South Sudan Must Seek International Assistance For Effective Disarmament, Official Says

Okech Francis

South Sudan has failed to comprehensively rid the civilian population of illegal guns and must approach neighboring countries to assist, an official said.

Illegal arms have been a thorny issue in the country where civilians are most heavily armed south of the Sahara.

Cattle raids and the rampant killings and revenge attacks are mid-wifed by the rampant presence of the illegal guns in civilian hands, some as young as 13 years, Simon Malual Deng, the Member of Parliament for Wulu County in Lakes State said in an interview June 22.

“If it is my own decision, the disarmament should involve international experts,” Deng said.

We are not the only country who liberated themselves. The collection of firearms happened in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and elsewhere.”

Lakes is one of the states with a huge problem of illegal guns leading to a high death rate in both intra and inter-communal violence.

Deng blamed high cost of dowry, economic crisis and bribery as vices fueling conflict among people and communities.

“A person who kills, rapes or loots a cow, he can go and bribe easily,” he said.

He warned that County commissioners, some whom are illiterate are a huge obstacle in the fight against crime in his State.

“When someone commits a mistake, the law must take its course but some commissioners are illiterate and even do not know their jobs,” Deng said.