Authorities in Rumbek North County in Lakes State have banned the brewing and sale of locally produced alcohol after clashes between members of the Pan Adieng and Payueth sub-clans left three people dead and two wounded.
The violence broke out at about 5 p.m. on Tuesday at the Malueth Payam headquarters, where Caretaker County Commissioner Buoi Mayek was facilitating a peace dialogue between the Manuer and Gak sections of the Pakam community.
Caretaker Commissioner Mayek told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that armed youths under the influence of alcohol were involved in the clashes. He said the two sub-clans fall under the same traditional leadership.
He said he had given local chiefs seven days to identify and hand over those responsible for investigation.
“The people involved are from the same boma and fall under one sub-chief and executive chief, identified as Makol Chadhan,” Mayek said.
He blamed locally brewed alcohol, made using yeast and ginger, for triggering the violence and disrupting the peace dialogue.
Mayek said he had directed payam administrators to arrest anyone found brewing alcohol or possessing ingredients used in its production, with offenders facing three months in detention.
He also said a separate exchange of gunfire involving members of the Pajong sub-clan was an isolated incident.
The security situation in Malueth Payam had since calmed, with no further attacks reported, he said.
Daniel Laat Kon, a coordinator of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) in Lakes State, condemned the killings and urged the government to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.
He called on victims’ families to allow the authorities to handle the case and urged the government to disarm armed youths and regulate alcohol production and consumption.
“The only solution to problems connected to firearms is to disarm armed youths in the communities of Lakes State,” Kon said.
He warned that the combination of firearms and alcohol was contributing to killings and urged authorities to strengthen civilian protection as South Sudan approaches general elections.
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