Cattle raiding in the future Republic of South Sudan

One of the latest incidents of cattle raiding happened when a group of raiders from Payinjiar, Unity State, went to Lakes State and raided cattle. The Payinjiar County authorities arrested the group. The apprehension of the raiders was far from smooth ending with the death of one of them. The rest of the detainees confessed the location where they had hidden the cattle, and authorities of neighbouring Rumbek East in Lakes State were asked to come collect the cattle and return it to its owners.

The issue of cattle raiding between Lakes State and Unity State has affected both communities, especially in border areas. It has created fear and made trading more difficult. The raiders do not stop at raiding cattle alone, but extend their activities to sometimes looting property, when trying to cross to the other state.

Joel Kulang Albino Simon.

Although cattle raiding is in many cases carried out for financial compensation, through selling the stolen cattle, in other cases cultural and social aspects are the main reasons behind the raids. Joel Kulang Albino Simon, originally from Tidino Payam in Central Equatoria State, where cattle raiding has been a serious issue until recently, explains that cattle is the only commodity used for dowry payment in many regions of Southern Sudan. In these areas, possession of cattle is the ultimate sign of wealth, generating respect and honour.

According to Joel, competition among young men and their family for paying the highest dowry can raise the price to as high as 175 cows. The price of one cow can range from to 1,200 SDG (318 Euro) to 1,700 SDG (450 Euro), making the dowry go up to almost 79,000 Euro, a sum which is unaffordable for the average Sudanese.

Dowry payment is a matter where the whole family of the potential groom is involved, each male member contributing a number of cows to finally reach the price asked for by the girl's family. The forever increasing number of cattle required for dowry has led many young men and their families to either resort to cattle raiding or to denounce marriage as nothing but a financial transaction and forgo the institution as whole.


Watch the music video by Lost Boy about how marriage has become a lucrative business in Southern Sudan.Joel explains that the proliferation of small weapons during the over two decade civil war has made cattle raiding more dangerous, claiming lives and generating more fear. Revenge cattle raiding - when the raided village or family raids the raiders, taking the raiders' cattle in addition to their own - has become more fatal, with sticks and spears replaced by automatic weapons as means of deadly persuasion.

Overcoming the practice of cattle raiding means addressing the cultural, social and financial causes of it. As cattle raiding had become a serious issue in Joel's area, the traditional chiefs, with the local official authorities' contribution, held a number of councils, where peaceful coexistence was emphasised and where the vicious cycle of cattle raiding and violence was condemned. A law, punishing a raider to a fee of 15 cows for each stolen cow was established with the agreement of all parties involved. Joel concludes that the law has deterred raiders and has resulted in a noticeable decrease of the raids' frequency. 

For more background information read "Responses to pastoral wars"                      by the Small Arms Survey

Lakes and Unity States have agreed upon another form of punishment, namely imprisonment with charges of stealing. Last week the commissioner of Rumbek East County of Lakes State, David Marial, met with his counterpart Peter Gai Jaok in Payinjiar County of Unity State. Gai described the visit of his Rumbek East counterpart as a move towards fighting instability between the two counties in terms of cattle raiding. He hoped the meeting would help bring the cattle raids to an end and improve the relationship between the counties.


Peter Gai Jaok.The two commissioners toured the county, visiting Ganyliel and Nyal Payams. Marial said that "he is not a friend of cattle raiders". The Rumbek East County Commissioner said security services had captured 71 cattle raiders, 41 were sentenced to seven years in jail and 30 are still in custody.

"We will be working harder to bring to an end this criminal act. Comrade Peter Gai is a hard working person and together we will work on bringing peace and development", Marial continued. He as well expressed his gratitude to the people of Payinjiar County because of the way he was received during his visit. He said that all South Sudanese should work towards improving the region ahead of the independence on 9 July 2011. Gai welcomed Marial's speech and assured the people of Payinjiar that they will not give up fighting criminality.

For further analysis of the issue check "Southern Sudan at odds with itself"            by the London School of Economics

With the promise of a peaceful and democratic South Sudan, a peaceful and durable solution for cattle raiding is one of the many issues the new country needs to allocate serious attention to. Demonising, arresting and imprisoning cattle raiders seems to be the strategy opted for in an attempt to reduce the frequency and the effects of the raids. Although single raiders might be deterred, the practice itself will not cease unless the root causes behind it are investigated and addressed.