Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria state experienced waves of insecurity due to weak rule of law that saw cattle herders from Jonglei state clash with local communities leading to loss of lives, displacements of communities, and destruction of properties and livelihoods. However, UNDP and South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission (SSPRC) through the County Peace Response Mechanism (CPRM) have provided critical assistance to cover gaps in peacebuilding through the conflict early warning and early response system (CEWERS) that have been established helped to arrest conflicts before they escalate further. Using the newly inaugurated mobile application for conflict early warning, an innovation developed by South Sudanese tech developers, farmers and local community members were able to alert local authorities of risks of conflicts when cattle herders were seen moving into local farmlands in large numbers. The magnitude of farmer-pastoralist conflicts was reduced as CPRM members in the local communities addressed some of the challenges within the contexts by positioning themselves in conflict prevention and mediation even after the conflict already started.
Rt Reverend Sister Santa Auma
(seated middle, right row) leading a women dialogue forum for communities affected by the recent conflicts in the County. Photo Anthony Ochan
The women members of the Magwi CPRM led by retired reverend sister Santa Auma have particularly significant in creating linkages between farmer community members and cattle herders to prevent more conflict from happening by bringing leaders of the two groups together for dialogue.
With logistical support from UNDP, SSPRC through its Conflict Early Warning and Early Response Unit (CEWERU) have been able to arrest conflicts before they escalate. CPRMs such as the one in Magwi around the country have been submit timely conflict early warning reports using the new innovation around five (5) conflict themes including social, governance, security, economic and environmental that have allowed for timely conflict early response that have in turn led to saving of lives and property.
In Magwi County, the local disputes between herders and farmers fueled over competition for human and animal settlement as well as loss of agricultural farm to cattle grazing created a big conflict between the herders and the host communities. As the conflict spread from one community to another, the CPRM in Magwi saw a dramatic shift in leadership putting women in central roles as mediators and conflict prevention leads to diffuse tensions and restore community cohesion.
