Over 3,000 Firearms Recovered In Jonglei

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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“The disarmament exercise is not targeting any tribe but only those involved in cattle raiding, women and child abduction. The disarmament will be peaceful, voluntarily and that’s why the authorities in the State are doing the voluntary campaign to sensitize, educate people about the disarmament,” Gen. Kuol Bol, an official of the Peace and Restoration Force said.

Bol added that, “the reason why we are disarming the police is because community members disclosed to us that most of the civilian-seized firearms are said to be in control of either the fire brigade, prison services or the wildlife police units. 

The SPLA forces will exhaust all means available to recover guns from the civilians. 

Another disarmament official Brig. Gen Malak Ayuen, the SPLA Director of Information also explained that no one was allowed to cross the created buffer zones. “There are some areas where the Murle, Dinka and Nuer should not cross, if you cross we will arrest you like any other criminal.” 

The State Governor Hon. Kuol Manyang Juuk had earlier on surrendered his firearm to Gen. Kuol Diim Kuol the division commander for disarmament witnessed by President Salva Kiir and the Minister of Defence John Knong Nyuon, Minister of National Security Oyai Deng Ajak, Deputy Minister of Defence Majak Agot, South Sudan Inspector General of the police, Lt. General Achuil Tito Madut and all the Jonglei State government officials who attended the launching of the disarmament exercise at Bor freedom square.

“If you refuse to hand in your gun, you will be considered as a criminal by the organized forces. If any tribe refuses to be disarmed, they should be ready to face the law,” Brig. Gen Malaak Ayuen Ajok said.

“We’ve got information that people have deserted their homes to so many areas outside the State. We are hereby requesting you to come back peacefully and join us in building the country,” Malaak said. 

The SPLA provided 15,000 soldiers for disarmament in Jonglei State. They are currently covering the 11 Counties of the State. 

“The disarmament will not be bloody according to some NGOs; it will be very peaceful, we will give all the civilians a chance to surrender their firearms to the disarmament team voluntarily,” The National Minister of Defence Hon. John Kony Nyuon said. 

During the disarmament launch last week, President Salva Kiir Mayardit accused some government officials of creating the ethnic conflicts while hiding in the same town.

“The logo in the Jonglei State flag showing a cow and its calf is not right because Jonglei is not the only State with cattle in South Sudan. The State flag will be changed to show a proper meaning as part of the efforts to reduce cattle rustling which is the root cause of deaths,” the President said.

Kiir told his forces to avoid tribalism during the disarmament process. “You don’t have any tribe name, you are not from Nuer, Anyuak, Murle and Dinka; you represent every tribe of South Sudan,” Kiir said.

He told the crowd that his presence there was to send a clear message to the disarmament forces to cooperate with the civilians in peace.