Women’s day marred by fight over unpaid dowry in Lakes state

March 8, 2013 (RUMBEK) – One person is reported to have been killed in Rumbek Central County, the capital of Lakes state, on Thursday, the day before South Sudan celebrated International Women’s Day, over a family feud over an out-of-marriage pregnancy dating back to 2002.

In such situations it is customary for the man to marry the girl and for his family to pay a bride price, which would be paid in cattle in places like Lakes state, but this did not happen in this case.

The fighting on Thursday was apparently triggered when Mangor Akec Gum decided to it near the house of Manhomjong Chawuol Lom, whose daughter he got pregnant out of wedlock over a decade ago.

One man, named as Chol Manhomjong, is believed to have been killed, allegedly by a member of the Akec Gum’s family.

Some of those involved in the clashes have been captured but others have escaped the authorities.

Locals say that in 2008 Manhomjong Chawuol Lom took Akec Gum and his son, Mangor Akec Gum, to court over Mangor’s refusal to pay a bride price and marry the girl.

According to South Sudan Police in Rumbek, members of Mangor Akec Gum’s family “ambushed” the family of Manhomjong Chawuol Lom fighting them with sticks, killing killing one person and injuring four others.

Lakes state’s minister of local government and law enforcement, Benjamin Makuer Mabor, said the government had captured four civilians and one policeman who was also involved in the and the were transfer to military prison in Langcok.

“Akec Gum is arrested with his four people including one policeman,” he said.

At the official celebration of international women’s day on Friday, South Sudanese leaders called for an end to the violence against women and early marriage in South Sudan.

(ST)