Perceptions of Peace in Lakes State: Findings from the South Sudan Public Perceptions of Peace Survey

Since the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in 2018, the security situation has gradually improved in many parts of South Sudan. One apparent success story is Lakes State, where a controversial campaign by the state government under Governor Rin Tueny Mabor to promote ‘security without compromise’ has been effective in curbing rampant intercommunal conflict that has plagued the state for years. While the campaign is generally perceived to be popular among state residents, there are fundamental questions about its long-term sustainability and how it is perceived by those who are on the receiving end of the heavy-handed security response.

This policy brief delves into these questions based on a series of four iterations of the South Sudan Public Perceptions of Peace Survey, conducted between 2021 and 2023 by Detcro and the Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform (PeaceRep). The polls captured the views of 13,325 people from 15 counties across all 10 states and one special administrative area, encompassing diverse urban, rural and IDP camp environments. Respondents were asked about their daily experiences of safety, drawing on indicators of everyday peace developed through qualitative research during the project’s inception phase. They also shared their views on a wide range of governance and security topics, including the prospect of national elections.