South Sudan seeks for alternative peaceful way to disarm civilians
By James Gatdet Dak
October 9, 2008 (JUBA) – The Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) conducted a one day workshop on Thursday in Juba to discuss a draft policy paper and identify mandate of the proposed Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control.
The Bureau is to pursue a policy of disarming the civil population in a peaceful and sustainable way with the mission to “secure a peaceful Southern Sudan in which the people and communities can live free from armed violence and the threat of small arms in their communities.”
A final draft paper will be submitted to the GoSS Council of Ministers and Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) in the next one to two weeks for approval to give it a legal basis to carry out its programmes.
The Bureau to be put under the GoSS Presidency, will work in collaboration with the concerned GoSS and state governments’ institutions, civil society, traditional chiefs and international development partners.
In his opening remarks, GoSS Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny underlined the need to explore other peaceful ways of disarming the civil population in Southern Sudan, saying there had been a lot of confrontations between the civil population and the army during forceful disarmament exercises.
He re-iterated the GoSS policy stating that only organized forces should carry arms, but added that the disarmament exercise may not eliminate possession of guns by individuals in the civil population.
“We may not eliminate but reduce and legalize possession of guns by licensing some of them,” he said, explaining on possible possession of guns by qualified individuals in accordance with criteria yet to be set by law.
Dr. Machar said the Census exercise in April this year was made difficult to succeed in Southern Sudan because of insecurity incidents in many areas in the South, urging for need to find a successful solution to the insecurity caused by armed civilians before the general elections next year.
The workshop also discussed the need to address cross-border insecurity issues among armed civilians with the neighbouring countries.
Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), David Lochhead, presented on UNDP’s related programmes and announced that the organization had earmarked $500,000 (half a million dollars) financial support to the Bureau.
The workshop was attended by the concerned GoSS Ministers and independent institutions, representatives of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), SSLA, and international development partners.
(ST)
J.James
South Sudan seeks for alternative peaceful way to disarm civilians
Hi southerners:
Dr. Riek and Biong have taken very acceptable step. This is exactly what some of us had proposed little while ago and some of the people who might have been driven by tribalistic or simply treated badly by poor reasoning capacities opposed the idea strongly.
You can never win disarmament campaign when you intimidate, torture or kill the very people. Nothing like that in this world because if you want to disarmed by force, whoever have a gun will not wait to hand over his rifle to someone who may turn the same gun on his head, all he can do instead is to be ready all the time to defend his life. Please take what happened in Lake state and Upper Nile as good example of way how wrong ideas may cause problems.
Please Dr. Riek and Biong, adapt hand gun license system, empower the local chiefs, and initiate gun reimbursement disarmament system, for you to finish the job in easy way.
I hope everybody agree.
God bless
The writer is the spear hunter around Nanahm, kongkong and Lotila rivers.
Mabor Adut Mayor
South Sudan seeks for alternative peaceful way to disarm civilians
it has become amaze to me when iheard Riek talking about disarmment and he, himself who armed people of his place and instructed them publically to waged war against Bor of the same region so idon’t expect that word to come out of his mouth. It is good to be mention verbally but idon’t think whether it will be implemented in other states such as central Equatoria and unity state. yes it might happen to be in practice in other states but iam not sure whether it can be done in the above two mention states whose leaders are regular involved in barbaric acts. please mr. vp you should developed your people mentally that will helps People of Nuer in the nearest future since you are extremely behind interm education. so, please iadvice you to utilise this opportunity carefully.
Daniel Kalaka
South Sudan seeks for alternative peaceful way to disarm civilians
The policy of disarm is ok but it cannot work out effectively unless draft policy indicate some offering package benefits for easy handover of refle!!!
Majok junior
South Sudan seeks for alternative peaceful way to disarm civilians
Dear all,
It’s of great pleasure to thank Dr.Riek and Dr.Biong for their recent workshop in Juba,however,the draft policy paper of disarment is sound good but I would like to correct the term,it doesn’reflect or it doesn’t sound like legal term,in my point of view I wish they should call it (guns control legislations),also,the involvment of tradtional chiefs and civil society will therefore be a good inititive to succeed disarment rather than to act delinquently to kill innocent people in the communities,for instance,the recent criminal deviants acted by the governor of Lakes state will be accounted to the (GOSS)if they will fail to bring these criminal into justics and to provide necessary compensation to family’s victims is appropriate such that these people should restore their emotionals and forgive one an other if it was mistake.I would also like remain you people that there will be corruption in that disarment becuase your soldiers use to disarms guns from civilian and sell them away to other communities,in this case,do you think there will be guns control in southern sudan?
cheers.
By Majok Junior.
Chol Acuoth Chol
South Sudan seeks for alternative peaceful way to disarm civilians
Dr:Riek and Dr: Biong, I can said bravo to all of you, for your hardworking on the base of disarment over whole Sudan. I appreciated you very much. By cholbonayen