Violence over elopement kills two in South Sudan’s Warrap State

WARRAP – Two people were killed and four others arrested after a marriage-related dispute escalated into violence in Warrap State’s Tonj South County, local authorities said, in the latest deadly incident linked to elopements and dowry tensions in the region.

Across South Sudan’s cattle-keeping communities, girls are traditionally considered a source of wealth because marriages involve significant dowry payments, often in the form of cattle.

As a result, elopements frequently spark fierce disputes between families, and violent confrontations over marriages have historically killed dozens in Warrap, Lakes, Unity and neighbouring pastoralist areas.

Brigadier Marko Mawien Madut, the police inspector for Tonj South County, told Sudans Post this morning that the violence began after a man eloped with an 18-year-old woman he had been in a long-term relationship with.

The woman’s brother allegedly retaliated by killing one of the man’s close associates, whom he accused of helping the couple escape.

“What happened in the first place is that a man identified as Malok Majok Maker eloped with 18-year-old girl and ran away with her,” he said.

“Her brother Machar Kuoc Dhieu committed a homicide by attacking his accomplice or the right-hand man who has been a friend to the eloper of the girl and said that you know where the girl is and killed Kuel Kuel and the eloper and the girl remain at large,”  he added.

Mawien said the second death occurred during a police operation launched to apprehend the suspects, who were believed to be armed and hiding in the bush.

“When we sent the forces to go and look after them as they killed an accomplice of the guy who ran away with the girl, then one the suspects was killed among them the suspects, and four got apprehended.” Madut noted.

He urged local communities to use lawful channels to resolve marital disputes and warned that elopements often lead to deadly cycles of revenge.

“It is always paramount to use peaceful ways of making family union or marriage than running away with the girls of other people. Now see how it has gone deadly.“ he stated.

“No stone will be left unturned…as the search is still ongoing and their families are all known and it will be a long-standing problem which we want to contain by using the rule of law avenues,” he warned.

Violence linked to elopements and dowry disagreements remains widespread in Greater Warrap and other cattle-keeping regions, despite repeated government disarmament campaigns and security operations aimed at reducing community clashes.