Effects of Armed Conflicts on the National Security of Post Conflicts States, a Case Study of Juba County in Central Equatorial State, South Sudan

Abstract

This study was necessitated by persistent armed conflicts in South Sudan despite several peaceful resolutions that this study believe had implications on its national security in Juba County. The study assessed the nature of existing armed conflicts and their effect on security management in Juba County, established the influence of the local and regional dynamics of conflicts on security management and finally examined the effect of the emerging security threats on security national in Juba County, South Sudan. The study was guided by two theories; Conflict Transformation and National Security. The study used descriptive survey research design and purposive sampling technique to enlist 210 respondents. The method of data collection was the questionnaire. Data collected was transcribed and coded using NVIVO software. Descriptive statistics were used to present quantitative data. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The study established a dichotomy of existing armed conflicts; external and internal conflicts in Central Equatorial State, South Sudan that had serious implication on both Security Management and National security. The second objective established the influence of local and regional dynamics that affected security management that included; Interlocking political and tribal division aspects of conflict. The third objective established the effect of several emerging security threats on Security Management strategies in Juba County, which included migrant migration for domestic and international child soldiering recruitment in the context of the on-going civil war and also for soldiering elsewhere outside the country; rise of the Lords Resistant Army (LRA) and the SPLM-10 whose methods of killing and torturing innocent civilians are the same as which created a plethora of security concerns worth further interrogation. The study concludes that South Sudan is not safe, thus, East African region too. The study recommends establishing a five-year presidential term, renewable once, emphasizing fair and transparent elections embedded in the constitution. Further, the study recommends; demilitarization of governance, putting regional and international intervention to crash the interstate conflicts between the North and South Sudan, correcting error that occurred during transition and evolution of South Sudan. There should be a replacement of the socio-cultural belief that construe cattle with wealth, status and prestige with a more superior ideology and by so doing crush cattle rustling. The study recommends a study to establish the depth of this problem with a view of cutting this problem in the nib