Country/entity

South Sudan

Region

Africa (excl MENA)

Agreement name

Joint Peace Committee Meeting Resolution (Payinjiar, Yirol and Rumbek-Amongpiny)

Date

16 May 2018

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.

Close

Sudan Conflicts (1955 - )

Stage

Implementation/renegotiation

Conflict nature

Inter-group

Peace process

South Sudan: Post-secession Local agreements

Parties

Signed on behalf of Payinjiar, Yirol and Amongpiny this 16th Day of May, 2018 in Ganyliel
1. Paramount Chief Gordon Chieny Mayom, Payinjiar Community
2. Paramount Chief Andrew Mdut Buoi, Yirol Community
3. Mr. Buong Lau Chath, Youth Representative Amongpiny

Third parties

-

Description

The agreement is a result of a joint peace committee meeting amongst representatives from Payinjiar, Yirol and Amongpiny. The agreement resolutions commit these communities to a range of actions and are part of an effort to end violence and cattle raiding.

Agreement document

SS_180516_Joint Peace Committee Meeting Resolution (Payinjiar, Yirol and Rumbek-Amongpiny).pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type

Formal structured process
Isolated example

Rationale

This local peace process received support from international and national actors (e.g. Assistance Mission Africa). Secondary sources indicate that other peacemaking initiatives took place in the area (see references), but limited background research does not suggest a track record of signing peace agreements in the locale.

Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

No

Link to national process: articulated rationale

This agreement was concluded outside the national-level peace process but could be seen as complementary to it (see reference Alan Boswell, 2019).

Name of Locale

Payinjiar, Yirol, and Amongpiny (Unity & Lake states)

Nature of Locale

Region

GPS Lat/Long (DD)

7.127555, 30.211973

Participant type

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

Mediator, facilitator or similar

Mediator or similar referred to

Mediator (references)

Mediators: International community with special focus on the partners (PAX + AID and Development Botswana; p. 1); Assistance Mission Africa (AMA; see source PAX Protection of Civilians, 2018)

Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations International or transnational actor

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

No specific mention.

Grievance List

No specific mention.

Cattle rustling/banditry

Page 2, We declare and adopt the following,
• It was agreed that there was a need for sensitization and mobilization of communities of four locations of Yirol, Payinjiar, Rumbek North(Maper) and Amongpiny against cattle raiding, Robbery, border conflict and river Nile attack.
...
• It was agreed that there was a need for a blood compensation and compensation of other properties that were damage or destroyed as a result of action of other community such as cattle raided should be returned.

Social cover

No specific mention.