The Role of Kuron Peace Village in Promoting Social Cohesion and Peaceful Co-existence in South Sudan
Abstract
Peace is a fundamental component of community development, personal growth, and survival of our planet. At the heart of every faith community, and culture, lies a need to advance peaceful co-existence to enhance productive, meaningful lives and sustainable societies; participation and inclusion can also start from the point of understanding a conflict, from conflict analysis. Since the independence of Sudan in 1956, South Sudan has been in war, till 2005 when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed between Sudan government and Sudan People Liberation Army and Movement (SPLAM). Subsequently, that led to the independent of South Sudan from Sudan Government in 2011. However, the war broke again in 2013 within the SPLAM. Compounding the human tragedy and narrowing the prospects for its peaceful resolution, the government’s military and security approach to the crisis has severely restricted space for civic engagement. South Sudan is one of the world’s least-free countries, where overdue national elections have yet to be held, and the incumbent leadership has presided over rampant corruption, economic collapse, and atrocities against civilians, journalists and aid workers. Humanity desires a peaceful environment and mutual coexistence, but in South Sudan, this is not the case where people still experience conflicts, which drives thousands into exile in refugee camps in Kenya, Uganda, and around the globe. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of Kuron Peace Village in promoting social cohesion and peaceful co-existence in South Sudan. The study was a literature based, in which relevant literature was interrogated to derive study themes. The study found that Bishop Taban is a living example of promoter of coexistence in South Sudan through his efforts to unite the population in the area and set an example of peaceful coexistence in war-torn South Sudan. The study also found that the Kuron peace village built a culture of mutual respect among the warring communities in Kuron and by building a culture of mutual respect it was then possible to overcome tribal divisions and build a new national identity. It was also essential to foster a culture of dialogue to avoid cycles of revenge and animosity. There had been progress towards this before the current crisis, and now perhaps there is an opportunity to start building programmes for the future once more. The study therefore concluded that the establishment of Kuron peace village, brought with it opportunities for the local communities as a few dozen people from different origins were now able to work in the health centre and primary school which were set up with the help of the Bishop. The study also concludes that the peace village was playing a big role in enabling the local communities to engage new modes of agricultural production, and were engaged in peace building, together with the local community which was not possible before the peace village was initiated.
Keywords: Kuron, Peace, Village, Social, Cohesion, Peaceful, Co-existence, South Sudan.
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