“The past is the past. We have to open a new chapter,” says Lunia Okech, Ambassador for Peace of Youth in Malakalo in South Sudan, whose generation grew up surrounded by a conflict in the world’s youngest nation.
“During the war, I lost my family members. But for me, I know it happened, and it was already gone,” she says.
Peace in southern Sudan has always been fragile, marked by cycles of violence and eroded confidence even before he separated from Sudan to become his own country in 2011. From the eruption of the 2013 Civil War to the Revitalized Peace Agreement in 2018, each step towards stability was difficult.
Today, many main obstacles are more localized to sustainable peace, with sporadic raids of cattle and gang violence among youth groups.
“If I had a job, I wouldn’t be in the gang,” says Akol*, a 22-year-old who has been part of a local gang since I was 17. “We have no job, money, no support to go to school.”
Akol’s journey began after giving up school due to lack of opportunities, the usual story for many young men in southern Sudan. “If you don’t have a backup, people will take everything from you.”
Gande in Malakal, he says, consists of different ethnic groups, but are united because of the common fights of poverty and displacement. “We’re not fighting for a tribe. We fight to survive.”
For many young people, the life of gangs is both a symptom and cause of southern Sudan’s instability. However, it is also among the young people in which there is hopes for a peaceful future, and young leaders like Okuch are tirelessly working to bridge the division, encouraging understanding in communities that are still scared by violence.
The burden of renewal and transforming the future of the earth extends beyond young people. Nyawar Monykuany, a female representative for 13 counties in the state of Gornje Nil, and others like her fall into leading roles to repair the broken community.
“Women can be ambassadors of peace,” she says, describing her work that helps to unite Malekal tribes. Severally speaks more local languages, Monykuany uses a dialogue to encourage confidence among groups that once viewed with doubt and hostility.
Economic recovery is another critical part of the puzzle. Joel John, a builder in the town of Yei, attributes vocational training programs to give him the opportunity to secure his family after years of dispute in neighboring Uganda. “I chose this work because I can use it to renovate my life,” he says. But like many others, it worries that uncertainty in rural areas could undermine progress achieved in cities.
Revitalized Mirror Agreement from 2018 marked an important turning point for the land; However, the challenges still exist in resolving the wide dynamics of violence.
Ethnic divisions, land disputes and lack of resources continue to cause conflict, especially in areas where floods and displacement exacerbate tensions. Organizations such as the International Migration Organization (IOM) played a role in facilitating local dialogues and promoting peace through wide initiatives.
Yet, as communities such as those in Malakal and Yei shows, it is generally through the incremental, decisive efforts of southern Sudan’s people to develop peace.
*Names changed to protect identity
