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

  • Country/entity
    South Sudan
  • Region
    Africa (excl MENA)
  • Agreement name
    Statement of participants from Yirol meeting on Wunlit 1999 peace conference after 22 years (Yirol Agreement)
  • Date
    19 May 2021
  • Agreement status
    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement
    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level
    Intrastate/local conflict ( Sudan Conflicts (1955 - ) )
  • 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)

    Madut Aguer Adel (Paramount Chief, Tonj East County)

    Reechdit Anyieth Reech (Paramount Chief, Yirol East County)

    Bahon Mabor Deng (Paramount Chief, Yirol West County)

    Thiik Riiny Giir (Paramount Chief, Gogrial East County)

    Marial Dhieu Malual (Paramount Chief, Yirol East County)

    Malok Wol Madhieu (Paramount Chief, Tonj East County)
  • Third parties
    Rift Valley Institute, Assistance Mission for Africa and the 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.

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 this set of discussions and a reciprocal visit by Nuer chiefs to Yirol for the 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)
    7.830000, 29.698400
  • 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)
    Page 2, We appeal:
    - To the Church to be actively involved and remain visible in the support of work of community peace and social cohesion;
  • Grievance List
    Page 1, We acknowledge and endorse and reiterate:
    - All points made in the statement issued from the counterpart Nyal meeting 13-14 May 2021 and would want to add the following items;
    - In particular, the absence of key chiefs missing from our meeting, notably from the Bul Nuer community, and the prevalence of guns in the hands of our young men; We recognise with concern:
    - The ongoing clashes and acts of violence at the border areas between our communities;
    - That the Commissioner of Payinjiar County has not yet taken up his position meaning that the Commissioners of the neighbouring counties do not have a counterpart in place with whom to resolve key issues;
    - The serious flooding and subsequent challenges to livelihoods faced by the citizens of Payinjiar County.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover
    Page 2, We appeal:
    - To work amongst ourselves to identify and condemn the thieves, criminals and peace spoilers in our communities;

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

Yirol, 18-19 May 2021

On 18 — 19 May, we the thirty-one 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 Yirol, Yirol West County, Lakes 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.

Following the preceding meeting held in Nyal 13-14 May, this meeting in Yirol gave us the opportunity to reignite our memories of the Wunlit 1999 Peace Conference, which has inspired and encouraged us.

During this meeting we reviewed and discussed the Nyal statement and therefore:

We acknowledge and endorse and reiterate:

• All points made in the statement issued from the counterpart Nyal meeting 13-14

May 2021 and would want to add the following items;

• In particular, the absence of key chiefs missing from our meeting, notably from the Bul Nuer community, and the prevalence of guns in the hands of our young men;

We recognise with concern:

• The ongoing clashes and acts of violence at the border areas between our communities;

• That the Commissioner of Payinjiar County has not yet taken up his position meaning that the Commissioners of the neighbouring counties do not have a counterpart in place with whom to resolve key issues;

• The serious flooding and subsequent challenges to livelihoods faced by the citizens of Payinjiar County.

We appeal:

• To the Transitional Government of National Unity, Republic of South Sudan, and to the Community in Payinjiar County to address the concerns around the Commissioner as soon as possible;

• To the Transitional Government of National Unity, Republic of South Sudan, and our partners in peace, to organise a Governors' and Commissioners' conference to bring together Governors and Commissioners of Yirol East, Yirol West, Payinjiar, Rumbek

East, Rumbek North, Tonj East, Twic, Mayom, Gogrial East Counties, and Abyei Administrative Area;

• To our community leaders at large to stop hate speech and inciting community violence;

• To the Church to be actively involved and remain visible in the support of work of community peace and social cohesion;

• To the humanitarian actors to provide support to those displaced by the flooding in Unity State.

Therefore we resolve:

• To accept peace amongst our communities;

• That our people in Payinjiar County should be welcome for peaceful coexistence to the drylands in Lakes State whilst the floods subside;

• To work amongst ourselves to identify and condemn the thieves, criminals and peace spoilers in our communities;

• To reconvene a second Wunlit meeting bringing together all chiefs from across the three regions together with commissioners, youth, women and religious leaders to convene once again in Wunlit and evoke the spirit of Wunlit;

• To reiterate our request for a joint meeting with President Salva Kiir and First VicePresident Dr Riek Machar to discuss the issues of local conflict amongst our communities.

We, the undersigned, resolve this on Wednesday 19 May in Yirol, Virol West County, Lakes State, South Sudan: