South Sudan civil society raises concern over disarmament
March 17, 2008 (JUBA) — Civil society in Southern Sudan raised concerns about the way in which disarmament has been implemented in some areas, and called for a transparent and coordinated approach.
Civil society representatives from throughout Southern Sudan and the transitional areas, including youth and womens’ groups, the churches, media, peace and community organisations, met in Juba from 11th to 13th March to discuss community security and arms control issues and to present their views to government and international agencies.
The representative of civil society raised concern that some weapons collected in previous disarmament efforts have not been stored securely and have fallen back into civilian hands, and calls for all weapons collected from civilians to be effectively stored and destroyed.
The meeting welcomed the creation of the Community Security and Arms Control (CSAC) Bureau within the office of the Vice-President of Southern Sudan, and the strategies for peaceful disarmament outlined by the Vice President and the CSAC Bureau.?
But it requested the Government to work in partnership with civil society to improve security for people throughout Southern Sudan. It calls for civil society to be represented in and play a more active role in security decision-making processes at both GoSS and State levels and for mechanisms to be established for this purpose.
Following three days of discussion, civil society representatives produced a communiqué making recommendations to the Government about its proposed strategies and actions, insecurity and civilian disarmament processes.
The workshop convened leaders of over 50 civil society organisations and networks from nearly all ten States of Southern Sudan and the transitional areas.
The meeting was opened by, Riak Machar Teny, Vice President of Southern Sudan and by Riak Gok Majok, Director of the Community Security and Arms Control Bureau, recently established in the Office of the Vice President. Government and UN agency representatives attended the opening and closing sessions, to present their strategies and plans to civil society and to hear feedback from civil society.
The workshop was called by an informal working group of Sudanese and international NGOs coordinated by Saferworld. The working group included Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC), Christian Aid, Dan Church Aid (DCA), Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA), New Sudan Indigenous NGOs Network (NESI), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Pact Sudan, Pax Christi, Small Arms Survey, Southern Sudan Action Network on Small Arms (SSANSA), Southern Sudanese Youth Participation Association (SSYPA), Sudan Council of Churches (SCC) and World Vision.
(ST)