Jonglei’s Twic East County bans alcohol

September 21, 2012 (BOR) – Twic East County in South Sudan’s Jonglei State, this week, has banned the consumption of alcohol at marriage and funeral ceremonies as well as other public events.

If alcohol is found in the marriage ceremony, the commissioner of Twic County, Dau Akoi Jurkuch, told Sudan Tribune, the family of the groom and the bride will have to pay a fine of 3,500 South Sudanese pounds (SSP) each.

Akoi called on the neighboring counties not carry any alcoholic drinks to Twic East County when they are attending marriages, funerals or other gatherings.

The commissioner made his orders known in ceremony held in his county headquarters of Panyagoor during the election of the county’s Paramount Chief on Tuesday 18 September.

Twic East Paramount Chief Elections

Manyok Ajak Majok won the election beating Duot Ajang Duot and Awai Ajang Awai for the position of paramount chief.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on the phone from Panyagoor, Commissioner Akoi saud the elections was democratic and unanimously accepted by the public.

According to the Commissioner, Manyok Ajak Majok, received 54 votes, Duot Ajang Duot with 33 votes and Awai Ajang Awai with 2 votes.

Also in the elections Duot Ajang was elected Head Chief of Kongor Payam [District], Awai Ajang Awai the head chief of Lith Payam, Atem Ajak Patieu of Nyuat Payam and Ayuel Warabek for Ajoung Payam.

The commissioner urged the chiefs to corporate to achieve peace in their areas.

Earlier this year the six tribes in the Jonglei capital of Bor in an attempt to end the cycle of ethnic violence in the area. At the turn off the year raids and counter raids mainly between the Nuer and Murle ethnic groups affected over 140,000 people as they were forced to flee their homes and/or need humanitarian assistance.

Disarmament in Jonglei

In December 2011 around 6,000-8,000 armed youth primarily from the Luo Nuer ethnic group were mobilized militarily to launched a series of systematic attacks on the Murle tribe of Pibor County over a 12 day period crossing into January 2012.

Over 1,000 people were killed in violence between the groups in 2011 and nearly 900 more in the New Year attacks, which began on 27 December and ended – after a series of reprisal attacks from Murle armed groups – around 4 February.

Abductions of women and children, the destruction of homes and the displacement of thousands of civilians are common dynamics of the conflict a report, compiled by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) with support from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) found in June 2012.

The unrest led to South Sudan President Salva Kiir ordering a state-wide disarmament process deploying around 15,000 soldiers and police to the area.

However, some groups have avoided the process and a rebellion headed by David Yauyau continues in Pibor County.

(ST)