MANKIEN– In a powerful display of community-driven peacebuilding, more than 100 illegal firearms have been voluntarily surrendered in Unity State over the past two weeks through a community-led disarmament exercise.
The handover was officially overseen by Riek Bim Top, Governor of Unity State, in a ceremony held in Mankien.
Spurred by resolutions from a recent peace conference, local payam administrators, traditional chiefs, and influential community groups mobilized to collect weapons from illegal users.
In just fourteen days, they secured the surrender of over 100 firearms, reflecting both the community’s commitment to peace and the scale of the armament issue plaguing the region.
Governor Top applauded the progress but called for renewed urgency, saying, “The number of guns collected should exceed what has been reported.” The Governor urged local authorities to escalate efforts in the next phase despite logistical challenges posed by the ongoing rainy season.
Unity State, part of South Sudan’s Greater Upper Nile region, sits at the heart of longstanding instability. Cross-border cattle raids, revenge-driven communal violence, and the proliferation of small arms—many acquired during or after the civil war—have severely undermined security and civilian safety, according to Crisis Group.
Since the 2018 peace agreement, violence has not waned; instead, armed incidents in Greater Upper Nile—including Unity State—account for an alarming share of national unrest.
In addition, the broader security climate has deteriorated: clashes in March 2025 between the national army (SSPDF) and the Nuer White Army in Nasir sparked displacement for 50,000 people and raised fears of renewed war.
These continuing threats—compounded by border disputes, weak political institutions, delayed peace implementation, and communal tensions—underscore the critical need for local disarmament initiatives to restore stability and protect civilians.
Despite progress, authorities report that the rainy season is complicating their reach to remote areas, delaying further collection efforts. Governor Riek Bim Top urged resilience and persistence from local task forces, stressing that this phase should outstrip the initial collection figures.
Unity State’s voluntary disarmament marks a meaningful stride toward peace—but true and lasting security hinges on addressing the broader drivers of instability: ensuring equitable resource distribution, reinforcing institutional governance, and implementing the terms of national peace agreements.
