On the backdrop of the 1999 Wunlit Peace Conference, this briefing focuses on contentious issues in the Wunlit Triangle across Unity, Warrap, and Lakes States, as discussed by local communities. It also provides recommendation from participants on how communities can peacefully resolve disputes across boundaries. Read more here
Entries by SaferWorld
This briefing – based on an inter-county dialogue Saferworld held in Kuajok last year – explores conflict, peace, security and gender-based violence concerns in Warrap State. Specifically, the briefing identifies several factors causing insecurity in Warrap state, including the proliferation of small arms, conflicts over grazing and water, cattle raiding, among others, with heavy toll on women in terms of gender-based violence and mental health. Finally, the briefing also offers a series of recommendation to…
The evolution of armed violence and insecurity and the proliferation of SALW in South Sudan are closely linked to the security context – which is marked by an excess of armed groups, ethnic and tribal militias, local self-defence groups, and widespread ownership of firearms among cattle herders and young people. In this report, we explore the current risks and main challenges to national and international arms control measures in South Sudan. We review national arms…
In this brief Saferworld provides a context update about the current situation in the town of Bentiu – the capital of the oil-rich Unity state. Saferworld presents safety and security challenges identified by communities, authorities and civil society such as revenge killings, cattle raiding, gender-based violence, environmental pollution and unemployment in Bentiu town and Protection of Civilian (PoC) site. Saferworld also provides recommendations for how best to address these challenges for all levels of government and communities to consider. Download
This brief provides a context update about the current situation in Northern Bahr el Ghazal –a county in northern South Sudan. The authors present safety and security challenges identified by communities, authorities and civil society such as food insecurity, gender-based violence, land and border disputes, weak justice systems and a lack of security services to turn to. They also provide recommendations for how best to address these challenges for all levels of government and communities to consider. Download
Cueibet – a county in Lakes state – is the current epicentre of intra-communal violence in the state. Although most people living in the county are from the Gok Dinka sub-tribe, relations among people from various clans within the Gok Dinka have been conflict-ridden, exacerbated by an abundance of small arms and light weapons in civilian hands. This brief provides a context update about the current situation in Cueibet –a county in Lakes state in…
Conflict in South Sudan has continued to have a devastating impact on the population despite multiple efforts to stop the fighting. Between 2017 and 2019, Saferworld held eight state-level roundtable discussions with civil society platforms on issues of peace and security. Drawing on these discussions and our own analysis, we produced a national briefing paper with a series of recommendations for how a range of different people and groups could help build peace in the…
The proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW) is one of the most pervasive problems facing South Sudan. This briefing explores Saferworld’s work to identify and improve community-based solutions. In April 2017, with support from United Nations Mines Action Service (UNMAS), Saferworld launched a project to identify and improve community-based solutions to the threats posed by the proliferation and misuse of SALW. With their partners Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO) and…
This colllection of articles (2017) outlines how community defence groups have mobilised over the past 30 years (and earlier) to respond to insecurity in the absence of state protection. Download
This briefing outlines some of the potential difficulties associated with the joint integrated police and some of the challenges the unit is likely to face in delivering security for communities. It is intended to inform those planning to support the joint integrated police and the security sector reform process in South Sudan going forward. Download