JUBA — South Sudan opposition Democratic Change Party (CD), led by Onyoti Adigo Nyikuac, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, on Friday appealed to community-based militias to lay down their weapons amid rising communal violence in the country.
While addressing journalists at a press conference marking the 16th anniversary of the party in Juba, Magod Maker Mayindi, spokesman of the Democratic Change Party, said communities with armed groups should lay down their weapons and seek dialogue to restore peace and stability in the country.
“We urge other communities with armed groups to lay down their weapons in favor of peace,” Maker said.
Maker also appealed to the peace parties to de-escalate conflict and give mediation and dialogue a chance.
“The Democratic Change Party calls on all signatories and stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue to prevent a return to conflict and fully implement all outstanding provisions of the peace agreement.”
He criticized the existence of four armed groups in the country, stressing the need to have a single army to address the ongoing political and security challenges in the country.
“We call upon political parties having military wings to avoid distance from their armies and unify all armed forces under one commander-in-chief,” he said.
He noted that the presence of various armed groups, including those associated with political parties, has contributed to widespread violence and instability in the country.
“Now you have seen by yourself all the fighting that is going on. You know, we always call for a peaceful political dialogue in our country, but it will be hard for those who are having arms to negotiate peacefully,” he said.
Widespread attacks against civilians persist across South Sudan, driven primarily by subnational armed violence involving community-based militias and/or civil defense groups, according to the latest quarterly brief by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Between January and March 2024, UNMISS documented 240 incidents of violence affecting 913 civilians nationwide, of which 468 were killed, 328 were injured, 70 were abducted, and 47 were subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.
This represents a 24 percent increase in the number of violent incidents (from 194 to 240) compared to the same period in 2023.
