A man has been arrested by police in Rumbek East County of South Sudan’s Lakes State for performing facial scarification on two young boys over the weekend.
A couple of years ago, local authorities in Lakes state banned facial markings which used to be part of the initiation for boys into adulthood.
James Chol Dhiel, a prison officer in Pachong Payam of Rumbek East County, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday a man who performed facial scarification on schoolboys was arrested in Panawach village. He further said another person accused of mobilizing children to receive facial scarification was also arrested in the area.
"The traditional initiation has been banned, so schoolchildren are not allowed to have facial marks. Any person found still perfuming facial scarification on boys will be arrested to face the law," he added.
Mr. Rumbek Kolnyin, a clinical officer at Pacong Primary Healthcare Centre, said:" A little boy was brought to us very dehydrated due to facial scarification. But we treated him with antibiotics," Kolnyin said.
He further said the scarification could cause diseases to children because the knives used are not sterilized. "The little boy for example received six marks on his face and this caused him serious bleeding to the extent of dehydration. This thing has to stop," he stressed.
Anau Mading Chol, a father whose child received the marks, said: "My son Dhiac is a primary five pupil. His face has been marked by that man and his cousin who mobilized the children to receive the marks. When investigations with these two people conclude, we will go to court."