Country/entity

South Sudan

Region

Africa (excl MENA)

Agreement name

Mundri Agreement

Date

15 Nov 2015

Agreement status

Multiparty signed/agreed

Interim arrangement

Yes

Agreement/conflict level

Intrastate/local conflict

Sudan Conflicts (1955 - )

Agreements relate to several distinct dyads, and also the negotiated independence of South Sudan, and subsequent internal conflict in South Sudan. Sudan-South Sudan. The long-standing conflict between the north and the south of the country dates back to colonial times, where the British introduced a so-called ‘Southern Policy’, severely hampering population movements between these big regions. Immediately after gaining independence in 1956, southern movements started to fight for independence; this fight became professionalised in 1983 with the foundation of the soon internationally supported Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). When the Islamic Front government introduced strict sharia laws in the south after it took over power in 1988 the war intensified. A decade later, the military situation reached a stalemate, enabling internationally facilitated peace negotiations to begin in 1997. After more fighting, a final negotiation push began in 2002, leading to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Areement (CPA) in January 2005.

Sudan-South Sudan post referendum. South Sudan became independent in July 2011; since then, relations between the two countries are complicated and violent conflict led by the SPLM (North) in the Sudanese Nuba mountains region has since intensified.

Darfur. Other long-standing violent conflicts are in the east and the west of the country. In the east, the Beja Congress, established in 1957, is the spearhead of a currently ‘peaceful’ opposition movement. In the west, the violent conflict in Darfur intensified in the early 2000s and rapidly gained international attention, even resulting in genocide charges against leading figures of the Sudanese government. The situation on the ground is complex, with over a dozen organisations (most notably the Sudanese Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement) fighting the Sudanese government and allied groups like the Janjaweed – although all parties have switched sides on numerous occasions. Several mediation attempts have not been successful, due to the shaky commitment of the Sudanese central government and the distrust among the armed opposition.

South Sudan - internal
In December 2013, after president Salva Kiir accused opposition leader Riek Machar of attempting a coup, violent conflict broke out between government forces of the SPLM/A and anti-governmental groups. In addition, several other political militias as well as communal militias have joined the conflict. In 2015 the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) was signed. Due to unsuccessful implementation the agreement was revitalized in 2018. In September 2019, Kiir and Machar agreed to establish a power-sharing government after struggles on forming a unity transitional government.

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Sudan Conflicts (1955 - )

Stage

Framework/substantive - partial

Conflict nature

Inter-group

Peace process

South Sudan: Post-secession Local agreements

Parties

Mr James Biro David
Representative of Greater Mundri Civil Community

Major. Toby Majak Thomas
Representative of the SPLA Division 6, Brigade 16, Mundri Battalion

Third parties

Bishop Paul Yugusuk
Diocesan Bishop of Lomega
Lead Mediator

Bishop Bismark M. Avokaya
Diocesan Bishop of Mundri
Witness

Hon. Bullen Abiatere Hakim
Deputy Govemor of WES
Witness

Bishop Matthew Taban Peter
Diocesan Bishop of Wonduruba
Witness

Major Gen. Johnson Juma Okot
SPLA Division VI Commander
Witness

Description

Agreement aimed to solve the conflict between the SPLA Division 6 and the local community following an increase in violence as tensions rose between migratory herdsmen, the Dinka SPLA, and the local community. Fighting displaced 80,000 locals from the area. The agreement was broken on 25 November following a gunship attack on armed youth 30km from Mundri, sparking retaliatory attacks and a downward spiral of violence.

Agreement document

SS_151115_Mundri_Agreement.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type

Formal structured process

Rationale

The agreement is the result of a five-day meeting during which the Church Leaders Mediation team led by Bishop Paul Yugusuk mediated between representatives of the SPLA Mundri Battalion and the local community. The SPLA Division 6 Commander and the Deputy Governor of West Equatoria State also signed the agreement. Limited background research does not suggest a history of signing peace agreements in Mundri specifically. However, this agreement is part of a mediation initiative of the Church Leaders Mediation team that has led to the signing of another agreement in Equatoria (Wonduruba agreement, 3 December 2015).

Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

No

Link to national process: articulated rationale

Neither the agreement text nor limited background research suggests a link to the national-level peace process. Boswell (2019, 12; see references) notes that the mediation initiative that led to the signing of the agreement was not officially recognised or supported by the main conflict parties (the Government of South Sudan and the SPLA-IO).

Name of Locale

Mundri

Nature of Locale

Region

GPS Lat/Long (DD)

5.345719, 30.320805

Participant type

Local state actor
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations
Regional state actor

Mediator, facilitator or similar

Mediator or similar referred to

Mediator (references)

Mediators: Bishop Paul Yugusuk, Diocesan Bishop of Lomega, Lead Mediator; Bishop Bismark M. Avokaya, Diocesan Bishop of Mundri, Witness; Bishop Matthew Taban Peter, Diocesan Bishop of Wonduruba, Witness

Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

No specific mention.

Grievance List

Page 1-2, Resolutions, 2. That we apologized to the community of Greater Mundri and to the SPLA Division 6, Brigade 16, Mundri Battalion on the conflict.
...
6. That SPLA soldiers who have caused atrocities in Mundri will be disciplined by their command.
...
13. That the County Commissioner will form a committee to investigate the magnitude and extend of loss of lives and the looted properties, including government institutions, NGOs, hospitals, etc. and will report to the national authority for appropriate actions, including compensation.

Page 2, Recommendations, 1. That the two parties requested for humanitarian support to enable to settle the IDPs.
...
4. That the two parties agreed that the church should recommend to existing non-governmental organizations and other institutions and agencies to provide bursary for the pupils and students whose parents cannot now pay their school fees as a result of the Mundri conflict.

Cattle rustling/banditry

No specific mention.

Social cover

Page 1-2, Resolutions, 6. That SPLA soldiers who have caused atrocities in Mundri will be disciplined by their command.
...
12. That the SPLA leadership in Mundri should investigate on the specific soldiers that had caused atrocities and take disciplinary measures against them, and even remove them from among the good soldiers.