Statement of participants from Nyal meeting on Wunlit 1999 peace conference after 22 years (Nyal Agreement)

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Country/entity: South Sudan
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Statement of participants from Nyal meeting on Wunlit 1999 peace conference after 22 years (Nyal Agreement)
Date: 14 May 2021
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.
Stage: Implementation/renegotiation
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: South Sudan: Post-secession Local agreements
Parties: The agreement lists the following signatories:

Peter Nyuong Danhiar (Paramount Chief, Payinjiar County)

Gum Mading Akuecbany (Paramount Chief, Wunlit County)

Sawat Malual Arop (Paramount Chief, Aduol Kong County)

Jacob Madhel Lang (Paramount Chief, Aweng Payam, Twic County and Chairperson COTAL Warrap State)

Andrew Madot Buoi (Paramount Chief, Yirol East County, Nyang Payam)

Joseph Kong Yoach (Paramount Chief, Guit County)

Elizabeth David Dabuol Ngot (Women League Chairperson, Koch County)

Isaac Magok Gatluak (Paramount Chief, Mayendit County)

Stephen Kuong Mabil (Paramount Chief, Leer County)
Third parties: Rift Valley Institute, Assistance Mission for Africa and Swiss Government.
Description: A short agreement calling for further implementation of inter-communal reconciliation efforts involving county chiefs, women, youth and religious leaders through continued community dialogues in line with the aims of the Wunlit agreement of 1999. Substantively this agreement follows up on its partner agreement in Nyal and makes provision for return of IDPS, development and humanitarian supports to address flooding and calls for the enforcement by the office of the regional commissioner to address key issues for community peace. The provisions address community violence and hate speech acts and the prevalence of weapons within communities, calling for an overall solution to ongoing inter-communal violence in border areas between the states.

Agreement document: SS_210514_Nyal meeting signed statement.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Formal structured process
Rationale: The process is an inter-communal series of dialogues between county chiefs experienced in local negotiations and a revival of the community based Wunlit talks. The talks were structured through a series of discussions as part of a wider programme, beginning with Dinka chiefs visiting Nyal and being followed up with a reciprocal visit by Nuer chiefs to Yirol for a second set of meetings. It is supported by Rift Valley Institute and Assistance Mission for Africa.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: No
Link to national process: articulated rationale: Agreement explicitly references and reaffirms the community led Wunlit Peace Conference and aspires to return to parts of that seminal local process which was in part supported by senior southern political figures but does not have a direct link to national process or central government related process.
Name of Locale: Unity State, Lakes State and Warrap State
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 7.827199, 29.701490
Participant type: 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): Page 1, The agreement describes the gathering of representatives as being: 'brought together by the Rift Valley Institute and the Assistance Mission for Africa with support from the Swiss government.'
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar: International or transnational actor

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): No specific mention.
Grievance List: Page 1, We recognise with concern:
- The absence of key chiefs missing from our meeting including those from Mayom and Gogrial due to the focus of the meeting on bringing together participants from the original Wunlit meeting;
- The recent killings in cattle camps and at the border areas between our communities;
- The prevalence of guns in the hands of our young people;
- The high rates of illiteracy, disease and hunger in our communities ;
- The lack of road infrastructure and telecommunications network in the Wunlit Triangle, particularly in Payinjiar.

Page 2, We appeal:
- To all communities to stop and refuse revenge killings.
Cattle rustling/banditry: Page 1, We recognise with concern:
- The recent killings in cattle camps and at the border areas between our communities;

Page 1, We appeal:
- To youth in the cattle camps to maintain peace as we continue to work to rekindle the spirit of Wunlit;
Social cover: No specific mention.

Statement of participants from Nyal meeting on Wunlit 1999 Peace Conference after 22 years

Nyal, 13 -14 May 2021

On 13 — 14 May, we the twenty-nine the representative chiefs and women from Unity State, Lakes State and Warrap State, members of the original Wunlit Peace Conference of 1999, brought together by the Rift Valley Institute and Assistance Mission for Africa, with support from the Swiss Government, met in Nyal, Payinjiar County, Unity State.

The objectives of the meeting were to:

• Receive the research findings from the Rift Valley Institute and Catholic University of

South Sudan oral history memory project on the 1999 Wunlit Peace Conference;

• Celebrate the achievements of Wunlit;

• Document proposed ways forward for South Sudan considering the lessons learnt from Wunlit.

In recent South Sudanese history one of the most significant peace-building events was the Wunlit Peace Conference of 1999.

Wunlit was a meeting of chiefs, organised by churches, that began the process of reunification of the two factions of the SPLA/M. The Wunlit meeting paved the way for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, which brought South Sudan into being as a nation.

This meeting in Nyal gave us the opportunity to reignite our memories of the Wunlit Peace Conference, which has inspired and encouraged us.

Therefore:

We acknowledge:

• The great successes of Wunlit that include — the reunification of the two factions of the SPLA/M, that subsequently led to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 and the independence of South Sudan;

and the peaceful coexistence of communities in the Western Nile and the networking, collaboration and friendship that it brought between the traditional leaders who attended, which still stand today;

• Our commitment to the spirit and implementation of the R-ARCISS.

We recognise with concern:

• The absence of key chiefs missing from our meeting including those from Mayom and Gogrial due to the focus of the meeting on bringing together participants from the original Wunlit meeting;

• The recent killings in cattle camps and at the border areas between our communities;

• The prevalence of guns in the hands of our young people;

• The high rates Of illiteracy, disease and hunger in our communities;

• The lack of road infrastructure and telecommunications network in the Wunlit Triangle, particularly in Payinjiar.

We appeal:

• To youth in the cattle camps to maintain peace as we continue to work to rekindle the spirit of Wunlit;

• To all other political groups not under current government to negotiate and be under one flag Of South Sudan;

• To the Transitional Government of National Unity, Republic of South Sudan to keenly support grassroots peacebuilding activities across the country;

For unity and peace in all of South Sudan;

• That the spirit of Wunlit and of dialogue should be spread across the whole of South

Sudan;

• To all communities to stop and refuse revenge killings.

Therefore we resolve:

• To continue and further our discussions during this meeting at our upcoming meeting in Yirol, Lakes State, with additional from the 1999 Wunlit Peace Conference;

• To request a meeting with President Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar to discuss the issues of local conflict amongst our communities, through Ministry of Peacebuilding;

• That processes are urgently initiated and implemented to remove guns from the hands of the youth concurrently across communities to prevent further loss of life;

To reconvene a second Wunlit meeting bringing together all chiefs from across the three regions to convene once again in Wunlit and evoke the spirit of Wunlit;

Statement of participants from Nyal meeting on Wunlit 1999 peace conference after 22 years (Nyal Agreement)

Local agreement properties

Local issues

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