United Nations Mission and Peace Process in Malakal, Central Upper Nile State — South Sudan

Abstract The purpose of the study was to examine the role of UNMISEm supporting peace processes in Malakal south sudan. The study was guided by mainly three specific objectives which included; to examine the contribution of UNMISS towards conflict resultion, to assess the effectiveness of UNMISS in ensuring peace and stability and to investigate the challenges faced by UNMISS in resolving conflicts in South Sudan. The study adopted anexploratory descriptive research design based on the quantitative and qualitative approach. Data was collected using a quantitative method of the questionnaire survey and the qualitative technique of oral interviews. Computer programmes like the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) and Microsoft excel were sought to develop tables and figures respectively, using frequency and percentage statistics. The findings of the study revealed that UNMISS has to a greater extent helped to protect civilians especially in the POC areas, enforced peace keeping missions for dialogue between waring partis and provision of humanterian assistance plus monitoring and reporting human rights violations. However, the study showed that supporting political decisions for social economic development is still a challenge given the prevailing conflicts resulting from difinance to the compromised peace agreement. It was also revealed that UNMISS still face challenges such as blocking humanitarian assistance from reaching the beneficiaries, lack of enough human resources in terms of military manpower, narrow mandate to conduct some peace operations and ethnic strife among civilians within POCs. It was recommended that there is need to strengthen political decisions on human rights violation as well as enhancing capacity to advocate for ceasefire among the waring parties, widening UNMISS mandate on protection of civilians as well as strengthening tangible actions on those arrested for violations of humans rights plus avoiding mistrust and biasness by regional bodies and the international community.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION H

APPROVAL Ii

DEDICATION iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v

List of Tables & Figures ix

List of Accronyms and abbreviations xi

ABSTRACT xH

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

1. 1.1 Historical perspective 1

1.1.2 Theoretical perspective 4

1.1.3 Conceptual perspective 5

1.1.4 Contextual perspective 6

1.2 Problem statement 8

1.3 Purpose of the study 8

1.4 Objectives of the study 8

1.5 Research questions 9

1.6 Scope of the study 9

1.6.1 Geographical scope 9

1.7 Significance of the study 10

1.8 Operationalization of Key terms 11

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 12

2.0 Introduction 12

2.1 Theoretical Review 12

2.2 Conceptual framework 15

2.3 The role of UNMISS in supporting peace processes 15

2.4 Effectiveness of UNMIS in ensuring peace processes 18

2.5 Challenges faced by UNMISS in protection of Civilians in South Sudan ... 24

2.7 Research gap 26

vi

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 30

3.0 Introduction 30

3.1 Research Design 30

3.2 Research Population 30

3.3 Sample Size 31

3.4 Sample technique 32

3.6 Methods for data collection 33

3.7 Source of data collection 34

3.8 Validity and Reliability of the Instruments 34

3.9 Data Gathering Procedures 36

3.10 Data Analysis 37

3.11 Ethical Considerations 38

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 39

4.0 Introduction 39

4.1 Background information 39

4.2 Contribution of UNMISS 41

4.2.1 Protection of civilians 42

4.2.2 Humanitarian Assistance 45

4.2.3 Support of political decisions 47

4.3 Effectiveness of UNMISS in ensuring peace and stability in South Sudan.

50

4.3.1 Supporting of negotiations 51

4.3.2 UNMISS role in Reconciliation 53

4.3.3 UNMISS role in mediation 54

4.4 Challenges faced by UNMISS 57

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0 Introduction

5.1 Discussion of Findings 59

5.1.1 Contribution of UNMISS 59

5.1.2 Effectiveness of UNMISS in ensuring peace and stability in South Sudan.

61

VI

5.1.3 Challenges faced by UNMISS in Malakal, South Sudan 62

5.2 Conclusions 63

5.3 Recommendations 64

5.4 Future Research 66

REFERENCES 67

APPENDIX I: TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR THE RESPONDENTS 71

APPENDIX II: CLEARANCE FROM ETHICS COMM~~~EE 72

APPENDIX III: INFORMED CONSENT 73

APPENDIX IV: SECTION A: FACE SHEET: PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS. 74

APPENDIX V: RESEARCH INSTRUMENT 75

APPENDIX VI: INTERVIEW GUIDE 78

APPENDIX VII: THE SAMPLE SIZE SCALE TABLE 83