Communiqué - Inter-Communal Governance Structures: Akobo Town

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Country/entity: South Sudan
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Communiqué - Inter-Communal Governance Structures: Akobo Town
Date: 7 Apr 2024
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local conflict
Stage: Framework/substantive - partial
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: South Sudan: Post-secession Local agreements
Parties: Agreement not signed but additional sources note that Inter-Communal Governance Structures are comprised of
Nuer: 4 women, 4 youth leaders, 4 traditional chiefs (by County – Ayod, Nyirol, Uror, Akobo);
Dinka: 3 women, 3 youth leaders, 3 traditional chiefs (by County – Bor South, Twic East, Duk);
Murle: 4 women (by County), 4 youth leaders (by age-set and County), 4 traditional chiefs (by County) [Pibor, Gumuruk, Lekuangole, Verthet];
Third parties: -
Description: The Inter-Communal Governance Structures, a series of meetings involving several local groups and state officials in the South Sudan states of Jonglei and GPAA, convened in Akobo from April 5-7, 2024. They addressed the implementation of previous initiatives for peace and committed to further measures to secure peace between various groups.

Agreement document: SS_240407_Communique (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: Groups→Children/youth→Substantive
4. Primary measures proposed by youth and women and mutually agreed to be implemented by all parties
4.1. Joint initiative of youth, women and traditional chiefs:
...
4.3. Chiefs, women and youth to follow-up on identification and registering of abducted women and children;
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: 4. Primary measures proposed by youth and women and mutually agreed to be implemented by all parties
4.1. Joint initiative of youth, women and traditional chiefs:
...
4.3. Chiefs, women and youth to follow-up on identification and registering of abducted women and children;
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: 2. Peace implementation progress
2.1. Measures implemented since Ayod meeting
...
2.1.2. Nanaam inter-communal visits have taken place, as well as GPAA-led missions to the border area communities;
...
4. Primary measures proposed by youth and women and mutually agreed to be implemented by all parties
4.1. Joint initiative of youth, women and traditional chiefs:
...
4.1.2. Murle consultative engagement in villages of Nanaam: Kelero, Vivino, Thangnyang, Ngachavarachiz, Kongor and Monchak;
...
5.2. Government commits to:
...
6. Requests to partners
...
6.2. Resources to conduct dissemination activities in all locations;
Traditional/religious leaders: 2. Peace implementation progress
2.1. Measures implemented since Ayod meeting
...
2.1.6. Consultations have taken place in Bor and Pibor on the Traditional Leaders Circuit Court.
...
4. Primary measures proposed by youth and women and mutually agreed to be implemented by all parties
4.1. Joint initiative of youth, women and traditional chiefs:
...
4.1.5. Separate meetings with spiritual prophets Dak Kueth and Makuach to confirm demobilisation and endorsement of agreed ICGS activities;
...
5. Other measures committed to by parties
5.1. Chiefs agree to:
5.1.1. Continued establishment of inter-communal customary courts to decide relevant matters across the locations;
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: Rights related issues→Media and communication→Other
5. Other measures committed to by parties
...
5.2. Government commits to:
5.2.1. Early communication by the Government where there is armed youth mobilisation to attack any of areas of GPAA an Jonglei;
5.2.2. Urge network communication companies to install net work line in Jonglei and GPAA;
...
5.2.6. Provision of communication devices;
...
5.2.8. Disseminating peace among the youth;
Mobility/access: 2. Peace implementation progress
2.1. Measures implemented since Ayod meeting
2.1.1. Despite setbacks, there have been positive, sustained engagements particularly in the corridor between Akobo and Lekuangole; including joint movements through the border areas, identification of abductees, and accountability measures for Chiefs not cooperating with the identification of abductees;
...
5. Other measures committed to by parties
...
5.2. Government commits to:
...
5.2.22. Supporting mobility means in the Counties.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: 5. Other measures committed to by parties
5.1. Chiefs agree to:
5.1.1. Continued establishment of inter-communal customary courts to decide relevant matters across the locations;
...
5.2. Government commits to:
...
5.2.10. Assignment of public attorneys and judges in the Counties;
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: 5. Other measures committed to by parties
5.1. Chiefs agree to:
5.1.1. Continued establishment of inter-communal customary courts to decide relevant matters across the locations;

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Infrastructure and reconstruction
2. Peace implementation progress
2.1. Measures implemented since Ayod meeting
...
2.1.3. Establishment of Wuno as a border centre has progressed, including construction of a borehole, and work continues on the establishment of the centre in Pulbura;
...
5. Other measures committed to by parties
...
5.2. Government commits to:
...
5.2.19. Construct roads to ease the communication in the areas of Jonglei and GPAA;
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: 5. Other measures committed to by parties
...
5.2. Government commits to:
...
5.2.5. Deployment of unified forces in hot spot areas;
...
5.2.7. Send forces after the attackers in the event of attack;
...
5.2.12. Provide security;
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: 2.2. Measures not implemented since Ayod meeting
...
3. Discussion points
...
3.3. Efforts by local authorities to take action against perpetrators of violence is severely limited by inadequate policing/security forces with the ability to enforce accountability measures. Government is not performing its role in the enforcement of the law. Inter-Communal Governance Structures, Jonglei and GPAA Akobo Meeting, 5-7 April 2024 | 2
...
5. Other measures committed to by parties
...
5.2. Government commits to:
...
5.2.9. Recruitment of community police to assist County Government in collection of the raided cattle and the abductees;
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: Security sector→DDR→Demilitarisation provisions
5. Other measures committed to by parties
...
5.2. Government commits to:
...
5.2.20. Disarm youth and the entire armed civilians;
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: 5. Other measures committed to by parties
5.1. Chiefs agree to:
...
5.1.2.1. Propose that there be stronger punitive measures under customary law in relation to: (a) abductors; (b) any person who buys an abductee; (c) any person who prevents the recovery of abductees;
...
5.2. Government commits to:
...
5.2.11. Culprits to be brought to book and face the law;
...
5.2.18. Discourage age set engagement in negative criminal activities;
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: 2. Peace implementation progress
2.1. Measures implemented since Ayod meeting
2.1.1. Despite setbacks, there have been positive, sustained engagements particularly in the corridor between Akobo and Lekuangole; including joint movements through the border areas, identification of abductees, and accountability measures for Chiefs not cooperating with the identification of abductees;
...
4. Primary measures proposed by youth and women and mutually agreed to be implemented by all parties
4.1. Joint initiative of youth, women and traditional chiefs:
...
4.3. Chiefs, women and youth to follow-up on identification and registering of abducted women and children;
4.4. Government representatives at the ICGS to request the Governor of Jonglei State and the GPAA Chief Administrator to meet together. The meeting will agree on and issue directives to their respective administrations to drive implementation of ICGS resolutions, particularly with respect to the identification and reunification of abductees;
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: No specific mention.

Inter-Communal Governance Structures

Akobo Town, 5-7 April 2024

COMMUNIQUÉ

1. Context

1.1. This ICGS was originally scheduled to take place in Lekuangole County, GPAA. Due to mistrust arising from ongoing violence, the meeting location was moved to Akobo. The meeting was preceded by the exchange visit and meetings between women and youth, which had been agreed at the July 2023 ICGS in Juba and reiterated at the October 2023 ICGS meeting in Ayod.

2. Peace implementation progress

2.1. Measures implemented since Ayod meeting

2.1.1. Despite setbacks, there have been positive, sustained engagements particularly in the corridor between Akobo and Lekuangole; including joint movements through the border areas, identification of abductees, and accountability measures for Chiefs not cooperating with the identification of abductees;

2.1.2. Nanaam inter-communal visits have taken place, as well as GPAA-led missions to the border area communities;

2.1.3. Establishment of Wuno as a border centre has progressed, including construction of a borehole, and work continues on the establishment of the centre in Pulbura;

2.1.4. Resilience (asset creation) and adult learning programs have begun in all selected border areas (Anyidi, Manyabol, Gadiang, Bishbish, Pulbura, Wuno, Burmath);

2.1.5. Distribution of food as part of asset creation program has begun in all selected border locations, except Burmath (delayed).

2.1.6. Consultations have taken place in Bor and Pibor on the Traditional Leaders Circuit Court.

2.2. Measures not implemented since Ayod meeting

2.2.1. Meeting of Chiefs in Gadiang to agree on inter-communal accountability measures – delayed as a result of insecurity;

2.2.2. Registering of all abducted women and children across the areas – delayed due to absence of political and community will;

2.2.3. The women’s structure to conduct rallies in Pibor, Gumuruk, Lekuangole and Verthet – delayed due to limited capacity of the partners.

2.2.4. Chiefs to conduct rituals on the Anyidi-Manyabol border and the border of Lou Nuer and Murle communities – delayed as a result of ongoing violence;

2.2.5. Bari and Mundari to be invited as observers to ICGS – deferred due to other immediate priorities.

3. Discussion points

3.1. Improved communication and early warning between the communities has helped mitigate severity of some

attacks.

3.2. Consensus that it is a sub-set of the Murle community, primarily in the border areas and from the kurenen age set, who are the main perpetrators of violations.

3.3. Efforts by local authorities to take action against perpetrators of violence is severely limited by inadequate policing/security forces with the ability to enforce accountability measures. Government is not performing its role in the enforcement of the law. Inter-Communal Governance Structures, Jonglei and GPAA Akobo Meeting, 5-7 April 2024 | 2

3.4. Trust has been rebuilt to some extent between women and youth across the communities, but suspicions still continue.

3.5. Agreed need to work together to resolve the outstanding issues of sporadic violence, not leaving it solely to one community to address.

3.6. Stress on the need for cooperation between Jonglei and GPAA authorities in order to ensure accountability measures are implemented.

3.7. Consensus that dialogue meetings should shift emphasis from those requiring flights and towards those where participants move to the venue by foot.

3.8. Questions of commitment to the peace were raised in all directions.

4. Primary measures proposed by youth and women and mutually agreed to be implemented by all parties

4.1. Joint initiative of youth, women and traditional chiefs:

4.1.1. Greater Ayod and Akobo to conduct one day dissemination meeting in Motot. After this meeting, youth will leave for meeting with Murle in Luang, coordinating their departure date with Murle;

4.1.2. Murle consultative engagement in villages of Nanaam: Kelero, Vivino, Thangnyang, Ngachavarachiz, Kongor and Monchak;

4.1.3. Kongor, Monchak youth representatives will leave for Luang on 26 April for meeting with Nuer;

4.1.4. After meeting in Luang, Nuer and Murle representatives will proceed through Pulbura to Yuai to demonstrate their unity for peace;

4.1.5. Separate meetings with spiritual prophets Dak Kueth and Makuach to confirm demobilisation and endorsement of agreed ICGS activities;

4.1.6. Dinka engagement in border areas of Anyidi, Larikan, Gadiang;

4.1.7. Joint meetings consecutively in Bishbish and Anyidi, to be witnessed by Nuer representatives.

4.2. Peace Caravan to three communities, with specific locations to be confirmed after the abovementioned crossborder initiatives;

4.3. Chiefs, women and youth to follow-up on identification and registering of abducted women and children;

4.4. Government representatives at the ICGS to request the Governor of Jonglei State and the GPAA Chief Administrator to meet together. The meeting will agree on and issue directives to their respective administrations to drive implementation of ICGS resolutions, particularly with respect to the identification and reunification of abductees;

5. Other measures committed to by parties

5.1. Chiefs agree to:

5.1.1. Continued establishment of inter-communal customary courts to decide relevant matters across the locations;

5.1.2. Paramount Chiefs, Executive Chiefs and Payam Administrators found to be obstructing in any way the collection of abducted women and children should be removed by the Minister of Local Government;

5.1.2.1. Propose that there be stronger punitive measures under customary law in relation to: (a) abductors; (b) any person who buys an abductee; (c) any person who prevents the recovery of abductees;

5.1.3. Chiefs’ responsibility for communities where youth have participated in an armed attack will be arrested; Inter-Communal Governance Structures, Jonglei and GPAA Akobo Meeting, 5-7 April 2024 | 3

5.1.4. Shift emphasis from meetings requiring flight transport to movement by foot;

5.1.5. Focus on sustained, frequent messages directly between community leaders;

5.1.6. Encouragement to communities to aim for grazing closer to each other’s communities, not moving away from each other’s communities;

5.1.7. Performance of rituals, as agreed in Ayod, at the border between Anyidi and Gumuruk, and between Nuer and Murle areas.

5.2. Government commits to:

5.2.1. Early communication by the Government where there is armed youth mobilisation to attack any of areas of GPAA an Jonglei;

5.2.2. Urge network communication companies to install net work line in Jonglei and GPAA;

5.2.3. Talking to the Chiefs and Youth leaders to demobilise youth mobilisation for attacks;

5.2.4. Recruit youth as informers to make Government aware of any active youth to mobilisation;

5.2.5. Deployment of unified forces in hot spot areas;

5.2.6. Provision of communication devices;

5.2.7. Send forces after the attackers in the event of attack;

5.2.8. Disseminating peace among the youth;

5.2.9. Recruitment of community police to assist County Government in collection of the raided cattle and the abductees;

5.2.10. Assignment of public attorneys and judges in the Counties;

5.2.11. Culprits to be brought to book and face the law;

5.2.12. Provide security;

5.2.13. Provide funds for peace dissemination to supplement partners’ funds;

5.2.14. Support ICGS through cautioning of the citizens about inter-communal violence;

5.2.15. Come up with proper implementation policy on ICGS meetings resolutions;

5.2.16. Identify and coordinate participants for ICGS meetings;

5.2.17. Engage youth in alternative livelihood activities;

5.2.18. Discourage age set engagement in negative criminal activities;

5.2.19. Construct roads to ease the communication in the areas of Jonglei and GPAA;

5.2.20. Disarm youth and the entire armed civilians;

5.2.21. Advocate youth not to attack civilian vehicles and cattle traders on the roads;

5.2.22. Supporting mobility means in the Counties.

6. Requests to partners

6.1. Support to the meeting mentioned above between the Governor of Jonglei State and the Chief Administrator GPAA to support implementation of the ICGS outcomes;

6.2. Resources to conduct dissemination activities in all locations;

6.3. Continued establishment of the sustained border presence in Wuno, Bishbish, Pulbura, Gadiang;

6.4. Provision of capital and assets for continued livelihoods activities;

6.5. Provision of thuraya phones to facilitate communication between the partners.

7. Next ICGS

7.1. It is agreed that the next ICGS meeting will take place in Pibor.

7.2. The ICGS unanimously endorsed the inclusion of two additional representatives from Akobo to account for the geographical distance and specific administrative distribution between Akobo East and West.