South Sudan has faced many internal security challenges since gaining independence in July 2011, but one of the deadliest and most complex has been inter-tribal violence, mainly involving the Lou Nuer,
Murle, and Dinka in Jonglei state. Conflict between neighbouring tribes escalated in 2009 and has become increasingly violent.
Tribal conflict in Jonglei is not a new phenomenon, but a series of attacks and counterattacks in 2009, primarily between the Lou Nuer and the Murle, has drawn the attention of the international community. Underlying causes include persistent lack of services, increased competition over natural resources, and the erosion of traditional leadership structures and the unspoken rules of cattle raiding. Local- and national-level politicians have manipulated the conflict for personal and political gain, while Jonglei-based militia groups have provided weapons to tribal fighters to further their own agendas. The Government of South Sudan’s (GoSS) efforts to address this complex of factors will be an important test of its ability to provide meaningful public security and to govern a diverse population.
This Issue Brief reviews the root causes and impacts of inter-tribal violence in Jonglei between the Lou Nuer and Murle since 2009, with a special focus on attacks by the Lou Nuer throughout Pibor county in December 2011 and January 2012. It assesses efforts by policymakers, church leaders, and others to address the problem. Key findings include:
- Inter-tribal conflict in Jonglei state has escalated and grown increasingly violent since 2009. Attacks are ethnically driven and aim not only to loot cattle, but also to kill and abduct women and children and destroy homes and communal facilities.
- The Lou Nuer attacks in Pibor county in December 2011 and January 2012 were the deadliest inter-tribal clashes since a 1991 Nuer attack on the state capital, Bor. The size of the attacking Lou Nuer force, numbering up to 8,000 fighters, was unprecedented.
- The emergence of rebel militias in Jonglei state in 2010, notably the groups led by George Athor and David Yau Yau, has provided a steady supply of small arms and ammunition to tribal groups. A significant number of the weapons supplied originate from Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) stocks, though the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has, both systematically and on an individual basis, supplied arms and ammunition to Jonglei communities.
- The economic and political marginalization of the Lou Nuer and Murle, the erosion of traditional leadership, increased competition over land and resources, and political exploitation have exacerbated traditional inter-tribal rivalries. The Murle are particularly marginalized, both politically and socially.
In late November and early December 2011, the GoSS and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) received early warnings of an imminent Lou Nuer attack, but they were unable to take adequate preventive measures. - The current SPLA-led civilian disarmament campaign, which has yielded more than 11,000 weapons, has helped prevent further largescale attacks but does not address the root causes of the conflict.
Soldiers conducting the campaign have committed rapes, torture, and killings—mostly against Murle communities—deepening Murle distrust of the SPLA. - David Yau Yau’s rebellion in Pibor county, which re-emerged in mid-2012, has capitalized on disaffection among Murle communities.