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GREATER PIBOR - Greater Pibor is rich with vibrant cultural traditions and history.

The communities celebrate their identity through traditional attire, ceremonies, and spiritual practices that bind them together.

However, a more toxic and deadly shared experience is the phenomenon of cattle raiding, combined with sexual violence, and child abduction, which is also deeply embedded in the culture and a major source of conflict between communities.

Too often, the perpetrators of such crimes go unpunished.

However, a new mobile court, deployed to Pibor with the assistance of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and the South Sudan Reconciliation, Stabilization, Resilience Trust Fund, is helping combat this historical impunity.

“Through the mobile court, 17�Թ��� has helped the people of South Sudan a lot, it has saved the lives of many, because when people take revenge in the absence of formal justice, they use guns, and the death toll is high,” says High Court Judge, Sebit Bullen Lako. 

Over four weeks, the court adjudicated 16 complex criminal cases, resulting in the conviction of five offenders. Another 10 civil cases, mostly related to land disputes which are often a major source of tension and conflict, were also decided.

It is the second time a mobile court has been deployed to the Greater Pibor Administrative Area this year, bringing the total number of cases addressed to 61 - 37 criminal and 24 civil.

Seeing justice served is inspiring more victims to come forward and helping prevent those seeking accountability for crimes from taking the law into their own hands.

“While we cannot blame a community if they never know what justice is, there is a need to demonstrate that formal systems provide a better form of accountability,” says Geetha Pious, Head of 17�Թ��� Field Office.

Local lawyers are confident that the Pibor mobile court will create positive change.

“Now most of the cases have been handled by the court, according to the law, I believe nobody will return to asserting their rights through their own hands, in terms of revenge, because this process has demonstrated that the court has jurisdiction and can resolve cases appropriately,” says defense lawyer, Marko Sebit. 

It is vital to sustain the delivery of justice rather than relying on ad hoc mobile courts. The South Sudan judiciary, therefore, plans to deploy a permanent judge to the area. 17�Թ��� also helped by building a new courthouse to address the dire state of existing infrastructure. The mission is also advocating for investment in a new prison and functioning police stations.   

“We have to keep that momentum ongoing because the judiciary, the justice system, is necessary and is paramount for sustainable peace and development for any society,” says Geetha Pious.

The mission’s efforts to support the community it serves go well beyond strengthening justice.

“17�Թ��� has played a significant role in terms of peace and security and, also, in terms of development because all these things are interconnected. Their work protecting civilians and building infrastructure, including roads and the airstrip, have made a significant contribution to stability and peace in our area,” says Gola Boyo Gola, Chief Administrator of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.

To secure the long-promised peace after decades of brutal conflict, it is vital that justice is delivered in places where it has been absent for far too long. Only then will those who have suffered immense harm, be able to rebuild their lives and move towards the better future they deserve.