Local Perceptions and Meaning of Peace building in South Sudan: A Case of Terekeka State

Abstract

In South Sudan, aspirations for peace are high, at the grassroots. This study was designed to investigate the local perceptions and meanings of peace building in Terekeka state in South Sudan. The study embraced qualitative approaches, and a sample population of 60 participants from the two cases of Community Development Projects were chosen for study. In addition, 32 key informants were interviewed and 8 focus group discussions were conducted. The qualitative methods used to obtained data were: Focus Group Discussions, In-depth interviews with key informants and individual participants, participant observations and informal conversations. However, secondary data was obtained using documentary review. The key peace building understandings from the findings relate to; fostering unity across the diversity; disarmament and controlling use of guns; proper land tenure system; and cultivating unifying leaders and healing post war trauma among others. In analyzing the local meaning of the concept of peace building, the study has established that there is a difficulty in developing a precise definition and meaning of term peace building. There exists no generally acceptable meaning of the concept. From the study, the term presently means different things to different people at the grassroots in Terekeka state in South Sudan.