SULAFA BABO

SULAFA BABO

When I am asked what my vision for Abyei is, I always affirm that peace must prevail in Abyei and the rest of Sudan. Hailing from the Misseriya community in Abyei has seen me witnessing a multitude of violations and injustices against the people of Abyei. The political turmoil has lasted long enough that now, all that the people of Abyei want is peace.

I started my social activism more than 15 years ago, working directly with women to address issues of empowerment while countering the narrative on war and conflict. Abyei is supposed to be the bridge between Sudan and South Sudan, however, the roots of the conflict dates back more than three decades. Despite the involvement of the regional and international community, our community continues to be ravaged by unrest.

Due to the unfortunate fact that women from our community have borne the brunt of war for many years, we started to organize ourselves into groups that could influence and promote a culture of peace and reconciliation. Previously, the role of women in the conflict also circled around motivating the men at the frontlines. The Hakamat women traditionally chant songs that instigate tribal war leaders to fight. However, when we started promoting a narrative and culture of peace, we now had the opportunity to teach these women ways to propagate peace messages through peace songs and drama. In the chants, the Hakamat call for virtues of peaceful co-existence. Their role as agents of peace continues to be acknowledged in all subsequent calls for peace.

I came to terms with my reality when I acknowledged that the community that I live in is one of fighters and warriors. That said, the Abyei Women’s Union has made it our sole purpose to let the language of peace be the common language of our community. We are actively trying to cultivate the spirit of harmony within the families and the neighboring communities. The women in Abyei have a strong spirit of collaboration and readiness to keep pushing forward toward mainstreaming peace and security. One strategy that has worked well in our context is organizing open space rallies to garner the attention of the community to build a movement that can consistently advocate for peace and an end to violence against women, girls, and other vulnerable groups of the community. One such rally was the “No for War. Yes for Peace” campaign which ultimately raised an alarm for community leaders, civil society and the regional and international community. Our demand was clear – considering all the attempts that have been made to restore peace in the area.

According to the Abyei Protocol, a 2004 agreement between the GoS [Government of Sudan] and the SPLM/A [Sudan People‘s Liberation Movement/Army] to resolve the Abyei conflict, a referendum on the future of Abyei – to decide whether it should be part of Sudan or secede – was to be held at the same time as the South Sudan referendum on the 9th of January 2011. However, the referendum has not yet been held as disputes persist between the parties concerning voters’ eligibility. Sudan insists that large numbers of Misseriya nomads, who spend several months a year grazing cattle in Abyei, are eligible to vote, whereas South Sudan backs the Dinka Ngok’s demand that only the historical inhabitants of the region (mostly Dinka Ngok) be allowed to vote. Though both parties accepted a 2009 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the boundaries of Abyei, the two countries have so far failed to reach agreement on the final border demarcation in the Abyei area.

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Furthermore, earlier when the women’s movement in Abyei was concerting our efforts, we realized that the women were ahead of the men in understanding the need to popularize the language of peace. The men were being left behind in initiatives. Worse still due to the cultural norms and attitudes that limit the involvement of women in public spheres, we had to push against a wall of resistance. Years later, we continue to do this against a political and volatile context. On the positive side, after tirelessly advocating to the men, we have been able to secure their acceptance and support of our activities as women peace champions.

Personally, being involved in the peace and reconciliation activities between the Misseriya and the Ngok-Dinka has enabled me to see a future of peace – contrary to the pessimism that surrounds the situation in Abyei. In April 2021, several of us from the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka participated in the Aweil Community Peace Initiative supported by the United Nations. I salute the United Nations for tirelessly maintaining and developing peace by supporting peace processes at all levels. In this space, I made it my mission to amplify the voice of women. The women of Abyei must be meaningfully engaged in all the peace processes and structures, if we are going to achieve sustainable peace in my community. In this space, and all other spaces, I assert that the women of Abyei must be able to regain their full rights from men and live in harmony with our other brothers and sisters. The laws and policies must be amended to recognize the rights of women.

I have hope that my vision will come to pass if local women activists are supported in all their localized peace initiatives on promoting the women, peace and security agenda. We need to be supported with tools and skills that will enable us to keep delivering the message of peace to all – leaving no one behind.

UNAMID, in collaboration with the North Darfur Committee on Women, organised an open day session on UN Security Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security

©UNAMID/Albert Gonzalez Farran