“Now I can die a happy man, a Chief just told me,” the Chief Administrator of Abyei Administrative Area, Kuol Diem Kuol, noted at the closing ceremony in Freedom Square, Abyei, on Monday. “He said, I can now tell my ancestors, that the court system is back in place.”

The words were spoken after three days of the workshop, where the nine chiefdoms of Abyei formed thirteen new customary courts. They have reviewed the customary laws and aligned them with international norms and standards. The new courts will comprise nine chief’s courts, three town courts, and one Customary Law Advisory Council. And for the first time, it will have 16 female representatives.

“As women, we are very excited, because this is the first time in the history of Ngok Dinka to have female members of the court. It is our opportunity to demonstrate that we can do as well as the men, “said Nyanmou Aguei Deng, member of the Abyei town court.

The weekend’s workshop in Abyei is preceded by a community-driven review of customary law and documentation of customary laws, which are central to the juridical system in South Sudan.

“The system forms a critical component of the rule of law,” the former judge, Deng Biong Mijak, pointed out.

“The reality is that 80 per cent of litigation in this country is based on customary law. Now we have reviewed the customary laws of the Ngok Dinka and the next step is empowering the organs that are going to implement it, which are the local courts,” Mr Mijak said.

The International Organisation of Migration provided the platform for the forums that brought together traditional leaders, the legal department, women’s and youth leaders, as well as the local administration.

Abyei is vulnerable to climate change-induced migration such as flooding and drought, which increases pressures on natural resources and inter-communal relationships. The other issues are a lapse in functioning structures and the legal system that is a critical component in ensuring justice and accountability.

The revised customary laws are now better aligned with principles of human rights and equality. Customary laws are also streamlined, and communities have a better understanding of their role in customary law and traditional court procedures in the Abyei Administrative Area.

“On behalf of the whole of Abyei, I would like to thank the people of the Netherlands and the United States of America, who have supported us through IOM. We are very grateful for this help, which will give peace and justice to this area,” the Chief Administrator,” Kuol Diem Kuol, said at the ceremony.