South Sudan army’s top officer says nearly 30,000 illegal arms collected
August 5, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The top military officer in the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has come out publicly to disclose collection of nearly thirty thousand illegal arms in the region.
In his speech delivered to the audience gathered to commemorate the fifth Martyrs Day in Juba on July 31, he revealed collection of various types of illegal arms which sources he attributed to external forces.
“So far, we have managed to collect around 30,000 weapons from the hands of armed civil population and the disarmament exercise is still ongoing,” he told the crowd, and warned that his forces would deal with those inciting communal conflicts and supply arms to the civil population.
Dressed in full military attires, as seen on SSTV, he said the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) did not come on a silver plate, but was signed with the blood of 2.5 million martyrs. Telling the audience, he proudly and confidently said the SPLA forces will always stand guard, ready to sacrifice their lives in order to defend and protect the people of Southern Sudan and the coming generations to enjoy lasting peace, freedom and prosperity.
“We in the SPLA are charged with defending you, [the] Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan [and] sovereignty and territorial integrity of southern Sudan. This mission is an integral part of our overall vision and we are prepared to execute it at any cost,” he assured.
Accusing unidentified groups, Gen. Mai said “frequent tribal conflicts witnessed in the region are fuelled by those who wish us bad luck. They work day and night to divide us in an attempt to divert attention of our people from our ultimate goal: self-determination!”
“They supply money and smuggle in weapons to our people so that we kill one another. They instigate tribal conflicts and supply weapons [to] militias in order to destabilize us. But I assure you all that these men and women you see in uniforms are not sleeping either,” he said.
While the agreement recognizes existence of the two separate armed forces in the country, the SPLA and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), operation of armed groups in abundance remains a serious challenge to regional government based in its capital, Juba.
Several attempts to conduct disarmament in the semi-autonomous region have also met dreadful armed confrontations in many localities in the region. The SPLA forces involved in the process have had uncomfortable relationships with local authorities and population.
Despite this uneasy relationship with local populations, the army chief said the SPLA is the only force recognized by the agreement as the guardian.
Also reiterating his calls on politicians to reconcile their differences he said political scars and wounds caused and left by the April 2010 general elections require politicians to reconcile and forge a better way forward as the region is heading towards the referendum.
“We cannot afford to lose even a single life in the hands of a fellow southerner. Fellow citizens and comrades in arms, let each of us promise to bury the hatchet, put aside our differences and walk together to our final match to freedom. Let us promise to make peace with brothers and sisters, neighbours in other tribes and political nemesis,” appealed Gen. Mai.
(ST)