Written by Were Kelly
Juba, South Sudan – June 6, 2025 — South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has declared a six-month state of emergencyin parts of Warrap State and Mayom County in Unity State, following a devastating wave of inter-communal violence that has left hundreds dead in recent months.
The announcement, made via state broadcaster SSBC, comes amid a dramatic surge in cattle raids, revenge attacks, and violent land disputes — symptomatic of deeper economic, environmental, and political crises in the world’s youngest nation.
“President Salva Kiir has declared a six-month state of emergency… following a surge in inter-communal violence, particularly in the Tonj area,” the statement said.
The violence has been especially brutal in Tonj County, where a UN report this week revealed that over 200 people were killed in March alone, with an additional 80 deaths reported in recent days.
The United Nations has warned the conflict could reach catastrophic levels without urgent national intervention.
At the heart of the bloodshed is an age-old contest over cattle, land, and water, exacerbated by climate-induced stressors like severe droughts and floods.
In rural South Sudan, cattle are not merely livestock — they are currency, dowry, security, and social status rolled into one.
With livelihoods so deeply tethered to livestock, competition can quickly escalate into violence, especially when state authority is weak or absent.
But climate is only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
South Sudan continues to battle political instability and ethnic fragmentation, a legacy of the 2013–2018 civil war that claimed nearly 400,000 lives.
Tensions between forces loyal to President Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar have not fully healed.
Machar’s recent arrest in March has reignited fears of a return to full-scale conflict.
In response to the escalating unrest, President Kiir has appointed a new governor for Warrap State, tasked with restoring order and tackling the lawlessness that has allowed communal vendettas and cattle rustling to flourish.
Yet, many observers argue that a military or political response alone will not suffice.
“This is not just a security issue — it’s a governance crisis,” said one humanitarian official. “Without inclusive leadership, economic development, and community dialogue, the cycle will continue.”
The United Nations echoed this sentiment. Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), called for immediate intervention by the central government and partners to prevent further disintegration of social order.
In February, a separate incident in Eastern Equatoria State highlighted the breadth of the crisis, when 41 members of a pastoralist community — including women and children — were massacred.
The flare-up comes amid already deteriorating national security. Several embassies issued joint warnings in May, citing a “clear deterioration” in the country’s stability due to mounting tension between rival factions of the government.
The peace deal signed in 2018 remains precarious. While fighting between Kiir and Machar’s camps had paused, recent political rifts, economic hardship, and lack of national cohesion have opened the door for grassroots conflicts to metastasize.
