Blue Nile state to kick off disarmament campaign next month
October 28, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The government of the Blue Nile has held a number of workshops in preparation to launch the disarmament campaign across the state in November.
The information minister of the Blue Nile Abdel-Muni’m Mohamed Abu al-Gasim said the native administration has welcomed the decision to collect illegal arms and expressed readiness to participate in the campaign.
He told the semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) the government has held several involving the traditional leaders and the intellectuals to educate the residents about the importance of the disarmament campaign.
Abu al-Gasim pointed to the adverse impact of the state’s rugged roads on the collection process of illegal weapons, stressing all residents expressed readiness to hand over their arms.
The Blue Nile state and neighbouring South Kordofan state have been the scene of violent conflict between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) and Sudanese army since 2011.
Last August, the Sudanese authorities launched a six-month disarmament campaign to eliminate illegal weapons in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan, particularly in Darfur region.
The disarmament of armed groups and tribesmen is seen as an important step that will create a suitable atmosphere for security and stability in Sudan’s war-torn areas.
(ST)