USAID/OTI Sudan Field Report
July 2004
Program Description
Since 1983, an estimated two million Sudanese have died as a result of famine and protracted violent conflict between the Government of Sudan (GOS) and the southern-based Sudan Peo-ple’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). In addition, the country has long experienced inter and in-tra-ethnic tensions. Recently, however, several positive developments have provided new opportunities to finally resolve Africa’s longest war and move the country toward a lasting peace. In May 2004, the GOS and the SPLM signed the Naivasha Protocols for the resolution of conflict in the south and the transition areas. A comprehensive peace agreement outlining ceasefire ar-rangements and implementing modalities between the GOS and SPLM is expected to be signed by the end of this summer.
OTI’s programming in Sudan aims to link ongoing peace processes, at the local and national level, to initiatives that promote increased participation of southern Sudanese in their governing structures. OTI’s southern Sudan program objectives are to:
- Assist the emergence of an empowered and active civil society;
- Restore the conditions of peace within and among communities;
- Promote the emergence of responsive, effective and inclusive civil authorities;
- Increase access to quality, independent information.
OTI’s implementing partners are PACT and Education Development Center (EDC). PACT man-ages the Southern Sudan Transition Initiative (SSTI) which is a two-year small grants program that focuses on promoting and supporting good governance, local-level peace initiatives, the de-velopment of civil society and an informative and balanced media. EDC has established the Sudan Radio Service which is a short-wave radio station that transmits six hours of programming daily on current events, civic education, health, and culture in nine local languages.
Country Situation
The Sudanese government has come under increasing pressure from world leaders and the United Nations to resolve the crisis in Darfur. In July, the German and French Foreign Ministers were among several high-profile visitors to Khartoum to discuss the situation. Also this month, the UN Security Council passed a resolution giving Sudan 30 days to disarm the pro-government Janjaweed militia or face possible international sanctions. Sudanese government officials have criticized the resolution for being one-sided and not allowing for adequate time to deal with the militia. Plans for further talks have been unsuccessful.
Ceasefire talks are continuing between the Sudanese government and the SPLM in Kenya as a part of final negotiations before a comprehensive peace agreement is signed. The top mediator, former Kenyan General Lazaro Sumbeiywo, has indicated both sides have made progress and a final deal is expected by summer’s end.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Grant Program Activities
OTI’s July programming activities for each of its four objectives include:
- Assist in the emergence of an empowered and active civil society.
- A grant to the National Working Group for Civic Education, a collection of 11 southern Sudanese community groups, to disseminate details of the Naivasha Protocols to all regions of the south. The community groups will use radio programs, town hall meetings, posters, taped messages, and other mediums.
- Restore the conditions of peace within and among communities.
- A grant to the New Sudan Council of Churches to facilitate a follow-up meeting of the Pankar Peace Council. The Council is a sub-regional institution that was established in January 2004 as a part of the on-going peace and recovery dialogues in the Lakes and Mvolo regions of southern Sudan. These areas have seen an escalation of conflict among and between Dinka sub-clans that has resulted in major loss of life, displacement of communities, and looting of cattle and property. The meeting’s goal is to review progress thus far and plan for a rapid response unit to prevent future outbreaks of violence.
- In Upper Nile, an ongoing inter-Murle conflict has resulted in the discontinuation of vital humanitarian work. A grant was awarded to a community-based organization to promote peace and reconciliation among the groups and to develop a sustainable recovery plan for the area.
- Promote the emergence of responsive, effective and inclusive civil authorities.
- For the past decade, internally-displaced Dinka Bor from Upper Nile have been living among Equatorian ethnic groups. There have been constant conflicts between the IDPs and their host communities over cattle and property that have resulted in violence and in-stability. A grant was awarded to Bor-Mundri Communities Joint Team to enhance the community’s management of the return of the IDPs. The team will focus on joint coordination among local authorities, conflict management and formation of peace committees
- Increase access to quality, independent information.
- SRS will team up with the National Working Group on Civic Education’s project on dis-semination of the Naivasha Protocols throughout southern Sudan. The tentative arrangement is to incorporate education on the protocols into the existing programming and to create new programs that can be put on audio cassettes for distribution in all five SPLM-controlled regions. Facilitators will use these materials as guides for educating people about the six peace protocols signed since July 2002.
- A grant to the American Refugee Committee to develop a HIV/AIDS awareness campaign targeting southern Sudan. The information will be disseminated through radio programs and a newsletter.
- In July, the Sudan Radio Service celebrated its one year anniversary. In addition to up-to-the minute news, SRS’ programs included original stories on refugee repatriation, HIV/AIDS, Darfur crisis, and hunger in Terekeka. SRS ads are now being played on Ra-dio Uganda.
- OTI Sudan Deputy Country Representative and SRS’ marketing manager traveled in late July to Maridi in Western Equatoria, South Sudan to begin preparations for a marketing campaign for the radio service. A one-day workshop was held with the local community on ways to improve the Sudan Radio Service and on suggestions for publicizing activities in the region. A tentative date for a football tournament to launch the publicity campaign is scheduled for September 24 to September 26, 2004.
- SRS has begun a trial partnership with the United Nations’ Regional Information Net-work (IRIN) to air their Sudan-oriented programming. IRIN has hired a southern Sudanese producer who will make programs and offer them to SRS at no cost. IRIN’s first feature, a piece about recent southern Sudanese graduates from a Nairobi University, will air the week of August 13, 2004.
Grant Program Expenditures
The OTI PACT Southern Sudan Transition Initiative small grants program has reached a total of $2,739,800 in expenditures with 4 grants in July totaling $299,494.
Indicator of Success
In July, OTI supported the deployment of a rapid response, peace building and reconciliation mission to Akobo, in Eastern Upper Nile. Akobo had been the site of recent aggressions by GOS-supported militias. Based on the agreement signed at the OTI-supported All-Nuer Conference, Akobo traditional elders and chiefs had successfully dampened the aggressions and had requested additional reconciliation assistance. As a result of this assistance the conflict was settled and no violence occurred.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
Immediate priorities for OTI’s program in southern Sudan include working with the Africa Edu-cational Trust to develop a SRS listening group project and providing timely support to the National Working Group on Civic Education on the Naivasha Protocols dissemination project.
In early August, the OTI Program Assistant, Kunny Wanyonyi, and the OTI Technical Advisor, Ines Krauth, will travel to southern Sudan to monitor and evaluate several SSTI-funded projects.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C: Bailey Hand, Sudan Program Manager, Tel: (202) 712-0795, bhand@usaid.gov
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