Mitigating Cattle-Related Violence in the State Border Areas of Tonj, Gogrial, and Wau
GRANT RECIPIENT
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and International Organization for Migration (IOM)
IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS
UNMISS Rule of Law and World Vision
COVERAGE
Jur River county in Western Bahar Al Ghazal State, Gogrial West, Tonj North and Tonj South counties in Warrap State
BUDGET
US$ 5,000,000
Duration
January 1, 2020 - December 30, 2021
DESCRIPTION
Driven by natural resource scarcity, the seasonal migration of cattle from Warrap and Lakes states into farming land around Wau has been a frequent flashpoint of violence between the predominantly Fertit and Luo farmers and the pastoralist Dinka from Warrap and Lakes. The conflation of cattle-related violence with the overarching political conflict in South Sudan, as well as competition over scarce water and pasture, led to the intensification of violence to unprecedented levels in 2019.
The RSRTF grant piloted an innovative, United Nation’s Strategic Response Plan to Mitigate Cattle Raiding-Related Conflict in South Sudan. Through context-specific, multi-sector programming the pilot project links community-based peacebuilding, economic security, and governance reform with broader issues of security and peace. The Area-Based Programme(ABP) supports the implementation of the Revitalized Marial Bai Agreement* regulating the seasonal migration of pastoralists from Tonj and Gogrial to Jur River during the dry season.
Partners seek to enhance accountability for livestock-related crimes, advance gender equality, and link livelihood improvement to peacebuilding processes, enabling reconciled communities to realize the economic benefits of sustained peace.
THE THREE PILLARS
RECONCILIATION
Actions seek to build conflict mediation capacity of community peace committees and
promote renewed commitment of local communities to the Marial Bai Agreement, facilitating intercommunal dialogue in volatile border area locations, supporting youth-to-youth dialogue and establishing youth border committees to diffuse tensions and address issues arising related to cattle migration. High level dialogues ensure county and governor level engagement and joint trust-building, conflict monitoring, and peace promotion missions ensure timely response to outbreaks of intercommunal conflict.
STABILIZATION
As cattle-related conflict typically occurs in areas beyond the reach of formal justice structures, the project is working to operationalize the Joint Mobile Special Court of the July 2019 Tri-State Conference resolutions to investigate and adjudicate cases of cattle migration related crimes in the two states. The court employs a hybrid model and the project supports skills training and consultations between the dedicated justice team and traditional leaders who work as assessors to assist statutory judges to identify appropriate civil compensation and facilitate access to justice under challenging circumstances.
RESILIENCE
Through rehabilitation and construction of water infrastructure along approved migration routes the project seeks to limit competition and related conflict over major perennial water sources and reduce livestock movement into neighboring farmers’ and other pastoralist community areas, also addressing overgrazing which, in turn, can help prevent longer-term land and environmental degradation. Activities also seek to enhance and diversify livelihood opportunities for youth, reducing the pressure to resort to violence to make an adequate living or to raise money for dowry payments.