Jonglei 2010: Another round of disarmament

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the cycle of disarmament campaigns in Jonglei state, South Sudan, specifically comparing the failed 2006 effort with the 2009-2010 campaign. The author argues that the government's reliance on disarmament as the sole response to endemic violence ignores structural failures in local governance, the lack of civilian protection by the SPLA, and a cattle-based economy that incentivizes raiding and child abduction.

• The 2006 disarmament campaign in Jonglei is characterized as a failure that resulted in significant casualties and economic disruption without improving security or development. The campaign led to the deaths of at least 400 SPLA soldiers and more than 1,000 White Army fighters, while the SPLA was noted as the 'biggest abuser of the civilians' due to looting for food.
• A primary reason for the failure of the 2006 campaign was that it stopped before the Murle tribe was disarmed. This left the Murle capable of attacking disarmed neighbors, which in turn forced those neighbors, particularly the Lou Nuer, to re-arm by late 2009.
• The 2009-2010 disarmament campaign exhibits similarities to the 2006 effort, including the leadership of Major General Peter Bol Kong and a pattern of promising peaceful disarmament while threatening force. However, the SPLA is initially allowing local authorities to lead the collection and registration of weapons.
• The Murle people face extreme geographical and political isolation, with Pibor described as being 'like a separate state'. Their isolation is exacerbated by a single road to Bor that is only open from January to April and a lack of regular air flights.
• Child abduction is identified as a phenomenon rooted in Murle culture and the cattle economy, used to replenish numbers due to infertility or as a business for youth to acquire cattle for dowries. The document notes a recent 'unprecedented' shift where the Lou Nuer have also begun abducting Murle children in revenge attacks.
• The author identifies three structural factors that undermine the endurance of disarmament: the failure of the SPLM/A to establish legitimate local governance and services, the SPLA's failure to protect disarmed civilians, and the continued dependence on a traditional cattle-based economy.
• The 'Unity Program' is a national government-funded development initiative focused on road construction and telecommunications in Jonglei, specifically targeting isolated areas like Pibor and Akobo. This represents a shift from 2006 by linking infrastructure provision to the disarmament process.

APA

Young, J. (2010). Jonglei 2010: Another round of disarmament. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/May2010Jonglei.pdf

Chicago

Young, John. Jonglei 2010: Another round of disarmament. Institute for Security Studies, 2010. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/May2010Jonglei.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Young |first1=John |title=Jonglei 2010: Another round of disarmament |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=4 May 2010 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/May2010Jonglei.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{young2010jonglei, author = {Young, John}, title = {{Jonglei 2010: Another round of disarmament}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2010}, month = may, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/May2010Jonglei.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }