Southern Sudan at odds with itself

The main focus of this report is to provide information that clarifies the reasons behind increased intra-south violence in Sudan in the period after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement .Its main undertaking is to deliver information that clarifies the reasons for increased intra-south violence. By reflecting on how people living and working in Southern Sudan have experienced events since the CPA, the report looks at ways in which intra-southern structures and international approaches have created some of the current predicaments of peace, and have contributed to the dynamics of ongoing conflict. It questions established narratives about the influence of the government of Khartoum or 'tribalism' being at the heart of the region's problems. The report finds that other issues, some of which have been ignored or underemphasised, such as the lack of internal border demarcations, have a direct impact on local violence. It also identifies problems with the development/reconstruction/peace-building approach that have exacerbated tensions. In particular, current attempts to establish state institutions, notably at the local level, are actually making outbreaks of violence more likely. Above all, the report demonstrates the importance of moving away from simplistic categorisations in order to arrive at a more multi-faceted analysis, one that takes into account the complexities on the ground.