Week 4
I started this week off by jumping into research on the UN Peacekeeping Missions in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). My area of focus for my undergraduate studies was Latin America, so I, admittedly, knew very little about each country going into things. I figured it would be best to focus on an historical overview of past conflicts and atrocities and then zero in on the formation of each mission.
For a (very surface level) history lesson: South Sudan was formerly governed by Egypt and Britain from 1899 to 1956. Just before gaining independence in 1956, Sudan had its first Civil War. The war, primarily fought by the Northern Sudanese government and the Southern Anyanya separatists, lasted until 1972, resulting in the deaths of over 500,000 people. A peace agreement was passed that year, but the peace was disrupted in 1983 when Sudan's leader dissolved the Southern Region’s government. The Second Sudanese Civil War followed and lasted until 2005, resulting in 2 million deaths. A peace agreement was signed that year, and it led to a 2011 referendum, where 98.83% of the population voted for South Sudan's independence. The UN formed UNMISS in response to the peace agreement in order to assist in state and capacity-building. Despite this new independence, internal ethnic tensions persisted, leading to a 2013 civil war. This war saw atrocities against civilians, including ethnic massacres, extrajudicial killings, and mass sexual violence. There's been a decrease in the level of violence since then, but progress is limited, and ethnic strife, humanitarian crises, and political instability remain prominent.
With regards to the history of the Central African Republic: The CAR was governed by France from the late 19th century into the early 20th century. It gained its independene in 1960, and a president was installed. That presidency didn't last long, and a military coup saw the government overthrown in 1965. The military leader at the time declared himself emperor and turned the CAR into an authoritarian empire. His rule lasted approximately 14 years before he was ousted in a coup in 1979. The period between 1979 and 2003 was characterized by authoritarian rule, the punishment of resistance forces, and a series of coups. There were about half a dozen coups and exchanges of power between independence and 2003. The result of the most recent coup was a Civil War that lasted from 2004 to 2007. Fighting broke out again in 2012 when the Séléka attacked the capital and installed their own transition government. The Séléka engaged in brutal attacks against civilians that resulted in the formation of anti-balaka militias that organized counterattacks. These counterattacks often targeted Muslim civilians and led to the razing of villages, extrajudicial killings, and SGBV. Both groups engaged in crimes against civilians, and the growing concerns over sectarian violence led to the development of the UN Peacekeeping mission (MINUSCA). Violence has persisted through recent elections, and the country faces a number of humanitarian crises that exacerbate the situation.
While my focus this week was on background research and history, I was also given the opportunity to sit in on the UN Development Programme’s Annual Rule of Law and Human Rights conference. I made my way into downtown DC to listen to discussions on how to address early indicators of human rights violations and how to mitigate future violations. Representatives from Ukraine and Palestine were able to provide some insight on what was happening in their respective countries, and members from various UN programs discussed the current mechanisms utilized by the UN in atrocity prevention. I found the information from Palestine and Ukraine particularly valuable, and I'm incredibly grateful for being able to hear directly from those affected by conflict. I'm hoping to attend more events in the future, and I'll keep you all updated on them!