Gov’t threatens disarmament in Jonglei state, Greater Pibor

JUBA – South Sudan’s Interior minister has called for general disarmament in the wake of a recent communal attack which over 30 people dead and dozens wounded in Jonglei State.

Mahmoud Solomon Agok made the call during a visit to the state capital, Bor early this week to assess the security situation in the state.

“We must significantly reduce the areas, and we must go on this exercise to restore law and order in this great region.  This state, if there is peace and stability, will be a breadbasket for the rest of the country. There is a good area for agriculture. The water is close, just by the river. It will be good irrigation”, Agok, who was accompanied by the Inspector General of Police, General Majak Akech, said on Friday.

The minister stressed that a successful disarmament exercise would restore law and order in the region and also encourages thousands of fighters from more of these armed groups to lay down their weapons.

Authorities in Jonglei State blamed the attack, which also displaced hundreds of people, on youth the Greater Pibor Administrative Area. However, Pibor officials and youth denied involvement in the attack.

The government has taken forceful disarmament as the only option to make South Sudan a gun-free nation, which has resulted in rebellion and increased civilians’ death, rape maltreatment from armed forces.

While authorities push for disarmament, security experts have expressed doubt at how the exercise would succeed without political will from the leader and citizens’ commitment to surrender their arms.

Many experts and analysts also cited past attempts to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate fighters into various communities in the region which have failed, despite huge sums of money injected by international donors to aid the process. Thousands of the forcefully disarmed fighters either returned to the bush, while known abusers have been rewarded with promotions rather than held accountable.