October 19, 2020 – In early October, youth peacemakers and staff from the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) organized a community dialogue to peacefully resolve a violent conflict that had broken out in communities within South Sudan’s former Terekeka state. The dialogue – which we conducted at the urging of the local youth association, chiefs, government officials, and other stakeholders – was held after violence erupted in July over cattle raiding and other longstanding issues. Addressing conflicts like these, however local they may seem, is of the utmost importance in a region that is today one of the most insecure in the country in large part because the challenges created nationally by the civil conflict allow endemic tensions to fester and transform into local strife. So, while this courageous initiative taken thanks to the initiative of our youth peacemakers is only in its early steps, it will require patient work and prudent caution in the future.
Community dialogues are core to our efforts at helping fragile, vulnerable communities become more peaceful, resilient places. Peace cannot be achieved if there is no space for constructive conversation and, indeed, communities in the former Terekeka state – which have suffered from decades of violent conflict – need such spaces for community members to come together and discuss pertinent issues. As the communities of Gere, Yukara, Jungaunamashi, and Moli grappled with months of deadly violence, when prominent stakeholders requested that WPDI intervene.
On October 7, the WPDI-organized community dialogue commenced. We brought together 30 participants from the various communities, including civic and government leaders, church representatives, and youths. Our youth peacemakers led the dialogue, building on their strong grasp on local realities and the overall conflict. For hours, the dialogue participants discussed and identified the key drivers of the conflict, tracing the cattle raiding and revenge killings back to the power vacuum that has marked the former Terekeka state in past years. After this, they resolved to implement an immediate, peaceful disarmament, return property to their rightful owners, and hold a larger dialogue as soon as possible to engage conflicting parties in a long-term reconciliation process.
Overall, the community members agreed to living together in peace and work to increase trust amongst their communities. As Joseph, a local chief said, “I am happy to have participated in this dialogue. Our differences cannot be resolved by fighting. We want to live in peace and harmony.” Another participant, the bishop of a local church, noted that “our future lies in the hands of our youths. I hope that the next, massive reconciliation conference will bring youths together to dialogue and reconcile.”
These declarations testify to a will for peace that our youth peacemakers will strive to nurture over the coming weeks and months. Assuredly, the road to a durable peace that the communities in conflict sincerely embrace is not short or linear; nevertheless, a promising movement has been started. Above all, we are glad to note that this process was initiated at the request of local stakeholders, who reached out to us and perceive WPDI as a neutral, albeit active champion of peace and reconciliation. Such an expression of trust is a result to considered in itself, proof that empowered youths can be effective drivers of peace and should receive more support as such.
