Building capacity in the development and implementation of nonviolent campaigns in South Sudan

Abstract

Civil society’s role and influence in peacebuilding has increasingly been recognized globally. As such, substantive attention has been given towards strengthening civil society capacities, especially in countries experiencing protracted conflicts. This thesis focuses on building the capacity of civil society in the development and implementation of nonviolent campaigns to transform socio-economic and political conflicts in South Sudan. Despite, limited civic space, repression from local authorities and challenges of limited capacity, South Sudanese have demonstrated their audacity to challenge entrenched power and that they are by no means a passive people. The study establishes that the civil society, employees of public and private sectors have on several occasions implemented the techniques of nonviolence. However, South Sudanese campaigns lack strategic focus, have not been sequenced, carried out systematically and in coordinated manner to change the worsening political, economic and social conditions. Following an action research approach, qualitative data was gathered using focus group discussions, interviews, questionnaires and structured observations. This was used to develop a nonviolent action training curriculum and the subsequent training of 24 participants. The short-term outcomes of this study indicate that the action research participants not only learned together, shared information and established sustainable networks, but also used tactics of peaceful marches, petitions, press statements, sit-ins, political non-cooperation and other forms of nonviolent campaigns to advance social, political, and economic change. The study concludes in that supporting civil society with technical skills, knowledge in nonviolent campaigning and coherent peacebuilding and financial resources is critical for building safe, democratic and prosperous country. The CSOs also need to focus on building social and political conscience of society’s members to value, appreciate and consider nonviolent responses to conflicts in order to reduce the culture of violent insurrection in South Sudan.