Dowry issues continue to trouble Unity state

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

June 19, 2012 (KAMPALA) – The payment of dowries continues to lead youths from various communities in South Sudan to attack one another according to Unity stateresidents.

The pressure to fulfil the obligation of many of South Sudan’s communities, to find cattle in order to get a wife, is leading many youths to violence according to some members of the community.

For many South Sudanese communities cattle are central to everyday life.

Unity state resident Nyalada Mirame said the exchange of cattle is an important display of respect to the family of the bride, in many communities.

Mirame described cattle rustling as shameful, explaining that the dowry system has been in places for generations without the current levels of crime.

However, chairperson of information committee Simon Gatluak Pech Dak of Unity state legislative assembly claimed that high dowry prices are not the root cause of cattle raiding in South Sudan.

He said that many of the perpetrators already have one or more wives. He blamed local authorities for not ensuring the rule of law is being adhered to but conceded that it is still a problem which needs to be addressed, advocating the implementation of relevant legislation.

“25 cows is the maximum charge for paying the bride price in Nuer traditional customary laws if one fell in love with someone’s daughter, he must comply with customary procedure,” said Dak.

He suggested a peace conference by set up to address the cattle rustling issue.

There are currently additional pressures on marriageable men due to the increase in the price of cattle. This is due, in part, to the influx of returnees from Sudan. With competition for brides and cattle the market has reacted accordingly.

Mirame suggested that the Government of South Sudan regulate the dowry system and reduce its size according to economic trends. This being a time of austerity in South Sudan, with the shutting of the oil pipeline which accounted for 98 percent of the country’s economy in January, belts will have to be tightened.

Cattle rustling has been central to much of South Sudan’s inter-ethnic conflict, which has displaced thousands. After more than two decades of civil war with Sudan, there is a proliferation of small arms in South Sudan which has dramatically increased the bloodshed of these conflicts, which have been ongoing for generations.

Compounding the problem, according to the Unity state ministry of animal resources, more than 1,000 cattle in the state have recently been killed by disease.

Some ethnic groups, such as the Bari, have traditionally had less problems with dowry issues.

(ST)