The Lou Nuer of Greater Akobo, Jonglei State and the Jikany Nuer of Greater Nasir, Upper Nile State, have been in conflict since the 1990s, when droughts and cattle population increases caused communities to move into neighbouring lands. Much of the tension revolves around cattle, with raids into grazing lands sometimes escalating to property damage and violence. But fish are another source of conflict: Lou Nuer fisherman have experienced extortion, bullying, imprisonment and even torture from their neighbours in Nasir County.

Gai’s story

In February 2021 Gai Gatwech Thoan and four other Lou Nuer fishermen were transporting thousands of dried fish to Akobo town. As they passed through Lire boma in Nasir County, police stopped and detained them, backed by young men from the community. Gai and his companions were later released, but not before they had been forced to give up over 3,000 fish to police officers and other villagers. This was repeated in April 2023, when eleven Lou Nuer fishermen were detained, beaten and robbed of their cargo.

The result of this is that Gai, and many others in his position, stopped fishing on the river Gile – severely impacting his ability to provide food for his family.

Jikany and Lou Nuer dialogue

In January 2024, Gender Engagement Call, in partnership with Saferworld, held a dialogue in Akobo town, bringing together people from the two communities: traditional leaders, local authority representatives, members of the security services and other community members. Elders proved to be particularly important: sharing their memories of more peaceful times, they reminded everyone present of the two tribes’ shared history and called on them to stop the violence. With the elders’ words having made an impact, participants resolved to end the unfair ‘taxes’ (in reality, extortion and opportunistic confiscation of goods) levied on fishermen, close the checkpoints along the river used to impose these ‘taxes’, and vowed to make the route to Akobo town safe for anyone transporting fish.

Because the Jikany and Lou Nuer had historically enjoyed good relations into the 1990s, including many intermarriages, the two sister tribes had always had informal mechanisms for resolving disputes; but with tensions so high, these had fallen into neglect. The Akobo dialogue is only the first step in reminding people from the two communities to resolve differences through peaceful means, not violence, demonstrating the enormous impact that dialogues like these can have in helping resolve long-standing conflicts.

Return to the Gile

Three months after the dialogue in Akobo, a friend of Gai told him he should start fishing in the Gile again. Gai was sceptical: he remembered his unfair detention and worried for his life and property. But this friend told him about the dialogue, and how normal fishing activities and movement between the two counties have resumed. The peace dialogue helped rebuild broken relationships among communities and law enforcement agencies in the two counties. Forced confiscation of goods, the targeting, harassment and detention of people engaged in fishing – all these are in the past.

And what about Gai? He now fishes along the Gile, confident of his safety. “Coming with packages of dry fish this month was easy and safe, unlike in the years back where forceful collection of taxes and extortion by soldiers at various checkpoints on the riverbank hampered movement and business of Lou Nuer fishermen,” he told us. “I am happy the two communities now live peacefully and hope for more years of this peaceful neighbourliness to continue.”

Gai unloading fish in Akobo

This project is funded by the United Nations Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund, implemented by Saferworld and nine women-led civil society organisations in South Sudan.

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