‘We are here out of frustration and love.’ This was the summary from one of the armed youth leaders, capturing the atmosphere of the first Jonglei-GPAA Inter-Communal Governance Structures meeting since December 2021. After the signing of the Pieri Agreement in March 2021 and initial positive steps towards implementation, 2022 was punctuated by sporadic criminal attacks in border areas between Jonglei and GPAA and finally an organized mobilisation in December against GPAA communities.
With the renewed emphasis on peace dividends under the Reconciliation, Stabilisation and Resilience Trust Fund project for Greater Jonglei and Pibor, partners set out in the first months of 2023 to re-engage communities on sentiment following the latest attacks. Communities agreed to re-engage in dialogue and prepare for this renewal of the Inter-Communal Governance Structures.
The meeting for the first time used interpreting equipment to facilitate communication across the four languages: Murle, Nuer, Dinka and English. This created more time to delve into issues, but progress remained modest. The Communiqué emphasises key next steps. In particular, partner commitments for the following three months were outlined, giving them an opportunity restore credibility and confidence with communities who had perceived inadequate progress on promises over the previous two years.
In the course of the meeting itself, fresh rumours of mobilisation in one community arose. Whilst discouraging in one sense, the fact of the meeting space allowed for a more robust and transparent response. And the fresh collective commitments outlined in the Communiqué also meant that moral accountability for such a mobilisation could not be avoided. With concerted communication directly to the relevant armed youth leaders, although they attempted a mobilisation of sorts, it was cut short, largely unsuccessful, and the responsible youth leader removed from his position by the authorities in the wake of the attempted attack.
The delegates mutually agreed that the next ICGS meeting would take place in Ayod in three months’ time.