Sudan completed 1st stage of disarmament process in Darfur

December 30, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government has completed the first stage of a plan aimed at collecting heavy weapons from the troubled western Sudan region of Darfur.

Interior minister Ismat Abdel Rahman, told the Sudanese parliament Wednesday that the proliferation of armaments in Darfur remains “a security worry”. He further pointed that millions of small arms are in the hands of Darfur citizens.

Based on the directives of the commander in chief of the armed forces, President Omer al-Bashir, the first step aimed at collecting heavy weapons(four- drive vehicles and heavy guns) and the listing and registering of light weapons in the region, Abdel Rahman said.

He further said the collection of light weapons will be implemented
at a later stage in exchange for financial or other compensations to be determined in the future.

“This job must be done quietly and after a complete restoration of security in Darfur,” he said.

The minister has also declared that the police is now deployed it forces in the localities of Tina, Karnoi and Umbaru in North Darfur state, in implementation of the parliament’s directive in this regard last October.

The disarmament process includes former rebel groups signatory of a peace agreement and tribal militias which now constitute the main source of insecurity in the region.

Meanwhile, the minister has expressed his anxiety over the growing traffic in narcotics in the country.

“Narcotics have now become our primary obsession,” he said .

(ST)