By Peter Kuol Kuch
BOR – A surge in gang activity is fueling fear and a sense of insecurity among residents of Bor, the capital of Jonglei State. Residents report being targeted for robbery and assault, leading many to fear moving freely through the town.
Bor, a highly populated town that hosts many communities displaced by the 2013 conflict and subsequent violence, is struggling with a high crime rate despite police patrols. Residents say they are at constant risk of robbery and assault, particularly after dark.
Ayom G., a frequent victim of these attacks, described a brutal encounter. “When I was walking back home at 7 PM, along the way, people came up behind me. I was walking slowly, so I decided to let them pass. But when I turned, they immediately pulled out machetes and started cutting my head. I fell down, and as they rushed me, I immediately got up and ran while bleeding. This is sad!”
Deborah Aluel, a mother of three who sells salted fish, said economic hardship forces many women to work late, making them easy targets. “When coming home late in the evening and trying to walk on local routes, it’s always deadly for us,” she said. “Most of my colleagues have been robbed when coming from their hustling in the evening hours. We are facing serious conditions as women; it’s life that forces us to hustle to put something on the table.”
Aluel noted that the fear has become so widespread that women are now walking in groups to protect themselves.
Community Leaders and Officials Respond
Sultan Philip Makheer Anak, a community elder, believes that the rise in crime is a sign that many young people are losing parental guidance and cultural values. He suggested that incarceration alone is not a solution and called on the government to create programs that would make young people productive.
“The government should initiate programs that would make these gang groups productive, like taking them to work on agricultural farms and training them with vocational skills that would promote self-reliance,” Anak said.
Pastor Philip Yol of the Seventh-day Adventist Church attributed the high crime rate to a global moral decay, suggesting that a return to religious values and a focus on faith could help.
“It requires every Christian family to train their children about the fear of God and His moral law—they can help change this society,” he said.
First Lt. James Akech, the Jonglei State Police Spokesperson, acknowledged that the police are struggling to combat the rising crime rates. He cited economic hardship, fuel shortages, and an inadequate operational budget as major hindrances to their patrol services.
James Ghai Makhor, the Commissioner of Bor County, stated that the county and state leaderships are aware of the problem and will work together to find a solution. Bor Municipal Council Mayor Jacob Achiek also noted that the migration of security personnel to other states due to economic hardship and delayed payments is contributing to the issue.
Achiek promised that the government would double its operational patrols to address the problem. He added that the government is fully aware of the situation and is working toward a lasting solution.
This is not the first time Bor has faced this issue. In 2021, under the command of Gen. Ajak Ayuen, crime rates in Bor were significantly reduced, allowing residents to move without fear. However, that situation has not been the same since Gen. Ajak resigned in 2022.
Editor’s Note: This story was reported with support from Journalists for Human Rights, under the Tackling Mis/Disinformation Project, funded by the Government of Canada’s Peace and Stabilization Program.