South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
November 2, 2011 (RUMBEK) – South Sudan’s army has begun deploying two battalions to carry out a disarmament campaign in Unity state this week.
Despite hostilities with north Sudan ending six years ago, South Sudan remains insecure, with various rebels groups and local people carrying weapons.
The disarmament campaign in Unity state is the latest in a series of efforts to disarm civilians to reduce crime and cattle raiding.
SPLA Maj Gen Marial Chanuong Yol says his forces, belonging to division six of the military, will focus the disarmament campaign on Mayendit and Panyjiar counties.
He said the process will involve local chiefs, youth leaders, local police and SPLA forces in the area to identify their youth members who have guns and persuade them to surrender their firearms peacefully.
The senior military figure warned the public that the SPLA would not tolerate any the use of force or resistance. However, he said that the SPLA would not use force against civilians.
He told the communities that the “army is ready to defend the local population if there are any threats” against them. According to the Maj Gen the main armed groups in the area are cattle raiders.
SPLA forces in neighbouring Warrap state have collected so far more than 3,000 firearms from civilians, in a recent voluntary disarmament campaign, Chanuong said.
Panyjiar county inspector Stephen Puol Dak Lam, said that the public would abide by the orders of local chiefs as well the general instruction of SPLA during the disarmament campaign.
Puol asked his community to speed up handing over firearms to SPLA forces. He confirmed that government will take action against anyone resisting disarmament.
“If there is any resistance the government will take action against that particular area,” he said.
Puol further expressed that he hoped his “county will be peaceful,” after the young men in the area had been disarmed. “What I know from these youth, if the government will take their arms, there will be no threats again.”
Panyjiar county, like many other areas of South Sudan is severely underdeveloped, with poor infrastructure, especially in terms of communication and roads. The community has called upon the government South Sudan to provide health facilities, roads and schools.
This is Unity state’s first disarmament campaign since South Sudan become an independent state on July 9.
Panyjiar and Mayendit counties bordering Lakes and Warrap state who have experienced numerous cattle raiders since the north-south conflict officially ended in 2005.
After South Sudan’s secession cattle raiding has reduced but not disappeared Warrap and Lakes state.
In Unity state rebels groups continue to fight the SPLA and the government. Most recently when the rebel South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA) attempted to take Mayom town from the SPLA, resulting in the death of over 85 people.
(ST)
Matur Jonghok
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
Wonderful to hear that the civilians of Unity State are voluntarily handing over illicit arms as done by those Lakes State. It was rediculous that the civil population was claiming possession of arms for self defence which is contrary to the constitution as there is no a country where the civilians defend themselves.Atleast there would be a rule of law if this objective is achieved.
Guandong
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
SPLA is not fully commited to protect his people, its upto the civilians to protect themselves from their enemy, e.g. in the year 2007 after SPLA has disarmened Lou-Nuer, Murlei tribe use to come and attack Lou-Nuer killing, rapping andabducting children.Ithappen twices in Bentui that Dinka were attacing also.Where is SPLA to protect this civilians? To me SPLA has a particular purpose to kill Nuer
Guandong
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
I would like to say to Major General Marial Chanuong Yol, to carry out the disarment peacefully not like the first one of Bol Kong, remeber after all these people are you brothers don’t intend to kill them but depites the rude words to bring their minds down. there is a say that (fighting with mind is more diffcult than bullet) Thanks.
Matur Jonghok
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
Guandong dear,letus be united citizens of a nation instead of being useless tribalistic barons.The issue of Nuer-Dinka is something that is not a business of most people it is printed in the memory of people like you even to the extend of compromising the national security. From your opinion,do you want Nuer ethnic group to stay armed when the rest of the communities are disarmed?Thnx 4 anarchy u.
unity state boy
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
Let the Marial do what he did in Lakes state,you treat the community of Bentiu like community of Rumbek then your disarmament should be peaceful .
Gunkills
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
let us give ourselves a hope that this disarmament will be different from others disarmament. Our National army are ready to protect everyone in South Sudan territory.
Alfredo christiani
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
Dear Guangdong
It seem you‘re behind the news of the SPLA, three quarters ¾ of the SPLA senior military officers and forces are from Nuer tribe , Dinkas were the majority in the SPLA during war time but now it has been occupied by Nuer , my dear uncle
Agor
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
All the peace lovers appreciated the move and would like to see the process goes peacefully.
My advise to RSS government is to deploy the SSAF at all corridors of three states (lakes, Unity and Warrap) to prevent thieves from causing cattle raiding while tracking them to disarm.
Gunkills
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
@Alfredo christiani! you mean during war time majorities of Nuer soldiers were with enemy of South Sudan?
Alfredo christiani
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
Dear readers
Let Marial try his luck but he won’t make it successful like one of lake state due to some challenges which may face him in disarmament process, one challenge is that NCP used to recruit SPLA demobilized Childs soldiers back into the army in south kordofan and sent them to unity state with huge amounts of AK 47, to distribute them to civil population in order to destabilize peoples
Alfredo christiani
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
Hi Gunkills
Of course ,you puted right
Dinka-Defender-General
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
HEY EVERYONE, THE DISARMENT IS NOT A JOK AND PEOPLE WHO ARE POSSESSING GUNS MUST GIVE IT UP TO THE SPLA SOLDIERS. WE, KNOW THE DISARMMENT WILL BE PEACEFUL UNLESS PEOPLE TRY TO RESIST THE SPLA AND THAN FIGHTING IS IMMINENT TO DISARMMENT THEM BY ANY MEAN NECESSARY. SO IT’S UP TO NUER COMMUNITIES TO GIVE THEIR GUNS PEACEFUL OR TAKE FROM THEM BY FORCE. THEY SEE OTHER COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY DINKAS.
south boy
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
infact we all want disarmament, but were these SPLA been before, last month the Nuer were killed by Dinka, what was did in lake state was not disarmament, it was sheeting, but please do it in a peaceful way, we all need peace, but if war emerge us we should have to do it so, please donot show us your power, the little that we have shall destroy the big that you have, let us work us southerns,
Bolman
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
hey state boy the disarmament that had been planed after mayaindit attacker by dinka it mean so many thing behind it just think a little bite before you express yr supports think ahead
bolman disagree
Bolman
South Sudan’s army begin disarming civilians in Unity state
the Governor of the State is the one who kills’s MoM people the Nuer Nephew blankminded blindfoolish mindless Governor who betrayer his own uncles Community to Dinka, because to powering his own business,as the Governor of State which is actually meaningless misleading others of Unity origins they become his followers
Bolman dislike Nuer Nephew