Shock in Yuai Town
When internet café owner John Anei was fatally shot inside his shop in Yuai Town on 3 August, residents were jolted by yet another flash of violence that often ignites Jonglei’s fragile peace.
Local officials say the gunmen acted in retaliation for relatives killed during a May highway ambush in neighbouring Twic East County, underscoring how private vendettas still shape communal security dynamics despite government patrols.
Negotiating Blood Compensation
After a week of tense dialogue, Uror and Bor County leaders agreed that Anei’s family will receive 51 cows, the customary ‘dia,’ while security agents continue to hunt the alleged shooter whose whereabouts remain unknown (Radio Tamazuj).
By Friday, Wickol Payam community members had gathered twenty cattle, pledging to deliver the remainder within days, a gesture they believe will calm tempers enough to prevent retaliatory attacks along the Bor-Uror trade corridor.
Legal Voices Question Customary Path
Civil society campaigner Bol Deng Bol argues that relying on cattle payment, outside the Penal Code, undermines deterrence, because suspects “roam free” and victims receive no formal justice beyond livestock compensation (INTREPID South Sudan).
He advocates swift arrest and trial before statutory courts, pairing any approved compensation with custodial sentences of six months to a year, a model he says could break Jonglei’s cycle of revenge killings.
Community and Regional Implications
County information director Majok Chop insists the detained village chief and the father of the prime suspect will remain in custody until the accused surrenders, signalling a hybrid strategy that fuses customary expectations with state authority.
Analysts note that successful delivery of the 51 cows could reinforce community-led dispute resolution, but warn that without consistent law-enforcement the next roadside confrontation may reignite the same unresolved grievances.
A Delicate Balance Ahead
For now, Bor elders prepare a delegation to collect the cattle, hoping ceremony will provide closure for Anei’s relatives and a commercial lifeline for traders who depend on Yuai’s growing digital market.
Whether livestock, law, or a careful mix of both secures lasting peace, Jonglei’s leaders recognise that every prompt, proportional response chips away at the culture of reprisal threatening South Sudan’s social fabric.