Radio Miraya

On the Miraya Breakfast Show, the Support Peace Initiative Development Organisation (SPIDO) discusses what it would take for gold mining to improve lives in Eastern Equatoria. Two senior officials of the organisation question whether authorities verify safety and environmental assessments before issuing licences and ask what mining companies are delivering for nearby communities. With tensions easing in Greater Kapoeta, they warn that disputes over jobs and access to mining opportunities could flare again unless authorities act on agreements and give residents a way to raise grievances and get answers.

Guests

Five years of Youth Zone 72 have opened space for young South Sudanese to discuss health, relationships and inclusion. On the Miraya Breakfast Show, disability rights advocate and sign language interpreter Grace Anviiko joins Data Emmanuel Gordon, Executive Director of Men4Women, to reflect on that journey. They discuss challenging taboos, improving access to health information and services, and helping young people recognise misinformation. The conversation also explores youth ownership, accessible media and proposals for podcasts reaching communities beyond the studio.

Is cattle raiding culture or crime? This Crimewatch discussion explores the cultural importance of cattle while examining the killings, displacement and revenge that can accompany raids. The panel considers how raiding has changed, the legal consequences of theft and violence, and the distinction between customary disputes and criminal offences. It also examines early warning, police response, lawful livestock recovery and community leadership, asking how accountability and dialogue can protect lives, discourage collective blame and prevent violence across South Sudan.

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Deadly intercommunal violence continues to affect communities in parts of South Sudan, particularly in Warrap, Jonglei and Lakes states. Cattle-related disputes, revenge attacks, land disagreements and other longstanding grievances continue to cost lives, displace families and strain relations between communities.

Why do these cycles of violence persist despite repeated peace and reconciliation efforts? What needs to change to break the cycle of attack and retaliation? And what role can communities, civil society and religious leaders play in building lasting peace?

In this discussion, our guests examine the drivers of intercommunal violence, why peace efforts have struggled to end recurring clashes, and what practical steps can be taken to rebuild trust and promote peaceful coexistence.

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South Sudan’s population could reach 20 million by 2030, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. On Democracy in Action,  Director General Dr Augustino Ting Mayai discusses what that growth means for schools, healthcare and public planning. The conversation examines new household data, poverty measurement, planned malaria and migration surveys, and preparations for national population and agricultural censuses. It also explores funding shortages, public participation and how better statistics can guide investment, strengthen service delivery and help the country develop its agricultural economy.

How can communities take the lead in identifying and finding solutions to the issues affecting them?

In this edition of Peacemakers, Gabriel Shadar looks at the Citizens’ Talk for Peace forum held in Terekeka County on 12 and 13 October 2026.

Joining the discussion are Hiroko Hirahara, Director of the UNMISS Civil Affairs Division; Victor Fasama, Civil Affairs Officer; Robert Antipas, Chairperson of the Central Equatoria State CSO Network; and Elizabeth Nyareech, a member of the CSO Network in Central Equatoria State.

They discuss the purpose of the Citizens’ Talk for Peace initiative, the key issues raised in Terekeka, women’s participation, proposed actions and how communities can take greater ownership of addressing local challenges.