Conflict and Protection Note on Lakes State
South Sudan Protection Cluster
Updated October 2014
1.
Summary
Over the past few months Lakes State has experienced a serious upsurge in violent conflict and generalized
insecurity, that is having a deleterious humanitarian impact on the population including forced displacement into
remote or flood prone areas, and the threat of physical violence against particularly vulnerable sections of the
population (including rape, killings, beatings and torture), and destruction of property. The introduction of a
“civilian disarmament” campaign in October by the Governor is adding fuel to the fire, exacerbating fissures
between the SPLA and cattle camp youth, and communities at large, leading to a spate of violent clashes in
several counties and the capital Rumbek. The humanitarian situation in the state is already tenuous with
thousands of displaced people being hosted in Awerial County, high levels of food insecurity, and now with the
recent violence new displacements of women, children and elderly into difficult to access areas without access to
essential services and goods.
Whilst tempting to isolate events in Lakes State to a simplistic issue of seasonal resource competition or
parochial clan violence, the causal attributes mirror those at a national level: a crisis of governance, militarisation
of political leadership, mobilisation of armed groups, instability caused by violent cattle raiding, and increased
sense of marginalisation and injustices amongst an increasingly disaffected youth population with easy access to
arms. Lakes State also lies at a strategic juncture – geographically and politically- to the rest of the conflict and
has been a thoroughfare for deserting SPLA troops.
This note serves the purpose of raising awareness about the situation in Lakes State and raising its profile within
the humanitarian community and with UNMISS. It also calls for better thinking about how to deal with the grave
impacts of violence on communities that are outside the main centre of the armed conflict.
2.
Background
Lakes is primary comprised of members of the Dinka ethnic grouping, which is made up of different sections and
clans, except Wulu County that is predominated by Jur-Bel and Bongo people. A significant proportion of the
population is reliant on cattle rearing and herding as their main economic activity and highly prone to cross-state
and internal cattle raiding.
In recent months Inter- and intra- Dinka clan violence has spiraled out of control into revenge style (tit for tat)
killings, deliberate attacks against women and children (including widespread rape) has been commonplace, and
the destruction and looting of critical community livelihoods assets a means to exact maximum damage on rival
communities. The recent assassination of Chief Apareer Chut, an elder relative of the Governor, has sparked a
renewed cycle of violence against civilians with rival DInka clans (Gony and Thiyic) inciting sexual violence and
attacks on women and children. In one inter-clan conflict alone this year over 300 people were killed between
the period February to July. An open conflict between Governor Matur Chol Dhoul, the state SPLM apparatus,
and citizens has also led to a spate of arbitrary arrests of local chiefs, the violent repression of a highly mobilized
youth and reprisal communal attacks. Significant concentration of violence has taken place around the counties
of Cueibet, Rumbek North, Rumbek Centre, Rumbek East and Yirol West including in the capital Rumbek. The
violence to date has resulted in several hundreds of people killed.
Communities are heavily armed across the state. The proliferation of civilian militias in part is due to the
deliberate arming of selected cattle camp youth (Gelweng/Titweng) by influential political leaders (Governor,
commissioner and others) for the purposes of building their own protection forces and creating an overall home
guard. This is taking place in the context of pervasive inter-communal violence across the state in which
neighbouring clans and sections have mobilized and armed themselves The State Government has publicly
justified much of this mobilisation as part and parcel of “community policing” and “civilian disarmament”
initiatives that have been put in place to combat deepening cycles of retaliatory killings. The combination of
using armed youth, SPLA and national police to disarm communities, as well as the employing strategies such as
confiscation of cattle for arms, has led to severe clashes between the SPLA and youth. In October alone
hundreds of people have been killed and injured as SPLA and others have attempted to disarm vulnerable
communities. In a context of deep suspicion and conflict the State Government’s initiative is not viewed as
neutral, consultative, comprehensive or aimed at protecting civilians. The use of any armed group that is
engaged in the overall armed violence or conflict, or seen as an antagonist, has the effect of perpetuating cycles
of violence and embedding resentment and fear amongst communities.
Lakes State is no stranger to large-scale insecurity or violence and by and large has faced significant security
challenges since the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). However, violence this year is
interlinked with broader conflict dynamics in the country and being exacerbated by political
3. Understanding the Key Triggers for Conflict and Violence Against Civilians
3.1 Inter communal violence
Seasonal cattle raiding in which fights over cattle, land, access to water, dowry competition and sometimes
revenge for past grievance are not uncommon in Lakes State and has plagued the area since 2005. Likewise, raids
into and from Warrap, Unity, and parts of the Equatorias also take place over contest for key resources. Past
grievances and justice seeking behaviour amongst communities is finding new expression through more brutal
forms of violence. Each new cycle of violence is also aiding and abetting a more vicious retaliation. The lack of
state accountability for past attacks continues to feed retaliatory cycles as communities take matters into their
own hands. Disarming youth has hitherto been failed and led to more violence. In a context of insecurity,
resource scarcity and competition, and a broader conflict, disarmaments can exacerbate community
vulnerabilities.
To illustrate the point above the following section briefly describes some of the main conflicts currently taking
place in Lakes and posing a threat to people’s lives and livelihoods.
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Gony and Thiyic sections of Athoi clan of the Dinka Agar have been most recently engaged in large- scale
attacks. The violence between these groups is politically linked. Governor Dhuoll is Gony and the recent
murder of his relative (Chief Apareer Chut) by Thiyic has ignited a cycle of revenge killings that can be traced
back to 1997 and calls for the commission of rape. In September additional family members of Chief Chut
including a son and son in law were targeted by Dinka Gok clans in a brutal attack on a convoy. There are
reports that key clans such as the Thiyic and Gok may be working in unison to exact revenge against the
much larger group of Dinka Agar (of which the Gony belong to). Thiyic chiefs have also been arrested in
connection to this violence but no Gony leader or youth have been held to account. Currently, this widening
inter-clan violence is engulfing large parts of Lakes State.
Rup and Kuei clans of the Dinka Agar of Rumbek Centre and East have been fighting since January 2013 and
in one single incident of week long fighting caused the deaths of 100 people and displacement of hundreds.
In recent conflagration of violence reports of women being abducted and raped have been frequently
reported. Over 300 people were killed as a result of this clan violence from February to July, it is likely
number now exceed this as fighting has continued.
Dinka Aliab conflicts within Awerial County. In October 2013 the humanitarian community responded to the
displacement of 115 households, razing of tukuls and local market places, as fighting broke out over access
to grazing sites.
In Yirol East and West civilians were forcibly displaced as SPLA-IO and deserters moved through the area
looting cattle and grain stores.
Conflicts within host and IDP populations of Awerial have so far been contained but spreading food
insecurity, increased conflict displacement within Lakes could exacerbate these tensions and stoke
perceptions that the international community is favouring one community over another. In October clashes
between Dor and Panhyiar cattle camos in and around Dor caused serious injury and death of civilians. The
clashes, which are in proximity to Mingkaman have been attributed to personal differences between high
ranking county and state authorities.
Cross border conflicts between Dinka Agar and Nuer from Panyijar in Unity have not taken place as expected
this year. Nuer have been freely moving across the border to access functioning markets and this has
maintained productive links between these two communities and is emblematic of local protective
mechanisms and cross community cooperation. Movement for trade is critical for maintaining local stability
and arresting potential draw into the wider conflict.
3.2 State Government Responses to Insecurity Fuelling Conflict
The current Governor was appointed as a “caretaker” by President Salva Kiir in January 2013, replacing Chol Tong
Mayay (who was subsequently arrested in December 2013 accused of instigating a coup with Riek Machar and is
from a rival clan to Dhoul) following the latter’s failure to address vicious Rumbek’s conflicts between Dinka Rup
and Kuei clans raging in 2012. Governor Dhuol was tasked with bringing stability but his leadership has been
seriously questioned. On 25 August 2014, the state level national assembly overwhelmingly voted for the
Governor to be removed from office. This breakdown in trust has also played out with communities across
conflict-affected areas of Lakes.
In the face of mounting instability across the state the Governor and senior officials have called for a “civilian
disarmament” and community based policing. Though few can argue at a conceptual need for initiatives such as
these to promote security, raise the confidence of communities, and arrest widening cycles of violence, the
reality of how it is implemented can be a driver of conflict in and of itself. Community policing in Lakes State has
entailed the limited buy in of community leaders and arming of youth groups, many who have been active in
inter-clan violence for the past months. Likewise, the recent disarmament campaign is being implemented with a
mix of state level police, SPLA officials from Lakes and outside, and in large numbers groups of armed youth who
have been given titles and uniforms. This has been massively antagonizing for communities now facing a
disarmament, which is being implemented with force, entails the confiscation of cattle and therefore the
depletion of critical assets, and reports of attacks on unarmed civilians.
In recent weeks the Governor has attempted to forcibly disarm armed youth from certain clans and communities
igniting tensions between rival communities and mobilizing youth to fiercely resist the SPLA and chiefs leading
the process. This process of arming and then disarming youth groups is a common practice for the SPLA, who
flood locations with weapons and then retrieve them once they perceive the situation to have abated or that it
has spiraled out of control. Disarmament campaigns have a negative history in South Sudan, with the SPLA often
being heavy handed, violent and lacking discipline, such as in Jonglei in 2013 which saw over 100,000 people
displaced and up to 90% of some villages destroyed by the SPLA.
With the recent bout of violence the Governor has been taking measures to attempt to arrest violence which
includes appealing to chiefs for calm, and making public arrests of perpetrators of violence (this includes his own
daughter). However, these overtures have done little to calm tensions, or address the brutality with which the
revenge attacks are occurring. The introduction of community policing and civilian disarmament initiatives
instead of arresting the fighting has stoked violence further.
A bitter taste also lingers from the Governor’s January 2013 decision to order the arbitrary arrests and illegal
detention (under harsh conditions) of over 130 civilians in response to armed violence and inter-communal
fighting. Families of those arrested were also detained, mistreated and in some case reports of torture being
used by state forces against women and elderly.
The situation in Lakes also evidences another phenomena. While there is assumption of affiliation with Kiir, many
communities will also be attempting to ‘keep themselves out’ of the conflict. Many populations will be
attempting to avoid getting drawn into the conflict between SPLA and SPLA/IO but this in itself creates localised
conflict dynamics. The discussions around Greater Equatoria’s and federalism are a protective mechanism from
one conflict that can fuel another.
Perceived or actual threats from the SPLM/A in Opposition or deserting forces is likely to cause pre-emptive
displacement of populations as it recently did with the news that Peter Gadet moving south out of Unity State.
Reports of cattle looting and sexual violence has also been reported as deserting troops and the SPLA move
through different parts of the state. Lakes will likely remain a transit point for different armed groups in months
to come and if inter-communal violence continues will pose new risks of civilians caught in the middle.
4. Humanitarian and Protection Impact
Protection actors in the state are reporting an alarming increase in displacement of hundreds of women, children
and elderly across Rumbek East and Rumbek Centre, Rumbek North, Wulu, Yirol East and Yirol West, and some
parts of Cueibet and Awerial. These displaced households are exceptionally vulnerable as they have been
dislocated from local protection mechanisms, essential markets and services, and make for an easy target for
armed actors seeking resources, as many have fled with cattle and are only able to move at night.
Women and children are at high risk of sexual violence, abduction, and indiscriminate violence, and have been
forced away from important grazing and agricultural land weakening their capacity to support the more
vulnerable amongst them. In a state already experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity, loss of cattle in raids,
the current violence will devastate large numbers of people currently outside of humanitarian assistance.
The national conflict is also taking its own toll on residents of Lakes State who are playing host to thousands of
conflict displaced from Jonglei. Deserting and defecting forces have used the state as a key transit route, raiding
and stealing local food stocks on the way. There are reports, which need further exploration, of households being
forced to divest themselves of essential resources to support the war effort, including cattle and food. As the
rainy season ends and food insecurity increases the risk of violent opportunistic cattle raiding is higher this year.
It is also likely that populations not presenting acute humanitarian needs could do so before the end of the rainy
season stretching current capacities for response.
5. Key Recommendations to the Humanitarian Community and UNMISS
The Protection Cluster believes that targeted interventions, if immediately instituted, can mitigate the effects of
spiraling violence on vulnerable populations, as well as potentially prevent new conflict erupting.
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HCT should urge UNMISS to, within its current capacity in Lake State immediately engage with conflicting
communities and armed youth to mitigate tensions, and conduct patrolling to 1) increase freedom of
movement of vulnerable civilians to safe areas and services, 2) enhance the protective environment and
provide a deterrent effect for further violence and retaliations, particularly Gender Based Violence; and 3)
as part of fulfilling its Protection of Civilians (PoC) responsibilities, enabling the safe delivery of humanitarian
assistance.
In particular Mission’s patrols should be LDP, possibly considering staying in late hours or overnight, as
patterns have shown that GBV incidents and other violations occurred at night time (last one occurred at
03.00am)
The HCT should resist calls for disarmament of the population without a demonstrated commitment to
addressing root causes. While recognising the need to de-conflict the State, the history of SPLA arming
communities and then de-arming them have in past stoked further unrest and increased violence targeted
against the civilian population (e.g. Jonglei, 2013). Alternative strategies linked to UNMISS Civil Affairs,
livelihoods organizations with positive relationships with cattle camps and community protection
organizations may be more appropriate at this time. Building on a weopans free zone in Yirol West it is also
suggested that UNMISS support the extension of this to Rumbek town.
Monitor dynamics across the whole of Lakes, beyond humanitarian response in Awerial County. The cycles
of violence in Lakes more broadly could disrupt humanitarian activities and the vulnerabilities of IDPs
seeking protection and assistance.
Ensure that humanitarian services and assistance to areas outside of Awerial County are not deprioritized or
diverted. In the revised Strategic Response Plan advocate for increased resources to meet humanitarian
needs presenting around the current epicentre of armed conflict.
On the issue of disarmament, it would still be necessary as the presence of arms in the hands of civilians
causes sustained problems even for humanitarians. A number of humanitarian actors have been attacked on
various roads in Lakes and been robbed. In one case a WFP contracted truck had a few sacks of food taken
off a truck by armed persons on Cuiebet road. Perhaps the disarmament should be monitored to ensure
that it is done uniformly in addition to continued efforts in peace-building as indicated in the document.