Coming into existence amid a wave of optimism in 2011, South Sudan has since slid into violence and conflict. Even in the face of escalating civil war, however, the people of the country continue to fight for justice, despite a widespread culture of corruption and impunity. Drawing on extensive new research, Rachel Ibreck examines people's lived experiences as they navigate South Sudan's fledgling justice system, as well as the courageous efforts of lawyers, activists, and ordinary citizens to assert their rights and hold the government to account. In doing so, the author reveals how justice plays out in a variety of settings, from displacement camps to chiefs' courts, and in cases ranging from communal land disputes to the country's turbulent peace process. Based on a collaborative research project carried out with South Sudanese activists and legal practitioners, the book also demonstrates the value of conducting researching with, rather than simply about those affected by conflict. At heart, this is a people's story of South Sudan - what works in this troubled country is what people do for themselves.

'An outstanding feat based on in-depth research in a difficult setting ... this book uncovers the dysfunctions of law and the bravery of South Sudan’s activists struggling for justice.' Mark Fathi Massoud, University of California, Santa Cruz.

"In the late nineteenth century, much of the southern region of what is today Sudan was considered ungovernable hinterland. Britain at this time had occupied the northern region (or Egypt), and treated the natives in southern Sudan as either savages or backward peoples. Its empire had reached new heights and stretched from Southeast Asia and the Middle East to northern parts of Africa. And there were now new "civilization standards" that defined the parameters of the 'civilized state', and that gave rise to agreements (e.g., at the 1885 Berlin Conference) which allowed it to assert administrative control over its occupied territories in Africa. Colonization had also propelled Britain's superior military technology and the need to draw on this advantage to extract raw materials for its rapidly industrializing economy. Morally, Britain saw itself as the civilizer or savior (of the backward natives), which, in helping to end much of the slave trade, was also bent on modernizing key parts of the region, i.e., improving education and roads"--

In international humanitarian law (IHL), the principle of distinction delineates the difference between the civilian and the combatant, and it safeguards the former from being intentionally targeted in armed conflicts. This monograph explores the way in which the idea of distinction circulates within, and beyond, IHL. Taking a bottom-up approach, the multi-sited study follows distinction across three realms: the kinetic realm, where distinction is in motion in South Sudan; the pedagogical realm, where distinction is taught in civil-military training spaces in Europe; and the intellectual realm, where distinction is formulated and adjudicated in Geneva and the Hague. Directing attention to international humanitarian actors, the book shows that these actors seize upon signifiers of 'civilianness' in everyday practice. To safeguard their civilian status, and to deflect any qualities of 'combatantness' that might affix to them, humanitarian actors strive to distinguish themselves from other international actors in their midst. The latter include peacekeepers working for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and soldiers who deploy with NATO missions. Crucially, some of the distinctions enacted cut along civilian-civilian lines, suggesting that humanitarian actors are longing for something more than civilian status - the 'civilian plus'. This special status presents a paradox: the appeal to the 'civilian plus' undermines general civilian protection, yet as the civilian ideal becomes increasingly beleaguered, a special civilian status appears ever more desirable. However disruptive these practices may be to the principle of distinction in IHL, the monograph emphasizes that even at the most normative level there is no bright line distinction to be found.

Arrest of Church Leaders

Introduction: Law, violence and peace -- 1. Law and Activism in Conflict -- 2. Inside the Justice System: Domination and Resistance -- 3. Makeshift Courts -- 4. Legal contestations at the Margins -- 5. Citizens for Justice -- 6. Brokering Survival -- Conclusion.

"This report documents the spreading violence and serious abuses against civilians in the Greater Equatoria region in the last year. The report focuses on two areas: Kajo Keji county, in the former Central Equatoria state, and Pajok, a town in the former Eastern Equatoria state"--Publisher's description.