Cross-Border Challenges of Semi-Nomadic Populations in the Borderlands of Sudan and South Sudan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64166/2z4tjz40Keywords:
Sudan, South Sudan, Border, Borderlands, Grazing, Trade, TribesAbstract
The establishment of the Republic of South Sudan in July 2011 created a new reality for the diverse nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes living along Sudan – South Sudan borderlands. Transitional dynamics that occurred in one country (often in the grips of civil war) had become international cross-border dynamics. The aim of this paper is to map, investigate, and analyze the effects of border-making and climate change on tribal practices in borderland regions. We focus on grazing and trade, two prominent cross-border interactions. The methodology includes a survey of various cross-border interactions and a theoretical discussion of border perceptions. It also utilized an empirical analysis, including interviews with local agents and questionnaires distributed to the South Sudanese students. The article illustrates how new barriers and restrictions in the Sudan – South Sudan borders changed the daily practices of borderland communities. Global climate change constitutes another geographic phenomenon that affects spatial interactions. We argue that the inconsistent regulations and governance in the borderlands create a hybrid system of continuity and change.
References
Al Jazeera (2016, November 5) Unclear Sudan-South Sudan border a smuggling boon [Video article]. Retrieved from YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=DgsIPOAllzQ [accessed 21 March 2023].
African Union, Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (2010) Policy Framework for Pastoralism in Africa: Securing, Protecting and Improving the Lives, Livelihoods and Rights of Pastoralist Communities. Retrieved from – https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/30240-doc policy_framework_ for_pastoralism.pdf [accessed 13 November 2021].
Asiwaju A.I., & Adeniyi, P.O. (1989) Borderlands in Africa: A multidisciplinary and comparative focus on Nigeria and West Africa. Lagos: University of Lagos Press.
Baud, M., & van Schendel, W. (1997) Toward a comparative history of borderlands. Journal of World History, 8(2), 211-242. BBC (2012, June 27) South Sudan shuts oil output amid export row with Sudan. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-16781592 [accessed 23 March 2022].
Bronkhorst, S. (2011) Climate change and conflict: Lessons for conflict resolution from the Southern Sahel of Sudan. Retrieved from: https//:www.africaportal. org/publications/climate-change-and-conflict-lessons-for-conflict- resolution-from-the-southern-sahel-of-sudan/ [accessed 21 March 2022].
Brooks, N. (2006) Climate change, drought and pastoralism in the Sahel. Discussion Note for the World Initiative on Sustainable Pastoralism. Climate-Fragility Risk Factsheet: The Sahel (2021, March) Climate Security Expert Network. Retrieved from: https://climate-security-expert-network.org/ sites/climate-security-expert-network.org/files/documents/csen_climate_ fragility_factsheet_the_sahel.pdf [accessed 18 April 2022].
Collins, R. (2008) A History of Modern Sudan. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cormack, Z. (2016) Borders are galaxies: Interpreting contestations over local administrative boundaries in South Sudan. Africa, 86(3), 504-527.
Craze, J. (2013) Dividing lines: Grazing and conflict along the Sudan-South Sudan border. Small Arms Survey. Retrieved from – https://www.smallarmssurvey. org/resource/dividing-lines-grazing-and-conflict-along-sudan-south- sudanborder-hsba-working-paper-30 [accessed 10 February 2020].
Craze, J. (2014) Contested borders: Continuing tensions over the Sudan-South Sudan border. Small Arms Survey. Retrieved from – https://www.smallarmssurvey. org/resource/contested-borders-continuing-tensions-over-sudan-south- sudanborder-hsba-working-paper-34 [accessed 10 February 2020]. Cross-Border Challenges of Semi-Nomadic Populations in the Borderlands of Sudan Dabanga Radio (October 24, 2019) Agreement signed on contested Sudan-South Sudan border areas. https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/agreement- signed-on-contested-sudan-south-sudan-border-areas [accessed 18 March 2022].
Forcier Consulting (2015) Market Assessment – July 2015. Concordis international. Retrieved from – https://concordis.international/wp-content/ uploads/2016/04/4240-ARABIC-ENGLISH-Forcier-Market-Assessment- brochure-WEB.pdf [accessed 23 January 2021]. Idris, I. (29 October 2018) Livestock and conflict in South Sudan. K4D – Knowledge, Evidence and Learning for Development. GSDRC, University of Birmingham.
Johnson, D.H. (2010) When boundaries become borders: The impact of boundary- making in Southern Sudan’s frontier zones. Rift Valley Institute. Retrieved from – http://riftvalley.net/publication/when-boundaries-become-borders#. XZG9CkYzbIU [accessed 13 April 2021].
Koren, H., & Behar, G. (2021) Security in the shadow of climate change in the
Sahel. Economarks, September 1, 2021. Retrieved from – https://economarks. com/security-in-the-shadow-of-climate-change-in-the-sahel-dr-haim-koren- and-gideon-behar/ [accessed 23 November 2021].
Library of Congress (1928) The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan-Map. Retrieved from – https://www.loc.gov/item/2012593692/ [accessed 23 March 2022].
Maalla, O.S.A., Abakar A.M., Hamdi, Y.M., Maruod, E. and Adlan O.E. (2015) The impact of climate change on pastoralist’s livelihood in South Kordofan State, Sudan. Journal of Novel Applied Sciences, 4-11/1142-1148.
Machakos Protocol (20 July 2002) Retrieved from – https://www.diplomatie.gouv. fr/IMG/pdf/IGAD.pdf [accessed 18 October 2021].
Mayans J. (March, 2020) The Sahel in the midst of climate change. Solidarites International. Retrieved from – https://www.solidarites.org/en/live-from-the- field/the-sahel-in-the-midst-of-climate-change/ [accessed 11 march 2021].
McNeily, M. (2012) A condominium approach to Abyei. Chicago Journal of International Law, 13(1), 265-290. Mord, L. (6.3.2019) Interview held in University of Juba Center for Peace and Development Studies.
Natsios, A.S. (2012) Sudan, South Sudan & Darfur: What everyone needs to know. Oxfords: Oxford University Press.
Newman, D., & Passi, A. (1998) Fences and neighbors in the postmodern world: Boundary narratives in political geography. Progress in Human Geography, 22(2), 186-207. E. Zohar, M. Zaga
Rolandsen Ø.H. (2019) Trade, peace-building and hybrid governance in the Sudan- South Sudan borderlands. Conflict, Security & Development. 19: 1, 79-97.
Paasi, A. (1998) Boundaries as social processes: Territoriality in the world of flows. Geopolitics. 3.1: 69-88.
Radio Tamazuj (June 01, 2014) Misseriya nomads welcomed in Northern Bahr al Ghazal pastures. Retrieved from – https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/ misseriya-nomads-welcomed-in-northern-bahr-al-ghazal-pastures [accessed 3 May 2022].
SABC News (August 26, 2021) Sudan, South Sudan to re-open borders after 11 years [Video]. Retrieved from YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vvvbm6ewPWQ [accessed 3 May 2022].
Spittaels, S. & Yannick, W. (2013) Mapping Conflict Motives: The Sudan-South Sudan border. IPIS. https://ipisresearch.be/publication/mapping-conflict- motives-sudan-south-sudan-border/
Sudan Tribune (December 15, 2009) Messeriya suffers lost of over 36% livestock to drought. https://sudantribune.com/article33300/ [accessed 13 May 2022].
Sudan Tribune (July 1, 2022) Northern Bahr el Ghazal governor in Sudan for border talks. https://sudantribune.com/article261054/ Retrieved on [accessed 15 May 2022].
Tarif, K., Broek, E. and Seyuba, K. (September 23, 2021) Abyei offers lessons for the region on climate-related security risks. SIPRI. Retrieved from – https:// www.sipri.org/commentary/blog/2021/abyei-offers-lessons-region-climate- related-security-risks [accessed 13 May 2022].
The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan: A compendium prepared by officers of the Sudan government (1905) Retrieved from – https://archive.org/details/angloegyptiansud01gleiuoft [accessed 15 April 2021].
The African Development Bank Group (2016) Promoting bilateral trade between Sudan and South Sudan. Retrieved from – https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/ uploads/afdb/Documents/Knowledge/Promoting_bilateral_trade_between_ Sudan_and_South_Sudan_-_05_Feb_2017.pdf [accessed 23 January 2020].
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Government of the Republic of the Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, January 9, 2005.
Thornton, P., Nelson, G. Mayberry, D. & Herrero, M. (May 2021) Increases in extreme heat stress in domesticated livestock species during the twenty-first century. Global Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15825 Cross-Border Challenges of Semi-Nomadic Populations in the Borderlands of Sudan
UNDP (2021, February 5) Promoting sustainable peace and cohesion among Sudan- South Sudan border communities. Retrieved from – https://www.ss.undp. org/content/south_sudan/en/home/presscenter/articles/2021/migration- conference-sudan-misseriya-dinka-malual-south-sudan-peace-2021.html [accessed 18 February 2022].
UNHCR (2021) Climate risk profile: Sahel. Retrieved from – https://www. unhcr.org/publications/brochures/61a49df44/representative-concentration- pathways-climate-risk-profile-sahel-region.html [accessed 13 March 2022].
USAID (2016, August) Climate change risk in Sudan: Country Fact Sheet. Retrieved from – https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pa00mtz6.pdf [accessed 13 March 2022].
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Elad Zohar, Moran Zaga (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
