Enhancing Peace and Community Stability (EPACS II) in Eastern Equatoria State and Jonglei State, Southern SudanName: Enhancing Peace and Community Stability (EPACS II) in Eastern Equatoria State and Jonglei State, Southern SudanDuration: February 2009-March 2010 Donors: Foreign Affairs & International Trade Canada Multiple conflicts at the community level continue to threaten the implementation of Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended Sudan’s long civil war, across Eastern Equatoria State and Jonglei State in Southern Sudan. While these are primarily conflicts between competing ethnic groups over natural resources, many have been politicized and aggravated by government sponsorship of militia groups, the widespread influx of small arms, and lack of access to, or deliberate manipulation of, information related to the agreed provisions of the CPA. These conflicts continue to undermine local security and the sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), which is an important focus for the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in advance of the elections planned for July of 2009. Stability at the community level is further threatened by pastoralist groups (often youth) practicing cattle raiding, in addition to the expanding presence of corporate activities under government contracts. This project focuses on addressing threats to stability, security and the successful implementation of the CPA at the community level in Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei. These are two of the most volatile states in Southern Sudan, and have been characterized by conflict for the last two decades. In spite of the CPA, multiple grassroots conflicts continue and new conflict dynamics are emerging in these states, complicated further by regional issues involving Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. The conflicts can be clustered into two core types: Ethnic, non-politicized resource-based conflicts and Politicized ethnic conflicts. The overall purpose is to support grassroots communities to find enduring local solutions to conflict that contribute to the successful implementation of the CPA. In order to achieve this purpose, the project will have two more immediate objectives: 1. Promote increased security and stability through civic education, conflict resolution reconciliation initiatives and community-led peace building, as well as support to civilian arms reduction and arms control; and 2. Promote sustainable resource management and assess corporate accountability and sustainable economic development in areas at risk of conflicts related to individual, corporate and group natural-resource (mis)management. Each objective will be implemented separately involving facilitating inter and intra-tribe peace meetings, promoting awareness so support arms reduction and control as well as enhancing the community involvement, and supporting natural resource use and planning among other things. Pact has already seen successes with this program and hopes to continue its success throughout length of the grant. Judith McCallum Peace Advisor Juba jmccallum@pactsudan.org Kimberly McClain Program Officer Washington DC kmcclain@pactworld.org
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