ACCORD is firmly dedicated to the enhancement of peacebuilding in South Sudan. As Africa’s newest countries decide on how to move the country forward, the debates of truth versus justice have become popular elements in society. Issues such as the benefits and limitations of truth commissions, special courts, international and local traditions and standards all come to the forefront and must be dealt with.
In line with this, ACCORD hosted a South Sudan study tour, entitled, “Enhancing the process of peacebuilding in South Sudan” in Pretoria from 27-31 October 2014 with 15 participants from government and civil society in South Sudan. This week long training workshop gave participants an opportunity to unpack what reconciliation meant to them as well as explore the challenges associated with it. Sessions were arranged looking at understanding conflict and conflict analysis, introduction to conflict management, the negotiation process in South Africa, South Africa’s TRC process and how the process was initiated, developed and implemented, the role of non-state actors in peacebuilding processes, the processes of social cohesion and the necessity for coherence and coordination among actors. To solidify the content, field trips to the Apartheid Museum, Constitutional Court, Voortrekker Monument, Freedom Park and Union Buildings were arranged to allow participants to better understand the South African story.
Participants were given an opportunity to interact with one another and express their views throughout the training sessions in a safe and secure environment. Many expressed how the study tour was important to them and their country, and how it changed their perspective on the situation in South Sudan. One participant has been quoted saying “ACCORD has achieved its objective of the workshop; the workshop was able to change the mentality of how we think. When we came to the workshop we were observers of the situation in South Sudan and now we are agents for change in South Sudan. South Africa has given us (South Sudan) hope.” Based on the reviews the participants pledge to sharing the knowledge gained back home through hosting public lectures in South Sudan in effort to mobilise the community to be agents for change and own their peace process.
The South Sudan study tour was organised by the Peacebuilding Unit and funded by the government of Finland. The success of the study tour has incited the scheduling of a follow up round table discussion and public lecture in South Sudan in November. ACCORD is ready to deliver custom-made and highly effective activities for capacity building of peacebuilding actors. Through continued engagements and swift responses to the situation on the ground, ACCORD is poised to stay with and provide timely, quality support to our South Sudan partners throughout the peacebuilding process.
