Unity State: Mayom County told to disarm or face military force
By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
January 16, 2012 (BENTIU) – Forces from South Sudan’s army, Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), have begun a disarmament campaign in Unity state’s volatile Mayom County where rebels have been fighting the government.
On Monday Mayom’s Commissioner, Martin Machot Deng, warned citizens through state radio Bentiu FM 99 to handover their illegal arms to the SPLA. If weapons are not handed over peacefully, force would be applied in the areas affected by the rebels.
South Sudan is still awash with small arms following decades of civil war with north Sudan, which ended in the 2005 peace deal.
In July last year South Sudan gained independence but continued to accuse Khartoum of arming rebel groups in its territory.
He said that citizens should disarm to allow peace to return to the area so that development projects could take place. Last year the SSLA attacked Mayom town and has threatened to attack Bentui, the state capital.
The rebel group have also been accused of laying land mines in the area making it difficult for agencies to provide humanitarian assistance and restricting movement.
Commissioner Deng warned citizens not to blame the government for the consequences if they did not disarm. He said that the SPLA had tried to use traditional networks of local chiefs but if that did not work the army would use force.
Unity State advisor for security, Michael Chieng Jiek Geay, and Mayom MPs have joined the commissioner in spreading awareness of the campaign in their constituencies.
“It is important to live without guns and your security will be handle by the government rather than using illegal arms to attack your neighborhood”, said the state advisor.
South Sudan’s military say they have deployed three divisions around the borders of Mayom County to monitor the movement of those who may resist the exercise.
(ST)