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CSOs/CBOs and faith-based organizations-led peace and reconciliation efforts

Pays
Soudan du Sud
Sources
The Sudd Institute
Date de publication
Origine
Voir l'original

Leben Nelson Moro

Summary

While faith - based organizations have made significant contributions to peace and reconciliation efforts in the country, the CSOs have not done much . A key reason for this is the reluctance of the warring parties to include other stakeholders in peace talks. Indeed, in the ongoing peace efforts to resolve the violent conflict that began in December 2013, the CSOs were only allowed to participate in th e peace process following a significant pressure from regional and Western bodies . Also, the weakness of the CSOs and faith - based organizations has worked against their full engagement with the peace processes. Possible actions to enhance their roles inclu de increasing pressure on the warring parties and building capacities of these organizations through sustained funding and training.

1. Introduction

Since it was part of the former Sudan2, a nation embroiled in war for decades, South Sudan has been experiencing deadly violent conflicts. The most recent conflict began in December 2013 and has resulted in a humanitarian disaster, as well as deep ethnic schisms.

Because of this unenviable track record of war, South Sudan has also had a long experience with peace and reconciliation efforts. A briefing paper by the South Sudan NGO Forum, the body that seeks to coordinate the activities of international and national NGOs, notes that the CSOs “have played a significant role in South Sudan peace and state building journey, both in pre and post CPA period” (South Sudan NGO Forum 2014). It is argued, however, that the CSOs and faith-based organizations have played a marginal role in resolving the major violent conflicts in the country, but have made significant contributions to peace and reconciliation efforts at the community level.

Most of the notable peace efforts, however, have been spearheaded by regional bodies and neighboring countries, with the support of international actors. For instance, the talks, aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict, have been led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which was behind the successful mediation efforts that gave birth to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that brought an end to the war between the former Sudan government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). A Compromise Agreement was recently signed by President Salva Kiir and Dr Riek Machar, the leader of Sudan People’s Movement/Army in Opposition, but the fighting has not stopped throughout the country.

Representatives of the CSOs and faith-based groups took part in efforts to restore peace to the country but this happened after lobbying and campaigning by the groups themselves, as well as a result of an international pressure. Obviously, their engagement has amounted to less than what is expected of them. The main reasons for this have been the negative stance of the warring parties, who have been bent on influencing the outcome of the talks to their advantage, and the weaknesses of the CSOs themselves. A CSO civil society paper made a telling observation about the stance of the government as follows:

Politics of the day however did not allow room for compromise on peace building and state building issueswith any other stakeholders except those internal actors that wielded military power and have the potentialof destabilizing the territorial authority and control of the government (Wani 2015: 16).

Nonetheless, there is potential for these groups to play a more active role in reconciling communities after the guns have fallen silent in the country and to restore trust and normal relations. The CSOs are close to ordinary people, and hence are more trusted than other groups, particularly government and opposition authorities.

To fully understand the role of the CSO and faith-based groups in peace-making and reconciliation it is helpful to look back at significant peace processes and reconciliation efforts that have taken place to solve the country’s conflicts, particularly those in which these groups have taken part. This enables analysts and policy-makers to identify weaknesses that undermine the CSOs’ role. Accordingly, the paper focuses on the role of the CSOs and faith-based organizations in the settlement of major and local conflicts that have thus far afflicted South(ern)3 Sudan.

The next section of the analysis briefly examines how the CSOs are defined and the key roles that they play. This is followed by a discussion of peace and reconciliation processes or initiatives in which the CSOs have played a significant role. Section four tackles the weaknesses that hinder active participation of the CSOs in peace and reconciliation efforts. The last section concludes the analysis.