Development Diplomacy for Peace & Security Course

Development Diplomacy for Peace & Security Course

Individual Practical Project

WomenRole in Disseminating Social Peace

(Case Study of Sudan & South Sudan)

By

Dr. Nagwa Fadl

Key issues underlying the problem

The political problems could easily generate problematic social, economic and contractual challenges.

The war between the north and south in Sudan was one of the longest wars in Africa with direct political, economic and social impacts.

The contact areasare normally a double-edged sword, as it can be a factor of stability and peace or a cause of conflict between two neighboring countries.

Women are the first victims in all disputes, as being exposed easily to killing, rape, loose of children and/or husband.

Relevance of the topic to my organization

On the one hand, the Institute of Family and Community is the gate to the community. On the other hand, peace, was integrated in the academic courses. Therefore, this study will be useful as one of scientific references that can be applied in the field.

Methodology

The study applies a descriptive tool as one of the analytical methods that suits this study.It relies on secondary and primary sources.

Objective

To study the expected role of women, in the area between the two States,which contribute to the consolidation of the peace concept and be a gateway to the overall social peace.

Introduction

Sudan as an African country is living under the poverty line and is also influenced by secretions of armed conflict.In Sudan there arehigh levels of inequality, with many people unable to access basic social services such as education, health and clean water. This is accompanied by an ongoing fear of further instability and violence)[1] with an estimatedtwo million people were killed and four million displaced. The most recent war lasted over two decades. The perception ofidentity lies in the heart of this longest war in Africa. On the basis of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, according to the referendum and the desire of the Southern population, the secession of South Sudan took place. Certainly, the separation of the State of South had its negative impacts in the social instability of the areas that fall between the two countries; actively characterized by substantial economic and social debacle.The secession of South Sudan as an independent state had political, economic and socialimplications as well.

The proposed study addresses the various effects of separation with an emphasis on the social impact of the secession of South Sudan, It also discuss the effects of social interaction and social customs, traditions and shared values ​​and rituals. There are cross-border habitations with some tribesin addition to inter- tribal marriages leading to the formation of joint families.

Based on the secession of southern Sudan, some borders – conflict problems emerged which may affect security in the region. Contact areas are not considered just a buffer zone between the two countries, but this region has an economic, social and political importance .

The Position of the two governments from the dispute

Because of the conflict in these two countries,

-Khartoum declares charge of all disputed areas in order to control rebels’ access to South Sudan from where the support was recieved. “The government would like to have good allies in the area, for example people like the Murahalin (Arab nomads).Khartoum is particularly concernedabout the views of the nomadic communities along the border, which want guarantees that they will be allowed to graze their animals in the disputed areas.

-Another factor hinderingthe resolution of disputes is the demarcation of the borders has to do with security concerns on both sides. In Sudan, which links the security of the disputed border areas to its own survival. Some observers also say the two countries see the border areas as sources of wealth men in the area.

-One of the reasons is that Abyei region offers grazing land for cattle, which are valuedin Sudan and South Sudan for their intrinsic wealth.

-Pressure from ethnic groups along the border, security concerns, and keen interest in resources like oil and land are making it difficult for Sudan and South Sudan – the world’s newest country – to resolve their dispute over the fertile, oil-rich region of Abyei and demarcate their common border.

-Juba accepted the African Union proposals while Khartoum had rejected these proposals, saying the mediators did not recognize the right of the nomadic Misseriya Arab ethnic group to participate in a referendum on the final status of Abyei.

The importance of the contact areas

The contact area is geographical area that lies between Sudan and South Sudan where part of this region is an area of dispute between the two countries. The geographical signicificance of the contact areas can’t be overlooked with its many valleys, creeks, trees, grass, rivers and excessive rainfall .The North and South contact areas have become good environment for human habitation and the lives of domestic and wild animals. Accordingly, this area is important in various terms that could be divided into:-

a)Economical Importance

The economic importance of the contact areas is not limited only to multiplicity of natural resources and the diversity of lifestyles and the presence of commercial quantities of crude oil fields such as: Scharf, and Abugabra, Aburamta and Heglig, Fula, and Aadariel), but manifested in the presence of some minerals of economic value in these areas, such as Copper, Iron, Uranium and Chromium in the Nuba Mountains as well as gold in the Blue Nile State.

b)Social Importance

The contact area has a social importance if it was recognized that the population the Sudan about (40) million(before separation), the population of the contact areas afford a third of these people (or about 13 million people). The tribal composition of Sudan is made up of about "590" tribes. Out of these, 81 tribes (14%) live in the contact area. For example: The relationship between the Dinka[2]and the Rizeigat[3] is based on cultural, ethnic and mutual benefits. Where he gets some members of the Dinka on the trunk of the cow each (6) months isotope care of the herd per cow Rizeigat. Furthermore, wage in kind or cash for drilling wells, drinking water, traditional or collecting firewood and the land preparations and harvest of crops or perform any other services. The exchange trading between Rizeigat and Dinka for cows, dried fish, corn and agricultural crops, is also considered as a field of trading between the two tribes.

The Arab tribes, Baggara, moving in the dry season towards the south in the Bahr el Ghazal region (Arab river) for water and pasture normally leads to friction and communication between southerners and northerners. However, Abeyieshows coexistence where Northerners (Misseriya Rouge) and the Southerners (Dinka Ngok) live in peace since a long time under the wisdom of the tribal leaders (since 1745).
Despite the current tension along the borders, especially between the armies of the two countries, the communities have for long lived fairly peacefully side by side as well as giving intermarriages for years and years. It is natural that the communities would be unhappy with a borderline which will be dividing them. Accordingly, people along the border know each other better than people in Khartoum and Juba. These communities could be asked to proposea solution to the border disputes based on a way that suits their interests.

Afield study conducted found that (the opinion of the respondents became clear that 50% were emphatic not to hurt the population of contact area. It is just used to the norms and tribal blood relation and economic interests shared between population and believe in possibility of continuing the summer journey between the tribes of the contact area)[4].

Oxfam is particularly concerned about humanitarian access to Southern Kordofan, where the United Nations has estimated that over 70,000 people have fled the fighting between the Sudanese army and the SPLA and other armed groups.

Based on the above can be said that ethnic relations and common interests among the Sudan tribe (Rizeigat) and South Sudan tribe (Dinka) is considered a safety valve for the continuation of peaceful coexistence in the contact areas. or perhaps could become an anchor to reproduce crisis already calcified between Sudan and South Sudan. The contact area double-edged sword, as it can be the cause of stability and peace or to be a promising tool for the production of war between the two countries.

(Nagwa what is this paragraph talking about. I do not see any relationship with the previous one)

The role of women in contact area

Sudanese women have experience in participating in the war between the North and the South, they took up arms and entered the forest. As well as peace in Sudan has witnessed some of the contributions of women in the formal negotiations, as well as that was popular among the tribes. But these contributions were limited and confined to a small number of women.

Note that based on the order of peace ignored the critical role of women. and I think that if women actively contributed to the split of South Sudan, and Sudan had a better future in the consolidation of peace. This is because women's participation in the peace process was to come a different perspective into account the social and economic conditions and psychological family members, where they not only see in political perspective, and the balance of power between thetwo parties.

The status of woman in dispute area

Protection of women’s rights has been clearly mentioned in the International Law through the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995), UN Security Council Resolution (SCR) 1325 (2000), SCR Resolution 1820 (2008) on Women, Peace and Security, Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the SCRs 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), and 1889 (2009). Furthermore, in 2010, the UN Secretary-General appointed Margot Wallstrom as a Special Representative to the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, with the goal of intensifying efforts to end sexual violence against women and children in conflict areas[5]. The African Union (AU) has declared 2010-2020 as the “African Women Decade)[6] with the overarching theme of “gender equality and women’s empowerment”.

When war started, men joined the armed struggle while the women were left behind to be responsible for family protection, economicresponsibilities and to earn a living. This had brought forward a changing relationship between men and women. It had directly affected the domestic women's traditional role, social and economic.

The role of women in social peace

Women are an important in society and with an equal role to men, especially in conflict zones. If woman hada role during war time,then she will have a greater role in the peace process. They are the first affected during war as primary victims; killed, facing disease, starvation, rape, poverty and may lose a husband or children. This is why they are very much concerned about peace process from the social perspective, particularly in border areas where intermarriage families were normally observed. Women contribute in promoting a culture of peace through social relations, customs, tradition and reflect their contributions/ demands for a long-term interests e.g. improving the economic status of women and their political participation. Such actionsshould not hinder their struggle and their efforts at the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005)[7].The Sudanese women voice is the most well known one calling for peace since early nineties in International Conferences (Naivasha) explaining the social conditions for women as returnees, displaced taking care of their children/ families and suffering from the huge psychological effects of the war and looking for how to get out of this stage )[8].

The Intermarriage between northern and southern people had played an important role in social peace in contact area. This include; soldiers who went to South and staying for long periods married southern women and some of them brought their wives and children to the North. It also includes others who had already settled in the south and the northern traders in the south who had married and formed families in the south to protect their trade. There are articles in the final peace agreement that recognize customs, traditions and religion as sources of moral strength for the Sudanese people; personal and family matters including marriage, divorce, inheritance and succession fall under the competency of customary law. However, some customs and traditions have contributed to the marginalization of women.

Although, women in Sudan have a huge role in peace, they were simply guests at the negotiating table (the roles they play as combatants, supporters of fighting forces and peacemakers qualify them to sit at the negotiating table and to assume an active role in implementation). On the one hand, thousands of women had joined the Southern liberation struggle in response to a political situation that affected whole communities)[9]. On the other hand, Sudanese women have worked very hard to keep families and communities together during conflicts through singing peace songs, persuading their husbands, sons and brothers to stop fighting, risking dangerous peace missions across enemy territories, or marrying across enemy lines to unite or reconcile warring communities.

During the conflicts, (women were heavily relied upon to support their families and communities, frequently taking on many responsibilities traditionally undertaken by men in order to do so)[10]. This work became more formalized at the ‘grassroots’ in SPLM[11] areas through associations, cooperatives and women’s groups and at a more centralized level through the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SRRA). This organization included women, albeit in restricted ways, in their operations. Civilians and women in particular were also implicitly expected to provide the SPLM battalions with food, shelter and water. These contributions were of vital importance to the movement though they remain under-valued when compared with the more glorified contribution of military combat).[12]

Another example of women’s contributions through civil society occurred in 1994, in Chukudum women’s conference for civic groups. Over seven hundred women leaders and grassroots organization members attended an event coordinated by the SPLA. This was a significant moment for Southern Sudanese civil society which was seen as a first time for the military institution recognizing the role of civil society and making attempts to co-ordinate its own operations with those of civilian groups. It also provided a valuable opportunity for civic groups to network and coordinate amongst themselves. Since then a number of women’s organizations, and civil society groups with a significant majority of women in leadership had emerged; e.g. the Sudan Women’s Voice for Peace, the Sudanese Women’s Union, the SPLM Women’s League, the New Sudan Women’s Federation, and the Sudan Women’s Association.

Furthermore, the representatives of Sudanese women in civil society began over the last decade to participate actively in a number of international conferences working for women’s empowerment and inclusion in political decision-making and peace negotiations (personal communication with H.E Kiden 17 August 2008). These included; Beijing Conference in 1995, Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies conference of 2000 and the Sudan National Women’s Convention in Uganda in 2002.Women in Sudan in dispute areas,were engaged with rebels in disarmament camps to convince them to “lay down their arms”, speeding up the disarmament process. Moreover, there are many organizations working in this field in Sudan and South Sudan to support peace process e.g. The Institute for Inclusive Security, The Women Waging Peace Network, a network of more than 2,000 women peacemakers from conflict areas around the world, ranging from Colombia to Congo, Lebanon to Liberia, Sri Lanka to Sudan. The Network was launched in 1999 to connect these women with each other and with policy shapers)[13].The members of the Network had called over theleaders among women peacebuilders, the elected/ appointed government officials, directors of non-governmental organizations in the civil society, scholars and educators, businesspeople, representatives of multilateral organizations, and journalists. With various backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, they managed to bring a vast array of expertise to the peacemaking process.“The Women Waging Peace Network has made a big difference in the lives of women by enhancing their leadership role and potential in their societies. They have used the opportunity of this support to learn to connect, to achieve and to inspire us in all that they do.”[14]