Political leaders have signed a joint communiqué committing to an action plan at the end of a National Accountability Conference organised by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to prevent intercommunal conflict and bolster the rule of law in Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
The commitments outlined in the communiqué include fostering community collaboration in crime prevention, advocating for new infrastructure and services, establishing joint security forces, creating a special court, and introducing rule-of-law coordination mechanisms.
Additionally, a protection cluster will address issues such as abduction, cattle raiding, sexual violence, and other crimes.
Jonglei Deputy Governor Atong Kuol Manyang said the act of revenge will persist on both sides if “we, as communities and government representatives from these two areas, continue to expect solutions to come from outside.”
He added that violence in South Sudan is driven by economically motivated practices such as cattle raiding and the abduction of women and children, which are deeply entrenched in local power structures and profit motives.
The UNMISS Police Commissioner, Christine Fossen, stated that if criminal activities such as cattle raiding and abduction were not addressed, they would continue to undermine good governance, personal safety, and peace initiatives.
The newly appointed Chief Administrator of the GPAA highlighted several obstacles that must be addressed, including tribalism, a preference for traditional law over formal judicial processes, youth being better armed than the police, and a lack of unity among stakeholders.
The UNMISS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the action plan and fostering a united approach to reducing violence and building lasting peace.
The UNMISS Director of Civil Affairs, Hiroko Hirahara, urged that everyone aspire to a future where children grow up without the fear of abduction, where women are empowered and protected, where communities reconcile and rebuild trust, as they have done in the past, and where justice systems are fair, accessible, and resilient.
He added that the action plan’s progress would be reviewed in six months by a Joint Review Committee.
