The commissioner of Rumamer County in the Abyei Administrative Area has issued an order banning the sale of cattle without permits in the Anet market.
Commissioner Chol Pour Chol said he issued the order after several meetings with county authorities, traders, and other stakeholders to mitigate the increased cases of cattle theft. Cattle from Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, and Warrap states are exported to Sudan via the Anet market in Rumamer County.
"The order came out after I called a meeting with members of the chamber of commerce, the executive director, Payam administrators, and other junior directors of the county,” Commissioner Pour explained. “The resolution was that any cow being sold without a pass permit will not be allowed to enter the market’s kraal. And any cows that arrive in Anet after 6 pm will not be permitted to enter the auction Kraal or where cows are kept and they will not be allowed to be sold.”
He said that the order aims to reduce cattle theft which can cause insecurity in the area.
“Our community police are implementing this order because we have cattle coming from Aweil, Abiemnhom, Mayom, and Twic and during the auctioning process, some groups from these areas claim to own some cows and we don't have evidence,” Pour said. “I speak, there are cases in the office of the public prosecutor’s office and some of the cases are filed in the judge's office. A case of somebody from Aweng in Twic County calming a cow from a person from Mayom County is now before the judge. So, to avoid this mess, we ruled that cows without permits must be returned to where they came from."
Meanwhile, Rou Manyeil Rou, of the Abyei Civil Society Organizations (ACSOs), appreciated the initiative and said it will reduce cattle theft.
"Regarding the order which prohibited traders selling cattle without permits, it is a good thing because it will reduce cattle theft. As Abyei Civil Society Organizations, we support what will help our people and traders should not feel uncomfortable with the order. It is a part of security and the traders need to cooperate,” Manyeil said.