Jongle minister call for peaceful disarmament

February 1, 2012 (BOR) – The minister for local government in Jonglei state, Diing Akol Diing, asked the Jonglei state population to begin a voluntary process of surrendering all illegal firearms to the state government, before forced disarmament begins.

“The police will do their work and if there is any resistance, the army will come in – and I think now the president has issued the order for disarmament […] I think within two weeks things will be different in the state”.

Diing warned Jonglei state inhabitants who may resist disarmament that security forces are on high alert and will use force.

He noted that there have been repeated unsuccessful disarmament programmes in the statements but was hopeful that the citizens of the state are now “tired of carrying guns”.

(ST)