Tonj South County, Manyang-Ngok Area, Acigeek Cattle Camp where 31 incidents of cattle raiding have been reported in Tonj South in 2019 with a peak in violence noted in June before the rainy set in. 24 of these incidents resulted in at least one fatality. Prior to June, the area was under a regional state of emergency imposed in 2017 to help lessen the frequency and impact of cattle related and intercommunal violence.
The identity groups involved in cattle-related violence have varied and in some cases the violence has been characterized by cross boundary activity, with the most recent raid originating from Lakes State recorded in early November. To combat cattle raiding the County Commissioner in Tonj South issued a directive in May forbidding the sale of cattle with unverified ownership. It is also worth noting that areas of Tonj are subject to the regional Marial Bai Agreement which seeks to regulate movement of cattle, designate grazing areas, and minimize the impact of cattle related incidents. Moving forward, there is the chance that cattle-related violence may increase as the dry season sets in and mobility along with competition for resources rise.
