MJAfspod

Hey, everyone. I'm Justin. I'm Matthew. And welcome, everyone, to our first episode of MJ, the exploration of current events in Africa, a podcast where we explore peace-building and conflict resolution from around the continent. Today, we're diving into the topic of societal customs and how they play a role in resolving conflicts in South Sudan. Before we start, we want to give a bit of background about the South Sudanese Civil War. To do that, we're going to ask some questions to each other and answer. So, Matt, what were the primary causes of the South Sudanese Civil War? The South Sudanese Civil War primarily stemmed from political and ethnic tensions. After gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan struggled with governance, corruption, and power-sharing. Ethnic divisions, especially between the Dinka and Nuer groups, I'm not sure if I pronounced that right, further fueled the conflict. Yeah, I think that was good, Dinka and Nuer. That's very interesting. I think you stated three things, governance, corruption, and power-sharing. I think to have a state that functions properly, you definitely need to have those three. So I think, yeah, when you peel back the layers, you can kind of understand why this conflict originated. My next question to you is, how did the conflict escalate from internal conflicts, maybe just like small uprisings from small rebel groups to a full-blown civil war in Sudan? Well, if we look back in December of 2013, there was a power struggle between President Salva and his former vice president, which led to armed conflict. It escalated into a spread of, a widespread of violence, with atrocities committed on both sides. Ethnic rivals and historic grievances contributed to the intensity of the war also. That's very interesting. Yeah, we'll get to those atrocities specifically, what they entail too, a bit later. Question three, what has been the humanitarian impact of the civil war, in terms of numbers and deaths? Well, Justin, I'd have to say it's been very severe. There's been millions of people were displaced internally and externally, creating one of the world's largest refugee crises. I mean, the conflict caused food insecurities, malnutrition, and widespread of violence against civilians, mass killings, sexual violence, and recruitment of child soldiers. It's been really, really tragic. No, no, yeah, for sure. I remember reading a story on the news a couple months ago. There was an NBA player who had made it onto the Portland Trailblazers, but he was from South Sudan, but his family fled to Australia during the civil war conflict, and then now he's in the NBA. So that was really cool, but yeah. It's a crazy story. I think the impacts of the civil war has been well documented and certainly very, very unfortunate. My next question would be, how is the international community, obviously everyone sees what's happening in South Sudan, but what is their reaction? What have they done to respond to the crisis? Well, I believe they've provided humanitarian aid, like supported peace talks and imposed sanctions on individuals responsible for perpetuating the conflict. Regional bodies like the Intergovernmental Authority on Development played a role in mediating peace agreements, but progress has been slow. Do you feel like more could be done about that, with regards to that? Well, I definitely do. I feel like the process has been too slow for what's been going on in South Sudan. I feel like there definitely needs to be, I'm not sure the exact ways, but there definitely needs to be some improvement. My final question to you is, what are some traditional mechanisms used by South Sudanese communities to resolve these internal conflicts that they're having? I think some mechanisms have been customary arbitration of meditation and ceremonies, rituals involving elders, spiritual leaders, and community gatherings. The approaches focus on the reconciliation and compensation and restoring social harmony. Yeah, I think that's definitely very important, right? Because you have all this conflict going on around you, about what are you doing internally to stay focused, stay in touch with what is going on around you. So, the way that they respond is very, very important. Alright, Justin, I'm going to turn the tables. I'm going to give you five questions. Okay. How effective have the traditional mechanisms that I just mentioned been in resolving the civil war? Traditional mechanisms have been definitely effective at the local level and kind of the small level, but resolving, you know, they help in resolving inter-ethnic disputes and fostering reconciliation, like we said previously. But their impact on the national conflict has been limited, especially because the civil war involves broader political dynamics. And incorporating these traditional methods into larger peace promises is exciting, but definitely needs some more work. That's interesting. I think we should take it a step further. What role do you think women play in traditional conflict resolution practices? That's a really good question. I think they play actually a very, very important role in traditional conflict resolution. I think they're often involved in peace ceremonies, mediation, negotiations, and community healing. And the contributions are essential in fostering reconciliation and building cohesion within society. However, they often face cultural barriers that prevent them from full participation in formal peace processes. So definitely something that's not limited to South Sudan, but should be improved on throughout the world. Okay, okay. I'm hearing you, Justin, but what are the key challenges to achieving lasting peace in South Sudan? Wow. Yeah, I think there are a lot of barriers. One could cite ongoing ethnic tensions, certainly. The political instability of some of the groups there, especially corruption, right? Following the money instead of what might be the right decisions, lack of accountability, and ultimately a society that's very divisive and separate as of now. The influence of armed groups and the legacy of violence also hindered peace building efforts, preventing them from building something that might last. And to address these challenges, I think we have to take a comprehensive approach that integrates traditional practices with also new political solutions to sort of attack the problem in two different ways. I'm going to question you on that. How do you think we can integrate traditional practices into formal peace processes? Yeah, that's a great question. I think it's just to recognize the value in reconciliation. I mean, we say it many times already, but I think it's very important. Social harmony, how do you get a community that is so divided and try to build it back together? We can do this with traditional leaders and elders and having them talk in peace negotiations and adopting community-based approaches, right? Forget the government. What do the people want? And we can work from there. And also promoting cultural ceremonies that emphasize unity and collaboration. That's very interesting. Okay, I'm going to ask you one last question, one big question. What is the outlook of South Sudan's future, given the ongoing challenges? Wow, Matthew. That's a very deep, that's a very big question. I don't know if I have the perfect answer for that. I'm not a prophet, but I would say it's very uncertain. Peace agreements and the stuff we're working towards, ceasefires, they give us hope, but there are still challenges, challenges like political instability, stuff we all talked about, corruption, ethnic tensions, but I think the South Sudanese are extremely resilient and they have a very, very, very rich culture and traditions that give them a foundation, give them something to lean towards for rebuilding. But achieving peace that will last will certainly be very difficult. It's going to require sustained effort and collaboration from everyone, the local communities, the political leaders, and the international community, like what could we do as people here to affect the people of South Sudan and understand what they're going through. Wow, Justin, that gives me hope for South Sudan. That's the goal. Alright, now we're going to dive into the topic of societal customs and how they play a role in resolving conflicts in South Sudan. To do this, we found an article that Explore published in 2020. Matt and I are just going to talk about what we found really interesting and kind of give you guys a summary of what it all entailed. This is a really fascinating topic. I really can't wait to explore it with you, Justin. The paper we're discussing today explores how indigenous mechanisms and societal customs can contribute to civil war resolutions. It's a unique perspective that contrasts with the more conventional top-down approaches. Yeah, no, exactly. So in the 10 questions before, we focused heavily on reconciliation, right? What can we do as small communities to fight this conflict and to bring hope within South Sudanese communities? And so this article focuses on indigenous peace practices among the Dinka and the Nuer, like we said, two of South Sudan's major ethnic groups, and examines how their customary institutions, you know, ceremonies and rituals, how they can be used to resolve not just inter-ethnic conflicts, but also conflicts at the national level, which is ultimately the goal. Right, right. So, Justin, let's start by explaining what these societal customs are. According to the article, societal customs are laws and practices derived from communities' economic, social, and political experiences to guide the society. These customs have both technical elements, like arbitration and meditation, and practical elements, like ceremonies and rituals. Absolutely, and these elements are carried out by key figures in the community. You know, you have the Nuer spiritual leaders and the Dinka priests, or you know, or chiefs. They also include the women and the herbalists in the process. This shows that societal customs are very, very deeply ingrained in the culture and require, you know, very well-rounded and comprehensive understanding of local customs. What's interesting is that while the current peace processes in South Sudan focus on top-down negotiation and mediation, they often exclude these societal customs. However, the research highlights that these customary practices are successful in resolving inter-ethnic conflicts at a grassroots level. That's right, that's very right. You know, I think it explores how customs can be used in the context of civil war, focusing on three very key questions. I think first, it was the approaches that these two groups, the Dinka and the Nuer, used to address disputes and what their resolutions are. Second, are these approaches operational at a state level? Can you magnify this to a level that is bigger than your community? And third, to what extent are these approaches relevant to the civil war situation that we see ourselves in today? And well, Justin, to answer these questions, the researchers collected both primary and secondary data. They conducted focus group interviews with members of the Dinka and Nuer communities discussing their cultural peace practices, war stories, experiences, and perspectives. This ethnographic approach allowed them to gather detailed insights into how these customs are applied in practice. Yeah, no, I thought this approach was very interesting, specifically because they covered a large range of participants, including children, youth, women, and men, all with varying experiences and walks of life, views on peace and conflict resolution. And so the themes that the data revealed were likes of security, unity, leisure, and productivity. These were the things that the ceremonies and the rituals promoted, which certainly helped with social harmony. And the societal practices go beyond just resolving disputes. They play a role in fostering community cohesion, promoting unity, and even addressing the underlying causes of conflict. For example, I believe the Dinka and Nuer have ceremonies like Mabuer, which involves the sacrifice of a young white bull, and Matuapu, a ritual involving bitter herbs. These rituals aim to reconcile disputants and bring communities back together. And it's interesting to note that while the conventional approaches have their limitations, the indigenous methods have shown success in reconciling inter-ethnic conflicts. The paper suggests that by embracing societal customs and including them in Civil War peace processes, it may be possible to achieve sustainable peace in South Sudan. That's a very hopeful message, Matthew. There's also the issue of the South Sudan justice system, which has a dual legal structure, which means the statutory courts follow a colonial legal system, and the customary courts use societal customs to resolve disputes. This can be really confusing for the locals, leading them to revert to their traditional practices, which are often more culturally relevant and accessible. And while the paper argues that integrating those customary institutions and ceremonies into Civil War peace processes could help address the root causes of conflict and build stronger senses of unity among South Sudanese communities, it's a call to recognize the value of these traditional practices and include them in modern conflict resolution strategies. No, yeah, no doubt, for sure. And the topic opens up a broader conversation about how societal customs and indigenous practices can be a valuable resource in conflict resolution, especially in regions like South Sudan where conventional methods have struggled to deliver lasting peace. It's a reminder that peacebuilding isn't just about government treaties and political international agreements, but it's about addressing the underlying social and cultural dynamics that drive conflict. That's what really is important here. So now I want to talk about some similar conflicts that have been occurring in Africa that relate and kind of tie into what's going on in South Sudan. Yeah, definitely. Political instability is a widespread issue in Africa, often resulting in power struggles and governance problems. Just as South Sudan's Civil War erupted from political rifts between leaders, other African countries face similar struggles. Like in the case of Somalia, where political instability has plagued the country for decades, constant power struggles among factions, coupled with the lack of strong central governments, have made governance and stability challenging. Similarly, in places like Libya, political instability has led to civil wars and the fragmentation of state authority with various groups vying for control. Yeah, ethnic conflict is another significant challenge as seen in South Sudan. The tensions between the Dinka and the Nuer groups escalated into widespread violence, and this pattern of ethnic strife is not unique to just South Sudan. Consider Ethiopia, where ethnic tensions have sparked violence and unrest, most notably in the Tigray region. The complex dynamics between different ethnic groups and the central government have led to conflicts with significant humanitarian consequences, very, very similar to what we just talked about in South Sudan. In Nigeria, for example, ethnic and religious violence has also caused instability, with groups like the Boko Haram contributing to regional insecurity. Yeah, definitely. South Sudan's civil war has resulted in significant humanitarian crises, with millions of people displaced and seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The problem is widespread across Africa, with countries struggling to manage the flow of refugees and internally displaced people. For example, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the decades of conflict have created one of the largest humanitarian crises. Ethnic conflicts and armed groups have displaced millions of people, leading to severe food insecurity and humanitarian rights violations. The Central African Republic also faces ongoing humanitarian crises due to ethnic and religious violence, with many people fleeing to neighboring countries. That's very, very profound and interesting. These examples are just a few that illustrate the shared challenges across Africa, which are often rooted in political instability, ethnic conflict, and humanitarian crises. To address these, it's very similar to the solutions that we brought up with regards to South Sudan in having strong governance, community reconciliation, and international support. While these are some significant problems, there is also hope. African countries are taking steps towards peace and stability, with regional and international organizations playing a crucial role. By learning from each other and fostering collaboration, African nations can work toward a more stable and prosperous future. Absolutely, absolutely. We hope this episode has given you some food for thought. If you're interested in learning more, be sure to check out the full paper, and feel free to reach out with your questions and comments. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Thank you for joining us on this episode. Like Matthew said, we'll be back with more insights and discussions on peacebuilding and conflict resolution in Africa. Until then, take care, and keep the conversation going.