Country/entity

South Sudan

Region

Africa (excl MENA)

Agreement name

Gogrial State Grassroots Peace Initiative

Date

4 Aug 2017

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

Framework/substantive - partial

Conflict nature

Inter-group

Peace process

South Sudan: Post-secession Local agreements

Parties

Hon. Ludoviko Lual Aken 
Chairman, Aguok Community 

Chief Justice Ambrose Riny Thiik
Chairman, Apuk Community – Juba 

Gen. Agasio Akol Tong 
Chairman, Awan Community 

Jackson Akot Majok
Chairman, Kuac Community

Third parties

Most Rev. Bishop Elias Taban Parangi 
Head of EPC Peace Desk 
Republic of South Sudan

Description

The communities of Aguok, Apuk, Awan, and Kuac agree that a peacebuilding and healing conference is to be organized, that youths will be disarmed, and that a neutral investigative body is to be established in order to try current cases.

Agreement document

SS_170804_Signing Ceremony of Gogrial State Grassroots Peace Initiatives.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type

Formal structured process

Rationale

Agreement is the result of a one-month mediation process facilitated by the Evangelical Presbyterian church and His Voice Global USA. This mediation process was approved by the President of South Sudan (see reference). Large group of participants, including government officials, met twice as part of this process. Another local peace agreement dealt with conflict in Gogrial State (see Gogrial Agreement between Twic, Aweil East, Aweil South and Gogrial West Counties of 13/07/2013), suggesting that this is not an isolated example. Secondary sources also suggest that there have been previous peace agreements and initiatives (see reference, World Vision 2018).

Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

No

Link to national process: articulated rationale

While the mediation process that led to this agreement was approved by the Persident of South Sudan, there is no evidence that suggests that this agreement is linked to the national-level peace process.

Name of Locale

Gogrial State

Nature of Locale

Region

GPS Lat/Long (DD)

8.299814, 27.986469

Participant type

Local state actor
International or transnational actor
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder

Mediator, facilitator or similar

Mediator or similar referred to

Mediator (references)

Mediator and funder: Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), Most Rev. Bishop: Elias Taban Parangi, Head of EPC Peace Desk, Republic South Sudan; His Voice Global USA, Dr. Vernon Burger (see references)

Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder 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

No specific mention.

Social cover

No specific mention.

Peace is in our hands in Jesus names – AMEN

Signing Ceremony of Gogrial State Grassroots Peace Initiatives

Before the signing Ceremony of Gogrial State Grassroots peace initiatives, the following communicate was read

August 4th 2017

Communique

Driven by the Church divine mandate 2Corinthians 5:

18-20, the Most Rev. Bishop Elias Taban Parangi and members of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) in Yei – South Sudan spent four days from July 31, 2017 to August 4th 2017 with State Government officials, intellectuals, elders, community leaders, chiefs, sons and daughters of Gogrial State and Yei River State Government to soul search and find a lasting solution to the conflict in Gogrial State.

After extensive deliberations on the theme:

Soul searching and Strategic planning for Gogrial State grassroots Peace Initiative (GPI) the meeting led to the following key resolutions:

1. Peace building and healing conference be organized in Gogrial State with the shortest possible time by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church that brings all sons and daughters of Gogrial state so as to arrest the conflict immediately.

2. The communities resolved that Youth carrying unauthorized arms must be disarmed immediately

3. The Communities of Gogrial State call on well wishers to provide immediate relief assistance to support the displaced people of Gogrial State

4. The communities resolved that lasting peace can be achieved through provision of basic services such as:

a. Water points for both human and animal consumption

b. Schools and education

c. Food security and health services

5. The communities of Gogrial State called upon all sons and daughters of Gogrial State to abandon evil and accept God in the quest for a lasting Peace in Gogrial State immediately

6. The communities resolved that State Government must provide security in the State as well as restore the rule of law immediately

7. The communities resolved that peace building is required through:

a. Promotion of good governance

b. Rural transformation programs

c. Youth engagement in income generation activities and training of organized forces

8. The communities resolved that lasting Peace can be achieved when:

a. Neutral investigative body is established in Gogrial State to investigate and try current cases

b. Special courts are established

The Signatories and the witness to this communique for the implementation of the Gogrial Peace Initiatives [GPI] are as follows:

Hon. Ludoviko Lual Aken

Chairman, Aguok Community

Chief Justice Ambrose Riny Thiik

Chairman, Apuk Community – Juba

Gen. Agasio Akol Tong

Chairman, Awan Community

Jackson Akot Majok

Chairman, Kuac Community

Witnessed by:

Most Rev. Bishop Elias Taban Parangi

Head of EPC Peace Desk

Republic of South Sudan