UNDP supports capacity-building trainings of Peace committees in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal

May 7, 2018

Group photo of participants in induction training for GGPC committee, Nyamlell (UNDP, 24 April 2018)

3rd May 2018 - UNDP South Sudan’s Peace and Community Cohesion project (PaCC) supported two capacity-building trainings of peace committees in the Northern Bahr El Ghazal Region: the Greater Gumjuer Peace Committee (GGPC) in Nyamlell, and the Joint Border Peace Committee in Aweil. Both lasted for 3 days (on respectively the 24-26 and 25-27 April) and welcomed in total 95 members, including 11 women.

Greater GomJuer Peace Committee induction training in Nyamlell

Participants at the induction training, Nyamlell (UNDP, 26 April 2018)

The training brought together committee members from Gumjuer East, Gumjuer Centre and Chelkou counties to strengthen local level and traditional mechanisms for conflict resolutions in the region and was facilitated by trainers from the National Transformational Leadership Institute of Juba University.

In the opening remarks along two other Greater Gumjuer counties commissioners, Hon. Dut Wol Commissioner of Gumjuer East stated, “We are for peace and our communities are peace lovers. Finally, we are glad that what we discussed last year (2017) is now being implemented. We urge UNDP to extend peace building training to other communities through the Greater Gumjuer Peace Committee’’.

The training covered transformational leadership, conflict analysis and mapping as well as building a culture of peace; concepts of gender, SGBV, human rights and the related instruments; Role of peace committees in mediation and dialogue as means of resolving conflicts in non-violent manner.

In his closing remarks, Hon. Nikola Kuot Mawien, Commissioner of Gomjuer West, concluded: “I thank UNDP for the support. I think the participants are now better equipped to carry out their tasks. If I have no food to eat and there is peace in my community, it makes me happy

Training of Joint Border Peace Committee in Aweil Town

Participants at induction training for JBPC, Aweil (UNDP, 27 April 2018)

With participants mainly Dinka Malual from Aweil North, Aweil East, Aweil Centre counties and Messyria from Sudan, these two border communities formed the Joint Border Peace Committee (JBPC) in 2017 to address intercommunal and cross-border conflict issues.

During this year’s training, Mrs. Mary Awit, speaking as a representative of women to the Greater Gomjuer Peace committee, acknowledged that: “I have learnt a lot from this training. We are going to share the knowledge with other community members to keep our Greater Gomjuer community peaceful. If there is a problem, it can now be resolved early”.

The training covered transformational leadership, conflict analysis and mapping as well as building a culture of peace; concepts of gender, SGBV, human rights and the related instruments; Role of peace committees in mediation and dialogue as means of resolving conflicts in non-violent manner and GBV prevention and response.

In his closing remarks, the Paramount Chief of Aroyo insisted on the role of women in these peace committees: “When nomads from Sudan migrate to South Sudan without women and children, it means conflict with the Dinka Malual, but when they come with children and women, that means peace”.

During the plenary, participants made the following recommendations:

  • Support mobility for the JBPC members, for instance through provision of bicycles, motorcycles and cars
  • Provide communication equipment such as Thuraya
  • Provide clean water sources such as hand pump to reduce conflict over access to water points

To learn more on the subject:

The Agreement reached on Security and Migration Between Cross Border Communities in Northern Bahr el Ghazal: http://www.ss.undp.org/content/south_sudan/en/home/presscenter/articles/2017/10/16/cross-border-communities-from-sudan-and-south-sudan-host-meeting-to-re-commit-to-peaceful-coexistence.html