN

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION REPORT Unity State SOUTH SUDAN

Bureau for Community Security South Sudan Peace and Small Arms Control and Reconciliation Commission

United Nations Development Programme European Union

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 CSSAC 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 European Union.

Cover photo: Community members in Abiemnhom sketch their county map on the ground using locally available materials. © CSAC/UNDP

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION REPORT Unity 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 of Unity State ...... 3 3. Methodology 3.1. Training of Trainers ...... 5 3.2. Community Consultations ...... 5 3.3. Validation Meeting ...... 7 4. Summary of conflict and insecurity in Unity State 4.1. Cattle raiding ...... 8 4.2. Competition over water and grazing lands ...... 8 4.3. Attacks by rebel militia groups ...... 11 4.4. Border conflicts ...... 11 4.5. Attacks and abduction of children by Misseriya ...... 12 4.6. Inter- and intra-clan fighting ...... 12 4.7. Unemployment...... 12 4.8. Food insecurity ...... 13 5. Insecurity issues affecting women and girls ...... 13 6. Insecurity issues affecting the youth ...... 15 7. County-specific findings 7.1. Rubkona County ...... 17 7.2. Guit County ...... 20 7.3. Abiemhnom County ...... 23 7.4. Leer County ...... 27 7.5. Koch County ...... 32 7.6. Mayendit County ...... 37 7.7. Panyijar County ...... 41 7.8. Mayom County ...... 44 7.9. Pariang County ...... 49 8. Next Steps ...... 53

Maps Map of Unity State ...... 4 Incidence of cattle raids/theft ...... 9 Conflict over land/water and tribal conflict ...... 10

ACRONYMS

AfDB African Development Bank BCSSAC Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control CAP Community Action Plan CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement CRMA Crisis Risk Mapping and Analysis CSAC Community Security and Arms Control DDR Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration FAO Food Agricultural Organization GoSS Government of South Sudan MOWRI Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation NGO Non- Governmental Organization PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal RMGs Rebel Militia Groups RRA Rapid Rural Appraisal SAF Sudan Armed Forces SPLA/M Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement SSLA South Sudan Liberation Army UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNMAO United Nations Mine Action Office UNMISS United Nations Mission in South Sudan

FOREWORD

At the core of peacebuilding and development in South Sudan is the achievement and sustainability of security among communities 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 development 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 address 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 community 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 affected 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 address 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 outcomes 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 community 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

FOREWORD

Following South Sudan’s independence in July 2011, communities 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 activity 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 state-building process by focusing, among others, on peacebuilding and community security efforts. We work with the Government and communities 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 peacebuilding 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 address 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 supporting county consultations to understand the needs of the community and give the local government 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 community 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 affected by conflict.

George Conway Country Director, a.i. United Nations Development Programme South Sudan

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005, the Govern- ment of South Sudan has focused on peacebuilding, conflict prevention and recovery. The United Nations Development 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 Reconcilia- tion Commission (SSPRC) to conduct extensive consultations in counties across the states.

The consultations support conflict-sensitive initiatives identified at the county level designed to en- hance the visibility and legitimacy of the Government. Through extensive dialogue between the communities and the state government, both parties can find solutions to existing insecurity. Con- sultations were conducted to identify key insecurity issues and priorities, as well as assess the challenges of county governments in addressing insecurity. Most importantly, the exercise aimed to identify a wider peacebuilding and stabilization framework for Unity State.

Unity is the second largest state in the Upper Nile region and is one of the oil-producing states in South Sudan. The Nuer are the predominant tribe. Agriculture, livestock, fishing, hunting and trading are the main sources of livelihoods. Rebel militia groups as well as the Misseriya (Arab nomads) have reportedly displaced communities and have contributed to the insecurity in the state. Around 85,000 returnees from Sudan have settled in Unity State since 2010, the highest number of returnees by far settling back in any state.

Community consultations in Unity were held in November-December 2011 and March 2012 in nine counties. The process employed Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods to collect data i.e. key informant interviews, community mapping, preference ranking and community action planning, in each of the nine counties. The consultations also looked into how insecurity affects women and youth, particularly through the use of the gender daily calendar. These aided in obtaining an in- depth understanding of community members’ perceptions on the different security issues affecting their respective counties. To facilitate a more open discussion, respondents were at times consulted in separate groups, namely women, youth, traditional leaders/elders, security organs/law enforcement team and county administrators.

In summary, participants identified the following key causes of conflict across Unity State:  Cattle raiding  Competition over water and grazing lands  Attacks by rebel militia groups (RMGs)  Border conflicts  Attacks and abduction of children by Misseriya  Inter- and intra-clan fighting  Unemployment  Food insecurity

In addition, insecurity issues affecting women surfaced, issues which can be attributed to the nature of the labour culturally assigned to and expected from women. The presence of arms and the al- leged attacks by rebel militia groups are also sources of conflict that affect women. These have shown dire consequences in women participants’ domestic and social lives. For instance, women and girls are traditionally tasked to collect water and find food; in the process they are prone to rebel

Men from Guit County review their group output . © UNDP

militia attacks or abduction when travel- ling to or from far-flung water points, or to domestic violence if they did not provide these household needs. Additionally, young women are seen as either a cause of conflict, such as in cattle raids where men acquire more livestock to afford the steep dowry, or as an indirect party to conflict where young men compete for a woman to be his bride.

Meanwhile, participants saw the youth as the primary actors involved in conflict incidences, such as young men directly engaging in cattle raids or border disputes. The lack of educational, livelihood and leisure opportunities leave the youth with idle time and no other options, which could lead them to other activities that result in conflicts.

Detailed findings were documented per county, including a conflict analysis matrix, prioritisation of security issues and a Community Action Plan. These are presented in detail in Section 7. Findings from the consultations were used to develop state government projects, with support from CSAC, addressing the top-most insecurity priorities of communities. A map of Unity State in Section 8 illustrates the various locations of these projects.

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 country.

UNDP, through its Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit (CPRU), carries out programmes that support 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 in strengthen- ing 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 for and the South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission (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 consultations 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 decision-making and state planning. The ‘force multiplier’ are conflict sensitive projects which are implemented based on the Com- munity Action Plans and priorities set by community members during the consultations.

Consultations done in Unity in 2011-2012 aimed to determine the causes of conflict and develop action plans that would address these issues, as prioritised by members themselves. Specifically, the consultations aimed to:  Identify key insecurity concerns affecting community members with a focus on key priorities 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 stabilization framework for the regional state;  Identify priority areas based on consultation with local communities, which can then feed into the eventual state and county planning process; and  Form Local Steering Committees in each county and in each state to oversee the implementation of identified conflict-sensitive projects.

Information gathered from the consultations will not only help the Government develop and initiate projects that will address conflict, but it will also support the Government’s (state and county level) general planning of programmes and policies. Outcomes of these consultations will also be useful for other UN agencies, international and national organizations, donors and other stakeholders working towards community security, conflict prevention and development in South Sudan.

Women from Pariang County list their daily domestic chores. © UNDP

2. BACKGROUND ON UNITY STATE1

Unity State is one of the 10 states in South Sudan located in the country’s north-central part. With a total area of 35,956 sq km, Unity state is the second largest state in the Upper Nile region. It borders Warrap, Lakes, Jonglei, and Upper Nile states, as well as Southern Kordofan and Abyei in the north. Unity State is composed of nine counties: Leer, Mayendit, Guit, Panyijar, Koch, Mayom, Rubkona, Pariang and Abiemnhom. The capital of Unity State is Bentiu. The estimated population of Unity State is approximately 585,801.

Unity has a dry season and a wet season. The average wet season usually lasts from May to Novem- ber. The White Nile River, the Bahr el Ghazal (Nam) river and other rivers that traverse the state, generate significant seasonal flooding. Many of the agro-pastoralists in the state move with the sea- sons, as the expansion of the waterways alters the landscape and creates considerable areas of swampy terrain during the rainy season.

Unity state is a predominantly Nuer homeland. However, in Abiemnhom and Pariang counties, the predominant group is the Dinka tribe. Both Dinka and Nuer communities are ruled by traditional courts, a head chief and a sub-chief of a certain clan. The elders in the communities must endorse the case among conflicting parties.

The most important socio-economic activities in Unity are agricultural production, cattle keeping, fishing, hunting and local trading. Since independence, the areas of Unity State and other areas bordering the north have been affected by commodity shortages, contributing to inflation. As North- South tensions spiked ahead of independence in 2011, the Government of Sudan imposed a block- ade on North-South supply routes.

Unity State is a part of the oil producing area of South Sudan and the oil resources have generated additional income for the state. However, the oil production has also contributed to conflict and displacement and led to substantial negative impact on the environment. Local populations have com- plained over water contamination, which have resulted in the death of livestock and serious illness.

Several militia groups have been active in Unity State and rebel activity continues to be a source of instability in northern Unity. Rebel activities affect the local populations as these led to displacement and food shortages, as well as re-mining and counter-insurgency operations. Some of the militia commanders that operate in Unity have participated in forming the South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA) – a loose constabulary that have operated more often as independent units than a unified movement.

In September 2011, several incidents of cattle raids and violence erupted in Mayendit County where 28 people reportedly died and 18 were injured2. Witnesses reported that, unlike in traditional raids, the attackers tried to maximize the number of casualties inflicted, including targeting women and children.

1 Unity: South Sudan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Commission. Accessed March 2012. http://www.ssddrc.org/states/unity.html Unity State: Government of the Republic of South Sudan. Article last updated January 2010. http://www.goss-online.org/magnoliaPublic/en/states/ unity.html South Sudan: Compounding Instability in Unity State. Africa Report No. 179. International Crisis Group. October 17, 2011. http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/ regions/africa/horn-of-africa/south-sudan/179-south-sudan-compounding-instability-in-unity-state.aspx Report of the Secretary-General on South Sudan. United Nations Security Council. November 2, 2011. http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp? symbol=S/2011/678 5th Sudan Population and Housing Census 2008. In Statistical Yearbook for Southern Sudan 2010. Southern Sudan Centre for Census, Statistics and Evalua- tion, p. 8.

2 ”Warrap cattle raiders kill 28 people in Unity state.” Sudan Tribune. September 12, 2011. http://www.sudantribune.com/Warrap-cattle-raiders-kill-28,40125

Parts of the territory of Unity State are also used by the Misseriya or Arab nomads who, for genera- tions, have migrated into South Sudan with their cattle during the dry season when water and fertile grazing land recedes in the north. However, due to conflicts and increased violence, the Misseriya has in recent years sometimes been blocked from entering into Unity State.

With South Sudan’s independence, the shared border remains in dispute. Also, internal border conflicts remain a persistent source of insecurity. Clashes between communities over tracts of land have resulted in injuries and deaths, such as those between Mayom and Rubkona, Rubkona and Guit, Leer and Mayendit, and Pariang and Guit.

South Sudan’s independence in 2011 prompted the return of huge numbers of South Sudanese who were residing in Sudan. More than 340,000 have gone back to South Sudan since October 2010, some 85,000 of them to Unity, far more than any other state.

Conflict, erratic rainfall and the high food and fuel prices caused by North-South border closures have led to a situation of food insecurity in several counties in Unity State. Projections for 2012 indi- cate that the cereal deficit could reach the double of the estimated 2011 deficit.

3. METHODOLOGY

Consultations in Unity State were conducted on 23 November – 5 December 2011, in seven counties including Leer, Mayendit, Guit, Panyijar, Koch, Mayom, Rubkona, Pariang and Abiemnhom. Due to security considerations, consultations in Mayom and Pariang were conducted later on 3-9 March 2012. A total of 454 community members and leaders participated in the consultation meetings from all nine counties. The outputs of the consultations included a conflict analysis in each county, ranking of security needs and a community security action plan. These are presented in detail in Section 7 – County-Specific Findings.

The county consultations are the initial steps of a wider support process of building the capacity of national partners and supporting the development and implementation of conflict-sensitive development projects. The support also includes consultation teams undergoing training, engaging communities in active participation and holding a validation meeting with authorities.

3.1. Training of Trainers To prepare individuals designated to conduct the county consultations, a comprehensive five -day Training of Trainers on Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methodology was held for community resource persons. Trainees were provided with a number of PRA tools to assist them in working with communities to identify, map, and analyse the causes and effects of conflict as well as prioritise community security issues. These tools included community mapping, seasonal calendar, trend lines, gender daily calendar and semi-structured interviews.

3.2. County consultations Consultations - overview The consultation workshop lasted for three days in each of the counties consulted and included key tools such as community mapping, conflict analysis matrix, seasonal calendars, gender daily calendars and semi-structured interviews.

Participation Men, women, youth and elders are often affected differently by conflict and have accord- ingly different ideas about what make them safe. In order to obtain sustainable peace it is therefore essential to build on a wide range of experiences and perspectives, and to ensure that planning is based on the knowledge of all the members of a community. To ensure that the participants represented all the members of the county, each county commissioner was requested to mobilize 50 participants comprised of:  An equal number of women and men (25 women and 25 men);  Both youth and elders/traditional leaders (female youth and male youth, female elders and male elders);  Participants from law enforcement agencies/security forces; and  Participants from all the different payams in the county.

However, out of a total number of 332 participants from Rubkona, Guit, Abiemnhom, Leer, Koch and Mayendit counties, only 110 participants (33 percent) were women.

Mapping of Conflict Issues and Areas This phase involved the sketching of a county map to identify conflict zones and critical issues which affect the stability in the county. The mapping exercise was done on the ground in an open space, using locally available materials, to give the entire community the opportunity to participate.

Seasonal Calendar The seasonal calendar was used to map out the seasonality of insecurity and conflict issues, enable discussions on the factors contributing to conflict patterns and the exploration of possible interventions to prevent or manage insecurity.

Trend Lines Drawing trend lines from recent years made it possible to explore changes in security dy- namics and the number of incidents for each of the conflict issues identified, and to discuss the causes of any increase or decrease in conflict.

Gender Daily Calendar The tool outlined the activities women, men and youth are engaged in during a typical day. The calendar explored the different situations of men and women in the community and encouraged discussions on gender roles and how men and women can be affected differently by conflict and insecurity.

Semi-Structured Interviews Semi-structured interviews were conducted with county administrators, youth, men and women. County administrators with particular knowledge about the security situation in the counties were chosen as resource persons. Women and youth were chosen for group interviews to make sure their views and concerns were captured.

Conflict Analysis Matrix Findings from the consultations using the above tools unearthed the various issues causing insecurity in the county. After organizing the data collected, the consultation team extracted the focal problems identified by the community, including causes, effects, parties involved in the conflict, parties supporting the conflict and possible opportunities to address the problems. The product of this process was the conflict analysis matrix.

Preference Ranking Participants were divided into groups of men, women and youth to discuss conflict issues they previously identified, and prioritise which of these were the most important for their security and safety situation. All the identified conflict issues were ranked, with one being the highest priority and 10 as the lowest priority.

Community Action Plan (CAP) The most tangible result of the community consultations is the CAP for each county, in- tended to delineate the following:  Proposed projects as agreed collectively by the community;  Proposed actions and resources;  Duties and responsibilities of individuals and groups, work schedules; and  Identification of areas where the community requires external assistance.

Steering Committee A County Steering Committee was created in each county with representatives from the local youth, women, men/elders and government. The roles and responsibilities of the Com- mittee are to:  be the bridge between the community, county administration, state authority, the Bureau and UNDP;  participate in the project approval before implementation;  oversee the implementation of the projects;  ensure routine monitoring;  provide leadership;  ensure community mobilization; and  ensure quality control.

A State Steering Committee was also formed, chaired by the Director General for the Minis- try of Local Government and Law Enforcement, and includes members from key state line ministries and departments, along with United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Civil Affairs.

3.3. The Validation Meeting

The validation meeting took place two days after the last county consultations. Present in the validation meeting were the deputy governor, county commissioners, members of the Bureau, SSPRC, community members, and staff from UNDP and UNMISS. The meeting in- tended to share the outcomes of the county-level consultations on a wider scale with all rele- vant authorities and stakeholders, and to validate the agreements made with the communities to ensure that their identified priorities during consultations were properly recorded and would be addressed. The validation meeting also served to avoid any duplication of efforts with other organizations in communities’ proposed projects. Due to travel obstacles, several county commissioners were not able to attend the meeting.

4. SUMMARY OF CONFLICT AND INSECURITY ISSUES

Outcomes from these consultations are complemented by results from community consultations on socio-economic threats and risks, through UNDP’s Crisis Risk and Mapping Analysis (CRMA) Pro- ject. 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 mapped data on socio-economic risk and threat complement the issues discussed in this report, as a context for the conflict drivers identified in the consultations supported by CSAC.

4.1. Cattle raiding Cattle are the foundation of cattle keepers’ social, economic and cultural life. Owning a high number of cattle is considered prestigious, a source of pride and wealth. It is ascribed to culture and traditional practices such as providing dowry. Since the amount of cattle required for dowry can be enormous, young men who wish to marry resort to cattle raiding to secure the necessary number. Revenge attacks for stolen cows are common where fights can easily escalate into full conflicts. Furthermore, the abundance of small arms in the hands of civilians aggravates these conflicts. As one of the participants commented, “To procure arms is as easy as buying food stuff.”

Cattle raiding is a widespread problem and consid- Community members in Mayom County illustrate the intensity of conflicts over time. © UNDP ered a key insecurity issue in all of the nine counties consulted in Unity State. It is particularly rampant during the dry season when people and animals can move more easily and need to walk longer distances in search for water. Participants during the consultations indicated that unemployment, lack of alternative livelihood options, food insecurity, competition over wealth, grazing land and water, and the absence of security organs at the payam level are the key drivers for cattle raiding. This has resulted in fights, deaths, loss of livestock, revenge attacks, food insecurity and even divorce when the aggrieved party discovers and reclaims the stolen cattle that were paid for dowry.

Cattle raiding influences people’s way of life in Unity State, including their relations within counties and with bordering states wherein water sources and grazing lands become points of contention.

4.2. Competition over water and grazing lands Cattle herders compete over scarce water and grazing land for their livestock. Clashes occur more frequently during the dry season and decline during the rainy season when movement of both hu- mans and animals are restricted. When competition escalates into fights, human lives and cattle are lost. The value of livestock and their survival amidst scarce water and pasture is very critical for cattle keepers. “Before a cow dies because of inaccessibility to water and pasture, men should have died first,” as one participant noted.

Pressure on available pastureland has increased with the influx of citizens returning to South Sudan. Moreover, populations are pushed to look for other grazing land as they are forcefully evicted from their traditional land when oil fields are discovered, as experienced by participants from Koch County.

9 Incidence of cattle theft in Unity State

Conflict over land/water and tribal conflict—Unity State

Conflicts also arise from competing over water for human consumption due to the inadequate supply of boreholes and the shortage of harvested run-off water during the rainy season. Injuries, ethnic fights and deaths have resulted from water-related conflicts. Competition over water resources can also mean contention over fishing areas, as noted by participants from Guit County. This has led to fights over the shortage of fish and the ensuing lack of income, and at times the destruction of boats and fishing equipment.

Furthermore, participants, particularly those in Pariang County, claimed that oil companies operat- ing here have polluted the environment through poor waste disposal, toxic gas emissions and oil spillage due to bombings. This has rendered some land areas barren where they can no longer grow crops or let cows graze. This has forced residents to move to neighbouring counties and thereby compete for water and pasture land. Maps on the preceding pages show the location of cattle raids, incidences of conflict over water/ boundaries as well as tribal conflict in Unity State.

Scarce water resources also impose an extra burden on women and girls who walk long distances in search of water. They lose productive time doing so and the long distances between the water source and their homes have exposed them to sexual violence. Carrying heavy water containers over vast distances has also led to women’s poor health conditions. Women further revealed that husbands subject their wives to violence if they could not find or collect water.

4.3. Attacks by rebel militia groups (RMGs) Although seen as small in number, RMGs have been closely associated with a series of landmine explosions and sporadic attacks resulting in deaths, rape, or injuries. Sporadic and indiscriminate attacks by the RMGs have also disrupted and temporarily halted the education and learning calendars of children. RMGs have also been reported to abduct or recruit child soldiers.

Their presence has further displaced and distorted the movement of communities, affecting their socio-economic and livelihood activities. This has led to less commercial activities and posed a huge challenge in delivering services, goods and commodities.

Participants believed that RMGs prevail in Unity State because they struggle for power and posi- tions, and are discontented from elections and influences from the Sudan government. The presence of RMGs was identified by participants in Rubkona, Abiemnhom, Koch, Mayom and Leer counties.

4.4. Border conflicts Internal border conflicts are a problem between counties or between its neighbouring states such as Warrap (Tonj East County), Lakes (Rumbek North County) and Jonglei. External border conflicts, on the other hand occur between Unity and the neighbouring Southern Kordofan in Sudan. These conflicts are common during the dry season when communities from the conflicting counties, states and regions are in need of water for household use and livestock. Partici- pants noted that although cross-border conflicts have been witnessed in the past, the crea- tion of new states and counties have resulted in an upward trend of these conflicts, pushing populations outside original geographic location.

The root causes behind border conflicts, as perceived by participants, include the artificial colonial border demarcation, disputes over land ownership, competition over land resources, e.g. oil fields, grazing land and water sources, and migration of people. While elders and government officials are responsible for deliberating and making decisions regarding border issues, the youth are directly involved in fights over territories. Border conflicts in Unity State have resulted in loss of lives and property, displacement of communities, injuries, and revenge attacks.

Participants claimed that external border conflicts that occur between Unity and its northern neighbour Southern Kordofan have caused territorial disputes which typically occur during the dry season when the Misseriya (Arab nomads) migrate to the south in search of water.

4.5. Attacks and abduction of children by Misseriya Every year, the Misseriya are known to move southwards to Unity for water and grazing land. At the end of the dry season as they head back north, they have been reported to steal cattle and kill people who get in their way. Participants in Rubkona and Abiemnhom counties, who identified this as one of the biggest threats to security, have stated that the Misseriya are supported by the Govern- ment of Sudan. Participants noted though, that conflicts have declined in the last two years as the South Sudan security forces can now halt the movement of Misseriya at the border.

Participants also reported that the Misseriya have abducted children for child labour and slave trade. There were reports that boys were mutilated to prevent them from escaping, and that girls were abducted to be the “wives” of these boys.

4.6. Inter- and intra-clan fighting Inter- and intra-clan fighting is a common phenomenon in several counties in Unity state. Inter-clan fighting takes place between different counties or tribes while intra-clan fighting occurs between sub -clans within the same county.

Inter and intra-clan fighting is often a result of competition over grazing land and over border de- marcations. The conflicts may lead to killings, inciting a spate of revenge attacks, thus furthering a vicious cycle of community insecurity. In Panyijar County, complex inter-clan fights have occurred out of inequitable distribution of stolen cattle between two clans which have jointly carried out a raid. Should some of the clan’s youth be killed during the planned raids, the aggrieved payam/clan would expect compensation from their partner clans. These situations have frequently resulted in disagreements and fights.

Inter- and intra-clan clashes have also occurred as a result of competition over girls, adultery, elope- ment3, pregnancies outside of marriage, failure to pay dowry and forced marriages. Fighting over girls/women and the associated cattle raiding to secure dowry, was in some communities considered the biggest cause of insecurity between clans and families. The actors involved in inter- and intra- clan fighting are mainly young men; however young women, parents and elders might be indirect actors. What may have started as a family conflict in many cases could spill over to the entire community, resulting in indiscriminate killing of women, men and children.

4.7. Unemployment The lack of jobs and incomes, according to participants are caused by the low level of education, lack of capital or skills, limited or no economic opportunities, lack of awareness of various opportunities

3 Elopement of girls, as defined by the community, either means a woman eloping with and living with a man before the dowry is paid, or relations without the father’s consent. This can become a source of insecurity for the woman because her parents often send her brother/s to demand for dowry from the man’s family. By eloping with a man, the value of the woman in terms of the number of cattle she would have acquired is reduced. In places like Pariang, women reported that when brothers are sent to avenge the sister, other women and men are killed or injured.

and hindrance of investment from the blockage of the north-south roads. Participants also men- tioned that people have an attitude of expecting the Government to provide them with employment.

Unemployment particularly affects both the male and female youth. Low employment rate in a county can lead to redundancy, low standards of living, increased numbers of street children, divorce, dependency on other family members, cattle raiding as a means of affording dowry, increased crisis in the areas, migration (rural and urban) and depopulation. When young men are idle they also tend to get involved in conflicts such as cattle raiding, inter-clan fighting and skirmishes over young women.

4.8. Food insecurity Food insecurity can either be a cause or an effect of other underlying security issues, as indicated by participants. Food shortage is usually caused by drought, floods or the limited access to other markets which has been particularly problematic during the rainy season when roads are impassable or flooded. In some areas, food shortage has worsened when the roads connecting Bentiu to Adok and to Khartoum in Sudan were closed. Insecurity and risk of attacks have further prevented communities from accessing these markets or other food sources.

Food shortages have led to increased food costs in the market, often beyond the purchasing power of the majority of households. With the lack of food and proper diet, people have suffered from anaemia or malnutrition. Women’s security has been compromised as well. Wives have claimed that they suffer from increased domestic violence if there is no food in the house, and women looking for food late at night are prone to attacks from militia groups or wild animals.

Additionally, the influx of returnees and reduced food distribution from relief agencies has put an even greater pressure on the food supply in Unity.

5. INSECURITY ISSUES AFFECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS

5.1. Division of labour according to gender Although men in some counties worked for hours each day fishing and cultivating, women’s work- load in most counties is significantly higher than men’s. In rural areas, women do both the household work and most of the tasks in the farm. They perform an abundance of duties and travel long distances on foot to fulfil the household’s needs. Several of their duties are physically demanding and can take several hours each day to accom- plish. Women have no breaks in their workday – except when breastfeeding, which constitutes one of the few times they sit down during the day. Both younger and older married women perform all the household duties including washing, grinding maize and fetching water and firewood in addition to a number of pastoralist tasks.

Both men and women expressed that this division of labour was in accordance with tradition and that it was the woman’s role to do this type Women’s group in Pariang County with the consultation team. of work. If women do not perform the work they © UNDP