Disseminating the CPA
"Everyone should read, understand,
and own these protocols." - Dr. John Garang de Mabior
In the 18 months since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended Sudan's two-decade civil war, few Sudanese had been able to learn about it. Many knew that it had the potential to change their lives significantly, but most were unaware of the details, and they heard conflicting reports about what they would gain, or lose, from its agreements on security, wealth sharing, and power sharing.
That began to change in April and May 2006, when more than 150,000 people in five Southern Sudanese states were able to directly access information on the agreement. USAID is funding a large initiative to disseminate the document in cooperation with the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), Pact, DAI, and other partner agencies to enable South Sudanese constituencies to participate more fully and effectively in implementing the peace.
The dissemination process was rolled out in Upper Nile, Jonglei, Warub, and Eastern and Central Equatoria. Official CPA documents in Arabic and English were distributed to all government officials in the south, then a GOSS-approved CPA summary was developed and published in English. (An Arabic version of the summary will be published in June.) At the end of March, the GOSS led a CPA orientation workshop in Juba for 300 government officials to help them gain a better understanding of the CPA and to empower them to raise community awareness. To complement the dissemination process, the Sudan Radio Service created audio versions of the summary in seven languages-Moro, Arabic, simple Arabic, Toposa, Shilluk, Dinka, and Nuer-and the Sudan Mirror published 22,000 CPA summary supplements to be included in its Easter edition.
The initiative kicked off with public rallies in state capitals; attendance ranged from 100-150 in Juba to 400-500 in Ikotos, Eastern Equatoria. Each of the more than 40 county rallies attracted around 250 people, and smaller gatherings were held at the village level. Thirty-five community gatherings were held around Juba that attracted more than 200 people each. The meetings targeted women, church groups, and community leaders, as well as youth, both inside communities and out in the cattle camps.
Audiences were hungry for information, asking scores of questions: Who will enjoy the wealth from the oil revenues, and are Southerners guaranteed to get their share? Why has it taken so long to get accurate information about the CPA? Who is responsible for tax collection? Who receives the revenue from road licenses? Is the CPA a law like the Constitution? Many also asked whether the death of Dr. John Garang was an accident.
The dissemination effort had many challenges- insecurity, disease outbreaks, rains, high fuel prices- but it was well received in all locations by government and citizens alike. One commissioner noted, "This dissemination effort was the only time in my memory and possibly in the history of Southern Sudan that an agreement was disseminated in a way that ensured the marginalized and neglected were reached in an effort at understanding their individual rights.".
Local Human Rights Monitors Document Abuses
As a result of Sudan's two-decade civil war, 720,000 displaced Sudanese live in camps and squatter settlements in Khartoum and neighboring Bahari and Omdurman where they fall victim to chronic and systematic human rights violations. Many are forced to relocate, their basic needs are unmet, their births go unregistered, and they are subject to torture and violent interactions with soldiers.
USAID is working to ensure violations are properly documented and reported and to change the culture of impunity surrounding violations of human rights. With support from USAID, the International Rescue Committee and UN Development Program worked with the Khartoum Center for Human Rights and Environmental Development to conduct a two-week training program to train 14 human rights monitors. The workshops focused on the contents of the five international human rights accords to which the Sudanese government is a signatory: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Convention on the Rights of the Child; Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Guiding Principles for IDP Human Rights; and African Charter for People and Human Rights. The 14 workshop participants now monitor and document abuses within seven camps around Khartoum.
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