Intercommunal Armed Conflict and Government Intervention: case Study of Jonglei State, South Sudan

Abstract

Jonglei state is one of the ten states that constitute the Republic of South Sudan but with a number of ethnic groups. The first four ethnic groups have been in conflict with each other leading to child abduction and cattle raiding. This conflict threatens the security of .the state because possession of small arms and light weapons has become part of the way of life of the people in Jonglei state. This study therefore looked into possible solutions of the inter-communal conflict in Jonglei state. The study examined the historical roots of the conflict, the nature of the intercommunity armed conflict in Jonglei state of South Sudan and the possible solutions of the conflict. A survey was used as a key research design and the snowball method employed in gathering the data given the nature of the issue under investigation. The methods used included questionnaires, face to face interviews and witness accounts. The majority of the respondents to study were members of the public, eye witnesses and area civil administrators in Jonglei state. The study found out that culture and accumulation of wealth were the main causes of cattle raiding and child abduction in Jonglei state. In addition decline in standards of living, children having to flee their villages in fear of being abducted, shortage of money due to displacement by civil wars, poverty since cows (now taken away) were the only source of livelihood am0!lg the pastoral communities such as Dinka and the scaring away of investors thus affecting the economy of the country were the economic impacts to the state. The study recommends that the government of South Sudan should encourage its citizens to diversify in other economic activities like farming and mining apart from cattle keeping which is the only source of livelihood among the pastoral communities such as Dinka in Jonglei state. This will reduce or eliminate cattle raiding and children and women abduction in the area. The study also recommends zero grassing to reduce the incidences of cattle raiding.