South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Aluong Maker Aluong
Young people have expressed frustration and sadness over the continuous endangerment of wildlife, holding those responsible for its protection accountable.
They find it disheartening to see animals repeatedly threatened by the very custodians meant to safeguard them.
In an interview with The Dawn Newspaper on Thursday, Gum Maker Nar, a fifth-year student at the University of Juba’s School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Department of Wildlife Science, declared that he often feels disgusted upon witnessing the jeopardy faced by these beautiful creatures due to the actions of people who should take pride in their existence.
He added that this barbaric practice is not widespread within the community; rather, it is primarily carried out by certain groups, such as cattle camp youths and Gelweng from various communities.
“It irritates and traumatises specialists when this valuable life is taken for granted. In reality, animals should only be killed with proper authorisation, not indiscriminately. Last year, an incident occurred in the Upper Nile region of Jonglei State, where some youths killed an animal, posed on the carcass, and took pictures with it. This remains vivid in my mind!” Maker lamented.
He reiterated his frustration with the current government’s silence on this issue, emphasising that the responsibility lies solely with the government. He called for the government to send experts to various states to educate perpetrators about the importance of wildlife, referring them to the constitution and explaining the consequences of failing to abide by its provisions regarding wildlife.
James Marial Dhieu from Awerial County in Lakes State, in a phone interview with The Dawn Newspaper, echoed similar sentiments, noting that such practices continue in his area. He highlighted that they are predominantly carried out by cattle camp youths while tending to their animals in pasture lands, by soldiers on isolated farms belonging to generals, and by charcoal burners deep in the forest. These activities persist due to the involvement of these groups.
“The law of South Sudan acknowledges that animals may be killed in self-defence when humans are under threat, and they may also be killed if they encroach on farms or settlements, leading to crop destruction. Therefore, one may not be held guilty, or could even be compensated for the loss of life or property,” Dhieu explained.
He described how the government typically assumes some responsibility when an animal causes harm in human-inhabited areas; however, if an animal kills a person in the forest, the individual is often suspected of hunting wildlife.
“This occurred in 2016 in Awerial County, Bunagok Payam, when an elephant trampled crops and damaged a house. The victim was compensated by the Wildlife Authority.”
He stressed that killing wildlife for commercial purposes and trading their products, such as meat, skins, and feathers, is completely banned by the constitution—not by the government. He questioned why this is the case, asserting that while the constitution clearly prohibits such actions, the government fails to act against the perpetrators of these destructive practices.
Marial concluded by firmly placing blame on the government for the prevalence of firearms and other factors that have led to indiscriminate killing.
In summary, Gum Maker urged anyone reading this to share the message with those who are unable to read and write, as we serve as their ears and eyes. This message must traverse from a single source to multiple sources. Thus, be the agent of this crucial message.
