Authorities in Eastern Equatoria State are currently investigating the tragic death of a 90-year-old man in Abalwa village, Torit County. The incident occurred last week when a group of young individuals in Abalwa detained Marcelino Alaw, suspecting him of having the ability to bewitch rainfall.
Disturbingly, the elderly man was allegedly subjected to exposure under the scorching sun before being released in the evening with the intervention of local government officials. Shockingly, two days later, Alaw’s lifeless body was discovered in his own residence.
Local beliefs and traditions among the predominantly Otuho-speaking community hold that rainmakers possess the ability to summon or withhold rainfall using natural powers. Unfortunately, incidents involving the mistreatment and even death of individuals believed to possess these powers have previously occurred. In a condemnable act last year, a rainmaker was buried alive in the Lopit area, provoking widespread criticism from civil society leaders within the state. Similarly, in September of the same year, another rainmaker was fatally beaten and his remains burned to ashes, supposedly for failing to bring rain in Ikotos.
Maj. General John Luny, the deputy police commissioner of Eastern Equatoria State, addressed the situation, stating that further information is being collected before any official statements are made. He expressed his intention to personally visit the area in order to restore calm and assess the situation firsthand. According to Luny, when he arrived, the elderly man displayed injuries to his knees. He took immediate action to halt the mistreatment by the youth and also consulted with the Mayor of Torit, who instructed the young individuals to refrain from any further attempts to harm the elderly man.
Luny further elaborated, “We have also received conflicting information suggesting that the deceased was the uncle of the former Mayor of Torit. During our phone conversation, the former mayor claimed that the old man died of natural causes. Given the contradictory reports, we are launching a thorough investigation to bring all the perpetrators to justice. We possess the names of those involved, and the government is taking this incident very seriously. The location of the incident is known, and the identities of those involved are also known.”
However, Jima Ongodo, the chief of Abalwa, countered these accounts, asserting that the old man died a natural death and denying any mistreatment by the enraged youth who believed he was responsible for the ongoing drought. Ongodo clarified that Alaw was not a rainmaker but rather a practitioner of magic. According to Ongodo, the elderly man was not killed or physically assaulted but rather detained in a camp called Amangat, exposed to the intense sun until 3:00 pm, before being released. The purpose of his detainment, as claimed by Ongodo, was to investigate suspicions that Alaw was preventing rain from falling in the area.
Mayor Mustaffa Albino Zachariah of Torit corroborated the information, confirming that the elderly man had been arrested by the youth but was subsequently released at his request. He acknowledged that the elderly man may have been agitated due to the stress of the detainment under the scorching heat. Mayor Zachariah shared his efforts to ascertain the cause of Alaw’s death by requesting a medical examination. However, the deceased’s relatives declined the offer and requested immediate burial, insisting that he died of natural causes and had not been harmed. Consequently, the mayor acceded to their wishes.
Mayor Zachariah emphasized, “Although he was involved in certain rituals, he was not a rainmaker. The allegations that he was responsible for the drought are baseless. The drought phenomenon affects not only South Sudan, Torit, or Eastern Equatoria State but the entire African continent.”
Wodcan Savior Lazarus, the Executive Director for SPIDO, an organization focused on access to justice and human rights, vehemently condemned the actions of the youth who unlawfully detained the elderly man based on false accusations regarding rainmaking abilities. Lazarus urged the community to embrace the realities of the modern world and recognize that climate change affects regions worldwide, not solely Otuho lands. He stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law and called on the state government to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the elderly man’s death, including whether he had been subjected to physical assault.
Lazarus concluded, “We cannot allow such incidents to persist. The community must provide evidence to substantiate their claims that this individual was responsible for stopping rainfall. It is crucial for the community to understand that we live in a modern world where we embrace beliefs such as Christianity. The notion of rainmakers is unfounded. People need to be aware of the impact of climate change, characterized by delayed rains, flooding, and prolonged drought.”
The investigation into the death of Marcelino Alaw is ongoing, and authorities are committed to uncovering the truth behind this tragic event and holding the perpetrators accountable.