The Question of ethnic cleansing in South Sudan. Deputy President of the Special Conference on Identity and

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1 Forum: Conference on Identity and Nationalism The Special Issue: The Question of ethnic cleansing in South Sudan Student Officer: Nakul Goenka Position: Nationalism Deputy President of the Special Conference on Identity and Introduction In 1994, the international community witnessed the mass murder of 800,000 people during the Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi. 23 years later the world is again witnessing such incidents in South Sudan. In November of 2015, experts from the UN visited South Sudan only to find the world s newest country in a conflict, marked by mass slaughter. They described South Sudan as a warped environment where the rape of girls and women was so prevalent that it had become normal 1. The civil war in South Sudan broke out in 2013, just 2 years after it s independence, and has already taken the lives of thousands and displaced millions. So how did South Sudan reach this state of turmoil just 2 years after its independence? South Sudan is not unaccustomed to violence and slaughter. There has been a brutal civil war in Sudan between the government in the primarily Muslim north and the opposing forces from the south, who are largely Christian or follow other religions. These religious differences are the source of the conflict. South Sudan did not gain independence from the north till In 2005, with the aid of the United States as well as the international community, a peace agreement was reached. This agreement laid out the agenda for a referendum on whether South Sudan should become an independent country. The vote was held in 2011 and passed with nearly 99 percent of voters voting in favour of the independence. The independence of South Sudan was celebrated as a triumph for peace. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. South Sudan is made up of more than 60 ethnic groups that have high tensions between them. The southern Sudanese groups agreed to pass over or downplay their internal conflicts to achieve the greater and more important goal: independence. These principal ethnic tensions, however, did not subside. Once the race for independence ended, the tensions between these ethnic groups began to 1 Research Report Page 1 of 9

2 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 rise. Competition for political power turned violent. This led to great conflict and turmoil within the newly founded country. The 2 largest ethnic groups in South Sudan are the Dinka and the Nuer. The new president Salva Kiir was a Dinka and as an expression of unity he asked a Nuer, Riek Machar, to be his vice president. But this agreement did not last and the peace was short lived. The international community had stepped away after independence and the tensions between South Sudan s many ethnic groups were overlooked and conflict was rising. Vice president Machar started criticizing president Kiir s policies and stated that he might run the next election. In December 2013, the President of South Sudan, President Kiir accused Former Vice President Riek Machar and several others of staging a coup. Machar denied these allegations and accused Kiir of employing state power for the illegal purpose of silencing dissent within the ruling party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. Tensions escalated and eventually troops loyal to Kiir clashed with troops loyal to Machar. To mobilize support for themselves, the 2 leaders exploited the ethnic divide throughout South Sudan by mobilizing militia and having their allies use hate speech to encourage violence against civilians. These political fights morphed out into an all out ethnic conflict with people loyal to each leader taking on arms and attacking each other. UN officials stated that there is already a steady process of ethnic cleansing underway in several areas of South Sudan using starvation, gang rape and the burning of villages; everywhere we went across this country we heard villagers saying they are ready to shed blood to get their land back. The South Sudan civil war has killed almost 300,000 people, displaced more than 3.5 million people, and led to the starvation of almost 6 million people 2. The annual death toll in South Sudan is nearly at the same level as the Syrian Civil war. Yet, what is happening here is getting far less attention and far less diplomatic energy to stop it. If no forces take action against the civil war in South Sudan, soon this ethnic cleansing will turn into a genocide and take the lives of millions of innocent civilians. Definition of Key Terms Ethnic Cleansing Ethnic Cleansing is the effort to remove members of an unwanted ethnic community to achieve a ethnically homogenous geographic area. The removal can be executed through several means including but not limited to displacement, mass killing, or deportation. 2 Page 2 of 9 Research Report

3 Genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of members of a group with the intent to eradicate an ethnical, national, racial or religious group. Coup A coup is the illicit seizure of a state by the military or other members of the state in order to overthrow the current administration. Ethnic group An ethnic group is a community of people that share a common cultural background and follow the same religion. A country may contain several ethnic groups following different religions and having different beliefs and cultural traditions. Hate speech Hate speech is speech that is used to target a specific person or group on the basis of attributes such as gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender. This form of speech is used to incite violence against groups and individuals. Hate speech is a common method used to execute ethnic cleansing in countries. Background Information In its fight for independence South Sudan had to go through 3 extremely demanding transitions that greatly affected the stability of the country and contributed to the conflict. The transitions The first transition was from war to peace. This was a major shift for the country s citizens who were not used to anything a conflict-ridden environment. The country faced great turmoil after independence due to internal stress as well conflicts between neighbours. The second transition was from the fight for independence to being under government authority. The liberation struggle saw many armed civilians breaking the law to achieve independence. The sudden shift from this freedom struggle to government authority over civilian action further added to the internal stress and conflict. After independence, the militia were poorly integrated into the country s army which led to an unstable and unreformed security sector. The third transition was the transition to independence. This was the most complicated transition for South Sudan as its people had never before experienced freedom from the north. This led to high expectations from locals regarding healthcare, education and infrastructure. South Research Report Page 3 of 9

4 Page 4 of 9 Research Report The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 Sudan became the biggest spender of public funds in the region 3, but these funds were not going into developing the public sector. The money went to the higher authority, who were powerful and corrupt. Misallocation of resources led to the underdevelopment of the public sector leading to poor standards of living. In South Sudan, even today, it is more likely that a teenage girl dies during childbirth than she will enter grade 8 in school. The increased turmoil and famine directly contributed to the ethnic conflict within South Sudan. What triggered the conflict The root cause dates back to 2010 when after a controversial election, George Athor, began the South Sudan Democratic Movement in rebellion against the government. A rebellion by a wing of the South Sudan Democratic Movement (the Upper Nile faction) began in 2010 after the army abused Shilluk people. Many similar rebellions took place, some with the goal of forcing the government to buy off these community militias and others to receive public office. In 2012, rumours started circulating of there being plans to organise a coup to overthrow President Kiir. This prompted a large scale reorganisation in the senior levels of government, his political party and the armed forces. He retired many generals as well as deputies with the reason that his rivals were trying to promote infighting in his government, as they had in the 1990s. Following this, he dismissed his entire cabinet and the Vice President, Riek Machar. Machar said that he would challenge Kiir in the 2015 presidential elections and that Kiir's rule was becoming more dictatorial in his ways of governance. With tensions high among the government and the opposition and discord between different people and Sudan rising as well, all that was needed was a spark to ignite a conflict. On December 15, 2013, opposition leaders Riek Machar, Pagan Amum and Rebecca Nyandeng voted to boycott the meeting of National Liberation Council at Nyakuron. This sparked clashes in the Munuki neighbourhood and Kiir also claimed that the fighting began when unidentified uniformed personnel started shooting at a meeting of the SPLM. Ever since, conflict has been rife and many cities are constantly switching hands between the two sides while casualties are continually rising, both civilian and military. Ethnic Cleansing in South Sudan South Sudan is subject to one of the greatest ethnic conflicts in the world. South Sudan has over 60 tribes amongst which Dinka and Nuer are the largest ethnic groups. After independence, internal conflicts arose and these ethnic groups were at war again. The war is between the government led by President Kiir of the Dinka tribe and former rebel leader and Vice president Machar of the Nuer tribe. The conflict between them is a result of their strong ethnic ties to their tribes. Their vision to see a ethnically homogenous country along with their hunger for power has led to the killings of hundreds and thousands 3

5 of innocent citizens in the country. Both leaders have administered violence over citizens of different race to enforce their leadership. Soldiers from both groups have burned down villages, raped women, and even starved citizens to enforce power 4. These hate crimes are fuelled by hate speech from the two leaders that encourage the use of violence against citizens. Due to no active involvement from the international community, citizens have taken matters into their own hands and have armed themselves for battle. Without any intervention, the ethnic cleansing currently taking place within the region will proliferate and eventually transform into genocide. Major Countries and Organizations Involved South Sudan In 2011, after 22 years if civil war for independence, South Sudan gained independence from the predominantly Muslim northern region of the country. After independence, South Sudan faced internal ethnic conflict majorly between Dinka and Nuer. This led to armed battle between the locals on either side of the war. They have an unstable political situation which leads to increased warfare, affecting their neighbours Somalia and Uganda as well. Uganda Uganda provides a safe haven to over 270,000 refugees fleeing violence in South Sudan. They have strong economic and cultural ties with South Sudan. After South Sudan gained independence, Uganda and South Sudan created strong trade ties and have been trade partners ever since. These economic ties play a major role in South Sudan s stability and the welfare of their citizens. Somalia Somalia shares many common problems with South Sudan including famine and political strife. The common border serves as a point of entry for many of those fighting in Sudan. Being a neighbouring country, it also acts as the point of entry of South Sudanese refugees. Potential solutions for the South Sudan crisis in the future could greatly impact Somalia and could heavily depend on Somalia s political and social status. Sudan Relations with Sudan and South Sudan have been under negotiation after independence. Sudan s President Omar al-bashir announced that dual citizenship between north and south will be allowed but retracted the offer after independence. Omar al-bashir also suggested an EU-style 4 Research Report Page 5 of 9

6 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 partnership between the 2 nations. In 2012 an agreement was reached to allow citizens of both countries to live, work and own property in both countries and travel freely between the two nations. Israel Since independence, South Sudan and Israel have recognized by each other and have established full diplomatic relations with each other. In 2011, South Sudan announced that they will be establishing full diplomatic ties with Israel. This is of great benefit to Israel as Sudan does not have diplomatic ties with Israel. Israel also hosts thousands of South Sudan refugees and have established economic ties with South Sudan. Lord s Resistance Army The Lord s Resistance Army (LRA) is a rebel group and heterodox Christian Cult which operates in Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their stated goals include the launch of multi-party democracy and the ruling of Uganda by the Ten Commandments. They state that they are not motivated by any political agenda. The USA listed the LRA as a terrorist group, but removed them from the list later. LRA are accused of using extreme measures leading to widespread humans rights violation including murder, child-sex slavery, abduction, etc. Sudan People's Liberation Army The South People Liberation Army (SPLA) are the military forces of South Sudan. They were founded as a guerrilla movement and were a key participant in the Sudanese Civil War. In 2004, the Coalition to Stop Child Soldiers estimated that there were 2500 to 5000 children serving in the SPLA. During the crisis in 2013, fighting between different factions of the armed forced broke out in Juba. Timeline of Events Date January 2011 Description of event South Sudan under joint British-Egyptian rule in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan South Sudan gains independence Civil war begins with north Government concedes and peace agreement is signed for a measure of autonomy in South Sudan Conflict breaks out again between north and south under John Garang s SPLM Democratic Unionist Party drafts cease-fire agreement with the SPLM Military seizes power in Sudan Peace Agreement between SPLA and Government of Sudan Referendum on whether Sudan should be spilt or not Page 6 of 9 Research Report

7 Early 2013 Machar criticizes Kiir s presidency July 2013 Kiir fires Machar and all 28 cabinet ministers December 2013 Machar s troops clash with Kiir s troops August 2013 Peace agreement between warring ethnic groups and Machar returns to Juba 9 May 2014 Agreement to resolve the crisis in South Sudan signed by IGAD in Addis Ababa October 2015 Kiir issues order to redraw country s boundary forces clash again in Juba May 2017 UNSC meets in New York to discuss situation in South Sudan Relevant UN Treaties and Events Convention on the Rights of a Child, 20 November 1989 United Nation Convention against Corruption, 14 December 2005 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, 26 December 1996 Convention concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour, 17 January 1959 Previous Attempts to solve the Issue In December of 2016, the UN Commission on Human Rights visited South Sudan to assess the situation and evaluate the possibility of any form of intervention to resolve the problem. Yasmin Sooka, the head of the UN commission, stated that the stage is being set for a repeat of what happened in Rwanda and the international community is under an obligation to prevent it. Even after this statement, very little has been done to prevent the issue in South Sudan and very few countries have shown any involvement to resolve the issue. The United States is currently pushing for a UN arms embargo in South Sudan to reduce the flow of weapons in the area. However, the US is struggling to secure the minimum number of votes required for the UNSC to impose the arms embargo. The Security Council has authorized a strong regional protection force in South Sudan made up of 4000 troops. This was authorized after a UN peacekeeping operation made up of troops failed to protect the region s civilians from an attack in Juba in July of The UN mission in South Sudan is attempting to reduce death tolls to establish the scale of violence in the country. 5 There have been efforts to resolve the issue at local levels as well. For example, a group of women in a small town in 5 Research Report Page 7 of 9

8 The Hague International Model United Nations 2017 Meri, Israel have worked together to provide high protein supplements to the refugee children from South Sudan. With more than 100 reported refugees a day, it is very difficult to provide for them due to the limited resources. Organizations like Red Cross have made statements about their insufficient resources and their lack in ability to provide for the ever-growing number of refugees. Possible Solutions The South Sudan civil war is now in full swing and is taking the lives of thousands of innocent citizens every day. It is important to understand the reason this conflict is arising before one can think of ways to solve the problem. The key issue is the ethnic conflict within the several ethnic groups in South Sudan. This ethnic conflict is fuelled by the Sudanese People s Liberation Movement (SPLM). The SPLM is unconstitutional and and out of date as they were formed decades before the crisis began in a dissimilar political environment. This makes it one of the key sources of all the problems faced by South Sudan. The SPLM provides the legal legitimacy for leaders to execute violence and corruption as it does not have any safeguards in place to prevent the exploitation of the law by political leaders. This has led to great political instability in the country. One s rank in the SPLM determines their influence and power over the nation. Vice President Machar wants to be president of South Sudan, and the only way he can do so is to become chairman of the SPLM. Machar is ready to go to extremes to get the position of chairperson as it guarantees him a ticket to run for presidency as the party s candidate. Till the president Mr. Kiir vacates his seat as chairman of the SPLM, the war between Machar and Kiir will continue to kill the lives of innocent citizens and leave South Sudan in turmoil. Therefore, dissolving the SPLM could be off great benefit to the country as it will reduce conflict between power-hungry leaders in the nation. Another possible solution could be to provide assistance in developing the infrastructure in South Sudan to create an atmosphere where democracy can flourish. By developing infrastructure in the area, the standards of living can also be increased and can help the nation get one step closer to social stability. Countries can provide aid as well as work hand in hand with local organizations to set up training camps and facilities to increase literacy and occupational mobility of the locals to provide them a way out of engaging in violence and help the economy flourish. Aid workers have stated the increased difficulty in providing aid due to the inaccessible areas and deadly security conditions. Organizations can work to focus on developing infrastructure and making sure the efficient use of aid and resources in the nation. A major source of the conflict in South Sudan are the ulterior motives of political leaders whom make decisions that serve their personal agendas and not that of the nation s citizens. The international community should pressure the government to bring in a new batch of fresh politicians without moneygrubbing motives into the negotiating process. This will allow for decisions to be made in the best interests of the people of the country. This solution also presents limitations as there are various Page 8 of 9 Research Report

9 potential problems with re-electing an entirely new administration, especially for a country that has only recently gained independence. South Sudan is very unstable due to internal conflicts and has become very vulnerable to exploitation by foreign nations. It is important for genuine players in the international community to support the people in South Sudan. Specifically, Sudan can be a very helpful partner in South Sudan s journey to stability. By resolving issues with the South Sudanese government and putting together an agreement where both nations can benefit from the partnership, South Sudan will greatly benefit and will come one step closer to stability. Bibliography Williams, Jennifer. South Sudan Crisis Explained. VOX, 08 Dec Web. 21 June 2017 < Ross, Aaron. South Sudanese flee as country edges closer to 'genocide'. Reuters, 01 Dec Web. 21 June 2017 < UN human rights experts says international community has an obligation to prevent ethnic cleansing in South Sudan. UNMISS, 30 Nov Web. 21 June < O Hanlon, Michael. SOUTH SUDAN: THE UNTOLD STORY FROM INDEPENDENCE TO CIVIL WAR The Brookings Institution. 04, Oct E-book. 22 June 2017 < Lynch, Justin. South Sudan experiencing ethnic cleansing, U.N. report says The Seattle Times, 07 Mar Web. 21 June <ww.seattletimes.com/nation-world/south-sudan-experiencing-ethniccleansing-un-report-says/ > Kelly, Debra. The Difference Between Ethnic Cleansing And Genocide Knowledge Nuts, 02 Aug Web. June < Gogineni, Roopa. Ethnic Cleansing in South Sudan, Video. 21 June < Research Report Page 9 of 9