South Sudan Briefing Voice from the ground

South Sudan Breakfast Briefing


Date and llme: Friday February 7, 2014 8:15-9:30am

Location: B-369 Rayburn House Office Building 45 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20515

SOUTH SUDAN BRIEFING
Voices from the ground with the Enough Project
in cooperation with Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Friday, February 7, 2014
B-369 Rayburn House Office Building, 8:15am -9.30am
#######ments will be seNed


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While the Addis Ababa negotiations on South Sudan led to a ceasefire, concerns about potential breaches, effective civilian protection, and monitoring and verification remain. Furthermore, the core issues of reconciliation and justice, an inclusive national dialogue, and army and security reform have not yet been seriously addressed. Please join us this Friday for a briefing on the latest developments from the ground, analysis on the Addis agreement and concrete policy recommendations.

Geoffrey Duke and Hans Rouw, who are visiting D.C., will update on the current situation, including the factors contributing to these recent events and present ideas to address the immediate challenges as well as long-term efforts to end the cycle of violence.

Akshaya Kumar will discuss policy recommendations for the U.S. Government. The U.S has already committed itself to helping to mediate the crisis, but much more can and should be done.

We hope you can join us on Friday. Please RSVP to dc2@crisisaction org



Geoffrey L. Duke, a native of South Sudan, is the Secretariat Team Leader of the South Sudan Action
Network on Small Arms (SSANSA). The network focuses on armed violence reduction, with a concentration on community security and control of small arms and light weapons.





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Hans Rouw is the lead for PAX's Human Security program. He has authored numerous publications on disarmament, community security and peacekeeping operations, and works on civil-military relationship initiatives in both conflict-affected states and the Netherlands to address human security comprehensively.PAX has been working in Sudan and now South Sudan for more than 20 years.

Akshaya Kumar is the Sudan and South Sudan Policy Analyst for the Enough Project at American Progress. Previously, as a law fellow with the Public International Law and Policy Group, Akshaya provided legal advice to the government of South Sudan's negotiating team and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North in their respective negotiations with the government of Sudan on postsuccession issues. Akshaya spent time working in South Sudan as a population-based research consultant and had the chance to witness the country's independence.


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South Sudan Action Network
on Small Arms


SOUTH SUDAN
Recommendations to address immediate challenges and long-term efforts to end the cycle of violence

Many may have thought that South Sudan,against all odds,could become a democratic,stable and prosperous country without dealing with the past.However,the recent escalation of violence indicates otherwise.

As has been voiced by UNDP1 among others2, one ofthe critical failures since 2005 has been the focus on technical state- and institution-building, without sufficient attention to true democratization, security reform and bottom-up nation-building. This has left the South Sudanese society fractured, with crimes unaccounted for,and wounds unhealed.

To ensure an inclusive peace process and develop a strategy to end the cycle of violence,we call upon international actors to provide long-term support for the following core components:

l. Protection of Civilians and Security Reform
A major reform of the SPLA is a necessary starting point for building trust and confidence between and among communities and security forces,a process that will be complicated by the fact that the suffering of the people of South Sudan has been enormous. Reports of atrocities committed by both the SPLA and opposition forces are numerous. Therefore,the African Union (AU), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS),and other relevant actors must begin as soon as possible to independently investigate human rights abuses. Additionally,the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GoRSS) must ensure strict accountability of the security forces to address misconduct in their interactions with communities. In order to better align Protection of Civilian (PoC) actions with civilian needs,both the GoRSS and UNMISS should redefine Poe strategies based on direct consultations with the people that require protection. This can inform which priorities can and should be addressed, what civilians can and should expect from the GoRSS and UNMISS, and how civilians can contribute to security promotion.

2. Dialoguefor truth,justice, and the long path to reconciliot on
It is clear the absolute priority on the ground - in towns,villages,and IDP camps- is crisis management and prevention of further localized conflicts. Several initiatives by local partners of PAX continue to this date, with efforts around the clock to prevent conflict within and between their

1Tran,Mark. (2014/01/22). South Sudan failed by misjudgment of international community, says UN chief. The Guardian. http:Uwww.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jan/22/south-sud...ailed-international­ community
2 Jok,Madut Jok. (2014/01/04).South Sudan and the Prospects for Peace Amidst Violent Political Wrangling.
The Sudd Institute. http://www.suddinstitute.org/publications/show/south-sudan-a...d-the-prospects-for­
peace-amidst-violent-political-wrangling/

communities,and pave the way for a solid and sustainable democracy. 3 These activities contribute to the foundation on which South Sudanese society can be rebuilt,on which the nation can grow and where reconciliation can take place.These are the seeds that need to be nourished in order to break the destructive, vicious cycle of political and military power play at the top. The legitimacy created by local actors currently involved in conflict management initiatives can be used as a platform for the longer term goals of reconciliation,truth and justice. Reconciliation should not be organized from the top and imposed on citizens, bJt rather be built from the bottom up,in close collaboration with churches. It is of the utmost importance for the UN and the international community as a whole to support these activities now.

3. An Inclusive notional [politico/} dialogue and constitutional review process
A nation-building process that addresses the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan must involve a broad range of civil society, state and local actors. The now-stalled Constitutional review process can and should provide an excellent platform to establish a more solid democratic foundation and guarantees for upholding basic rights in South Sudan. Before the fighting started,the EU Commission
had announced its support for Civil Society organizations aiming to participate in this process. We call
upon the EU and other international actors to renew their commitment to this process as soon as possible.Because it has not demonstrated sufficient commitment to Constitution-making,we urge the GoRSS to fulfill its obligations and establish a mechanism to ensure that the process is participatory,inclusive and democratic.

ABOUT US
PAX is the largest peace organization in the Netherlands. Working with local partners in 15 conflict areas,the organization seeks political solutions to crises and armed conflicts.PAX also works on global disarmament and on the protection of civilians in fragile and repressive states in order to support a secure,peaceful world.

For more than 20 years,PAX has been working in Sudan (and now South Sudan). Current programs focus on community security, crisis management,and conflict prevention as well as on political dialogue and the constitutional review process.

The South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms (SSANSA) focuses on armed violence reduction, with a concentration on community security and control of small arms and light weapons.

Recent examples of SSANSA's programmatic work include fostering dialogue between communities and providers of protection,supporting the review of the security chapter of South Sudan,s transitional constitution, and taking a pro-people approach to the removal of arms illegally held by civilians.



For more information, contact:
Alexandra Hiniker, PAX Representative to the United Nations [email protected] N L
917-618-2330 "


3 These conflict management initiatives include prevention initiatives promoting dialogue,non-violence, alternative dispute resolution processes to resolve disputes and negotiation agreements;monitoring; information sharing,collection and dissemination;enforce compliance with agreements and laws and provisions of justice.

United against Gun violence in South Sudan
سوف يتم مساء اليوم لقاء للحوار وتبادل الافكار والمعلومات من أجل السلام فى جمهورية جنوب السودان والآليات الضرورية والملحة .سوف يتحدث السيد /Geoffrey L.Duke Secretariat Team Leader القادم لتوه من جوبا العاصمة .
اللقاء فى تمام الخامسة مساء اليوم حتى الثامنة الرجاء الحضور .

Ambar /523 8st SE
washington DC

United against Gun violence in South Sudan
سوف يتم مساء اليوم لقاء للحوار وتبادل الافكار والمعلومات من أجل السلام فى جمهورية جنوب السودان والآليات الضرورية والملحة .سوف يتحدث السيد /Geoffrey L.Duke Secretariat Team Leader القادم لتوه من جوبا العاصمة .
اللقاء فى تمام الخامسة مساء اليوم حتى الثامنة الرجاء الحضور .

Ambar /523 8st SE
washington DC

3 These conflict management initiatives include prevention initiatives promoting dialogue,non-violence, alternative dispute resolution processes to resolve disputes and negotiation agreements;monitoring; information sharing,collection and dissemination;enforce compliance with agreements and laws and provisions of justice.