South Sudan's Civil War: Violence, Insurgency and Failed Peacemaking by John Young

A mere two years after achieving independence, South Sudan in 2013 descended into violent civil war, refuting US government claims that the country's succession was a major foreign policy success and would end endemic conflict. Worse was to follow when the international community declared famine in 2017. In the first book-length study of the South Sudan civil war, John Young draws on his close but critical relationship with the rebel SPLM-IO leadership to reveal the true dynamics of the conflict, and exposes how the South Sudanese state was in crisis long before the outbreak of war.

With insider knowledge of the histories and motivations of the rebellion's chief protagonists, Young argues considerable responsibility for the present state of South Sudan must be laid at the door of the US-led peace process. Linking the role of the international community with the country's opposition politics, South Sudan's Civil War is an essential guide to the causes and consequences of the violence that has engulfed one of Africa's most troubled nations.

John Young has been involved in research around peace, security, governance, federalism conflict, elections, and political parties in the Horn of Africa since 1986, but in recent years has had a particular interest in peace and security issues in Sudan. These research interests have been pursued in various capacities as an independent and UN journalist, academic researcher, Canadian government consultant, peace monitor in the north-south Sudan conflict, evaluator of various peace support programs, and, most recently, political adviser to the Carter Center for the April 2010 national elections and southern Sudan referendum.

Year: 2019

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