Illegal Arms Posing Security Threat In South Sudan

Illegal arms are still posing a threat to security in South Sudan, says an official.

A Senior Inspector of Southern Sudan Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control (SSBSSAC) in Eastern Equatoria State Abuya Ben Valentino said that the presence of small arms in the hands of civilians is a big contributor to the rampant insecurity in the state.

He spoke to Gurtong shortly after the launch of a campaign dubbed ‘Peaceful Referendum Without Guns’ held in Torit on Saturday.

“The presence of the firearms in the hands of civilians has encouraged crime besides fuelling prolonged ethnic conflicts that have resulted into the loss of millions of lives in the region”, he said.

He added that despite a reduction in the proliferation of arms, the state authority needs to address the issue in a bid to encourage peace and development.

“This will also attract local and foreign investors to explore the great potential of this state”, said Valentino.

The Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore said his administration has devised ways of maintaining through a number of mechanisms, including community policing.

State officials have attributed the proliferation of small arms to the 21-year civil war that saw South Sudan being used as a conduit for arms trafficking.