South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
The tragic death of three people from different families on Tuesday night in Gudele, following a disagreement over the marriage of their children should be condemned strongly.
A 26-year-old man Riek Bol Mar, with ambition and dreams was cowardly executed by his would be in-laws at his family home in Gudele.
Bol’s crime was to fall in love with a 19-year-old girl whose family and relatives did not warm up to him.
The young love birds met in 2023 and it happened the girl got pregnant. Bol, who was studying for his degree in law at the University of Juba, had proposed to marry the girl but tragically he ended up being shot dead by his would be in-laws.
This dispute could have been resolved amicably by the two families sitting together and iron out their differences.
In addition, they should have sought the counsel of local chiefs since the two families all hail from Mayom County in Unity State instead of resorting to violence.
This incident raises questions than answers on how some young people find it extremely difficult to start families in South Sudan.
Despite the challenges of dowry and cash, many young people often find it hard to start families due to backward cultural practices, stereotypes and also interference of parents who prefer the highest bidder to marry their daughters.
Some communities in this country have turned their girls into commodities by giving them to the highest bidders.