September 26, 2012 (RUMBEK) - Authorities in Lakes State say they have stepped up efforts to arrest men suspected of cattle raiding, setting up four special courts in Rumbek Central, Cueibet, Yirol West and Rumbek East counties.

The courts are aimed at speeding up the justice process. So far only seven South Sudanese men have been charged for cattle raids out of the 40 young men currently held in custody in the State.

The commissioners of the four counties told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that they were trying to arrest all those responsible to cattle theft and try them swiftly. Each court is consists of individuals not from the county in question.

Rumbek Central County Commissioner Abraham Mayen Kuc has launched an operation to capture suspects from his county as well as those from neighboring Cueibet, Rumbek North and greater Yirol counties.

“We will arrest them and discipline them carefully. They will stand before court and sentence given to person by court will be completed without bail – no more room for cattle thief allow by this current administration” said Mayen.

Commissioner of Rumbek North County, Stephen Mathiang Deng told Lakes State’s told state radio that his county is preparing to respond to cattle theft and aggression.

"Those who aim to raid cattle of their brother will be brought to book without failure. Mathiang also added that “government and chiefs in most remote villages have set up community security which is charge to identify those suspect[ed] thieve[s] who cause disturbance [to] community livelihood[s]."

Commissioner of Cueibet County Isaac Mayom Malek said that he is attempting to liberate his county from cattle thieves before Christmas celebrations begin in late December.

“My county must to be free from cattle thieves before the Christmas celebration" he said. "Those suspected people involved in cattle thieves will be arrested and brought to stand before court” said commissioner Mayom

Civil Society groups in Lakes State, say that a campaign is underway to identify cattle thieves.

Peter Majak a member of the Lakes State Civil Society Group said that “identification of cattle raiders is prioritize everywhere in the counties – we lobby through community and show us who is cattle thief person and we link such information police specially criminal investigation department (CID) in Rumbek and police headquarters communicated such message to county suspected to have person involve in cattle thieves”.

The Commissioner of Rumbek East County of Lakes State David Marial Gumke also joined the campaign to arrest suspected cattle raiders.

“My county is at the front-line to arrest everyone suspected to have [a] hand in cattle thief. We will send them to court and it is duty of court to rule out the fact” said commissioner Gumke.

He also added that so far about 20 people from his county had been arrested and the must face court without delay.

SPLM appoint new Lakes State secretary

September 18, 2012 (RUMBEK) - The South Sudan ruling, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have appointed Hon. Mabor Atter Dhuol as Lakes State’s SPLM Acting Secretary to replace the late Samuel Mathiang Keer. Dhuol, who is an MP in the Lakes State Legislative Assembly was appointed by SPLM state chairperson Daniel Awet Akot.

Mabor Ater Dhuol to the left and centre former Lakes staet politicial advisor Dut Makoi and right former MP Puoric Matuong who was convict for child abduction, Rumbek, Lakes State, 14 August 2010 (ST)

Keer died in May in a hospital in Melbourne, Australia, where he was receiving intensive treatment for Leukemia before his death.

The former SPLM state secretary He later became the SPLM County Secretary and in 2008 he was re-elected to the position of SPLM State Secretary in Lakes State where he managed to construct eight SPLM county offices.

Awet’s appointment of Mabor as the SPLM acting secretary has met with some criticism within the state leadership, questioning whether the state chairperson has the power to appointed the state secretary without consultation with the SPLM’s liberation council in Lakes State.

Other SPLM members in the state have supported the decision as acting secretary Mabor will be tasked with calling for a sitting of the State Liberation Council (SLC) in order for him to confirm him as state secretary for the party.

A member of the State Liberation Council in Lakes State, Mabor Kau Akec, said he appreciated the appointment made by party state chairperson. In Lakes State the SLC has 51 members including the chairperson. Members are elected at a congress of delegates from Lakes State’s eight counties.

Akec stated that the “SPLM party constitution gave power to state chairperson in article 33 sub articles 7 of SLC functions and duties approve the appointment or removal of the state secretary or any of the state assistant secretaries on the state chairperson”.

The last time the Lakes State Liberation Council convened was in 2009, according to Kau. Members have been calling for another meeting for six month, he said, so the appointment of Mabor was needed to move the process forward.

"Now we shall sit under the acting secretary comrade Mabor Ater and decision shall be reached”.

However, another SLC member told Sudan Tribune that “there is no room to appoint an acting secretary without consultation with SLC member on ground”. The politician who wished to remain anonymous added that SPLM constitution had already been broken as a six month period since Mathiang’s death had ended without another person being appointed to the position of SPLM state secretary.

The new SPLM state secretary for Lakes state Mabor Ater Dhuol was in Australia visiting his family, where when his appointment was announced.

Dhuol, who holds both South Sudanese and Australian citizenship, told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that “I am grateful for the confidence and trust given to me by the SPLM leadership to become a state Secretary at this crucial time. I will release more when I get home”.

(ST)