The devastation caused by extreme flooding ravaging South Sudan is easy to see while travelling on the treacherous road to Yirol.

Entire communities have been wiped out. Their tukuls are submerged in rapidly rising waters and few salvaged belongings are scattered across whatever high ground they can find.

Not only are these communities coping with their own crisis, but they are also trying to accommodate thousands of flood-stricken displaced people arriving from neighbouring Unity State.

This is fueling tensions over access to scarce resources as cattle keepers from Panyijjar, in Unity, move their stock across the border to Yirol, Lakes State, occupying land used by local communities to cultivate their crops.

“When the other community affected by the floods, especially from Unity, come to Lakes, they should be welcome by our community and live at peace among themselves,” says Nyanhok Malou Mario, the Lakes State Minister of Peace Building. 

Both communities are already suffering from persistent incidents of cross-border cattle raiding and revenge attacks, resulting in loss of life, destruction of property, and theft of livestock.

 “The relationship between the two states is not good. There has been rampant cattle raiding and revenge killings along our common border,” says Chol Kuotwel Manhom, the Lakes State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agencies. “In Lakes State, we have managed to bring peace among our communities. But that peace is not complete without including our neighbours. So, we are reaching out to them to bring peace across our common borders.”

Peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan navigated the heavily flooded roads and bridges to facilitate a peace dialogue between the communities in Yirol to address climate, peace and security concerns.

The Panyijjar County Commissioner demonstrated his commitment to peace by making his way south to the forum along the swollen river by boat.

“We made our way along the river for two nights and two days. The river was very swollen, and the water was moving very fast. It was dangerous, and we even had a technical problem with one of the boats which forced us to stop for some time,” said Gabriel Majok Bol Ruei. “We are so tired, but it is important for us to come together to build peace.”

The forum aims to support peaceful conflict resolution, empower county authorities to foster peace and stability, promote the role of women and youth, and help communities find their own solutions.

“Once we get the resolutions from the participants in the forum, we are going to form partnerships with UN agencies and other international Non-Governmental Organizations to see how we can provide livelihoods among the communities,” said UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer, Gibril Turay.

“We will also look at developing and finding funding for projects to ensure that there is reconciliation and accountability. There will be no sustained peace or true reconciliation without accountability and justice.”

While youth seem able to find joy in any disaster as they dance and play in the floodwaters in Yirol, their families are not so resilient as they confront conflict, a dire humanitarian and economic situation, and now the loss of everything they own due to the climate crisis.

Despite this, their commitment to peace is real as they put their personal suffering and differences aside to build sustainable peace together.