Attachments
Protective measures
Local security arrangements in Greater Upper Nile
Since erupting in December 2013, the South Sudanese civil conflict has displaced nearly one million people and left more than 10,000 dead. Much of the fighting has been concentrated in the Greater Upper Nile region - including around the strategic state capitals of Bentiu (Unity state), Bor (Jonglei state), and Malakal (upper Nile state). RIch in oil, Greater Upper Nile is home to the Nuer supporters of the former vice president, Riek Machar, who currently leads the opposition and who hails from Unity.
The involvement of unofficial forces in the conflict appears significant. Both sides have recruited armed youths to supplement their fighting forces.2 In Jonglei, thousands of armed Lou Nuer youths took control of Bor alongside rebel forces loyal to Peter Gadet in late December. Meanwhile, President Salva Kiir authorized the recruitment and training of thousands of youths for a Juba-based auxiliary force under his command, with many of the recruits drawn from the predominantly Dinka areas of Greater Bahr el Ghazal.3 The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has also taken on new recruits from the Equatorias and Western Bahr el Ghazal to fight on the front lines in Unity and Upper Nile.4
The rapid recruitment of armed youths into the conflict reflects a demand for fighting power and a recognition of their roles as community security providers, often where offiical state security is absent. Local security arrangements (LSAs) are a long-time feature in rural South Sudan, and they have a particularly strong presence in greater Upper Nile due to the marked security gap - the inability of official state security forces to respond to the security needs of civilians. Local security concerns include persistent cattle raiding and militia group activity, as well as the effects of the long0term proliferation of weapons and ammunition.
This Issue Brief discusses the organization of LZAs in Greater Upper Nile and their impact on local security dynamics in the region, drawing on original research conducted in Mayom county in Unity, Uror county in Jonglei, and Fashoda county in Upper Nile prior to the outbreak of widespread conflict in Greater Upper Nile. The tradition of LSAs in these areas was a factor leading to the rapid mobilization of armed youths at the outset of the recent crisis.
In particular, this Issue Brief focuses on the complex ways in which LSAs reflect local security dynamics and cultural norms surrounding the role of youths in providing protection for their own communities. It describes the security environments int he case study areas, LSA structures and functions, and the impacts of the LSAs on security levels. In doing so, it considers state security policies and practices— including civilian disarmament campaigns—that influence LSA formation, as well some of the security dilemmas associated with LSAs.