Over 36 alcohol brewers arrested in Rumbek
May 28, 2013 (JUBA) – Lakes state’s government has increased its crackdown on alcohol brewing and consumption arresting 36 women on Thursday on suspicion of selling locally brewed alcohol in Malith market.
Most of the women are either widows and or without family that can support them. The women say they use what they earn to help pay school and health fees for them and their children.
The caretaker military governor, who was appointed in January, banned the sale of alcohol in a bid to curb insecurity in Lakes state.
One of the arrested women phoned Sudan Tribune from Rumbek prison that their alcohol was “drunk by police and the security agents who seized our local brew without paying us”.
The woman who requested anonymity questioned why the officers were who arrested them for selling alcohol were no drinking their alcohol.
Rumbek central county commissioner, Abraham Mayen Kuc, is reported to have received an order from Lakes state’s military caretaker Governor Maj-Gen Matur Chut Dhuol asking him to implement his alcohol ban.
Commissioner Mayen responding to the order by personally walking with a security car to seize arrest local brewers and seizing their alcohol.
He said that only 26 women were arrested but warned that more would be arrested if they continued to sell alcohol.
Mayen downplayed the governors threat to remove him if he failed to control the selling of alcohol in Rumbek, adding that the state government is making progress by seizing beer from local shops.
When asked about the wisdom of taking away the livelihood of vulnerable women the governor said that the question should be put to the governor rather than him.
The crackdown on alcohol began in April and has been met with criticism from the local community and some activists.
A 37-year-old widow from Rumbek who sells alcohol for a living told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that she doubted whether banning alcohol would help reduce insecurity.
The woman said the majority of the South Sudanese government still drink alcohol in the rest of the country. “Why are they not remove from their position if alcoholic is bad?”
Lakes state’s government has introduced harsh security measures since the removable of elected Governor Chol Tong Mayay in January and replaced him with military caretaker Governor Maj-Gen Matur Chut Dhuol.
His constitutional mandate expired on 21 March but there is no sign that the ruling SPLM plans to hold an election before 2015..
(ST)