Former Gelweng group known for violence that gave lakes years of unrest|Courtest

Communities in Greater Rumbek of Lakes State have reported relative peace and stability due to reduction in cattle and revenge-related violence following four years of steady grassroots peace-building initiatives, thanks to Peace Cananal.

Lakes State Peace Canal, with funding from the UK government had embarked on t peace-building activities after carrying out a research to establish the root causes of inter-communal conflicts in greater Rumbek

Mary Arun Gol, who Lakes’ Coordinator for Peace Canal said cattle theft, revenge killing and competition for resources such as grazing land and water, were the major drivers of insecurity in the state.

According to her, women and girls were the most affected due to the insecurities due to the situation.

After establishing the root causes, Arun said the UK government offered to support a peace building project, enabling the organization to conduct pre-dialogues, and annual cattle migration conferences.

The project has transformed the one-time notorious armed youth group locally named as the Gelweng into peace-building agents.

“We formed a group of 45 members, and called them “peace group” (Akut-de door), and those are grassroots level peace committees across Dinka Agar who are now the major beneficiaries, and they have trained more Gelweng youth, not only themselves.

“They didn’t keep that knowledge for themselves, but they also trained young youth who  joined the peace process. The other beneficiaries are women, particularly the most affected women like the widows.”

According to Ms. Arun, Greater Rumbek has for the last two-to-three years has experienced relative peace and stability.

She said women and girls can now move freely during day and night time without fear of being harm.

“Another achievement we have, women and girls can now walk at night which was very rare those days, cattle theft and raiding have reduced, and there’s no more revenge killing in Lakes State specially in Dinka Agar.

The project, according to Arun not only conducts dialogue but also support livelihoods by engaging survivors in farming activities

Ms Arun said the aim of the project is bring about durable peace in the communities.

“What I can tell to my South Sudanese people, they should involve women in peace building processes not only to participate but to also have a vision to participate meaningful in all peace building and decisions-making processes in order to have an everlasting peace across South Sudan,”