Jonglei: Minister urges cooperation with SPLA for peaceful disarmament

February 15,2,2012 (BOR) – Jonglei’s minister of Law Enforcement, Gabriel Duop Lam, has urged citizens in the conflict ravaged state to cooperate with the South Sudan military to disarm peacefully.

Over 120,000 people have been affected by violence between ethnic groups in South Sudan’s largest state over the last two months.

After a week long tour of Jonglei’s effected counties, Duop says he has convinced the armed men from the Murle in Pibor County, Lou-Nuer in Akobo and Uror counties to stop the hostilities that has killed hundreds of men, women and children.

The casualty figures that resulted from the Luo Nuer attack on Pibor in December and early January are unknown. The United Nations (UN) has dismissed claims from the Pibor Commissioner that over 3,000 died.

In fighting between the Murle and Luo Nuer during June and August 2010 an estimated 1,000 died.

Duop said SPLA forces are moving to what he called the “buffer zones” to protect civilians and prevent the movement of criminals.

According to Duop, the forthcoming comprehensive disarmament is under way as forces have now arrived in the state.

Three battalions are already in Bor County and some more forces are on their way to Jonglei to facilitate disarmament, the minister said.

Civilians have been told not to resist the campaign despite statements from the Nuer White Army – the group claiming responsibility for the recent raids – saying that they would deploy 30,000 armed men around Pibor to “quarantine” the Murle.

The Minister of Law Enforcement dismissed this as provocative internet propaganda created outside South Sudan.

In 2006 a similar disarmament campaign resulted in the death of hundreds of South Sudanese soldiers and Nuer civilians.

“This disarmament will be friendly and peaceful and we need the youth not resist”, said Duop.

In a forum organised by the UN’s Miraya FM radio in Bor, Lou-Nuer youth proposed a disarmament in the state on Wednesday but had different opinions about whether the disarmament in Jonglei should be a peaceful or forceful one.

Dinka Bor youth speaking on the radio programme rejected peaceful disarmament, suggesting a forceful campaign to eliminate all illegal guns owned by local and unauthorised people across the state.

(ST)