SUMMARY

The Pari or Pori are a Westen Nilotic people living in the savannah surrounding the Lipul hill in the Lapon (Lafon) area of Eastern Equatoria State of South Sudan. The number of Pari is relatively small with almost the entire population being concentrated in six villages, all closely located to one-another. The Pari are mainly settled or semi-settled agriculturalists, and are organized on traditional lines, with a rain chief exercising authority over all six villages. Each of the six villages themselves are further structured on three age-based groups, with the adults possessing most of the power, and constituting, in case of external threat, a unified Pari defense force (referred to as mojomiji).

As a small community, the Pari have had both significant trade relations and enmities with their neighbours. As such, intermarriages are common between the Pari and the Lokoya and some of the Lopit, while the Toposa are treated as traditional rivals, with many old battles recounted in Pari oral traditions.

During the civil war in South Sudan, the Pari were amongst the first groups to come under the control of SPLM/A (Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement/Army), as early as 1986. Relations between SPLA/M and the Pari are reported to have been friendly, as SPLM/A was perceived as the Pari’s liberators, giving substantial autonomy to the tribe. As such, many Pari joined SPLA/M (some accounts indicate over 2000 Pari became SPLM/A members) and the Pari becoma known in Equatoria as some of the strongest supporters of SPLA/M. Consequently, many Pari obtained weapons and ammunition from SPLM/A even though they were not formally members of SPLA/M.

The Pari have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.