Arop
Juba – Al-Wadi Newspaper
The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) announced yesterday a seven-day ultimatum for armed civilians in Warrap State and Mayom County of Unity State to voluntarily surrender their illegal firearms before the commencement of forceful disarmament operations.
Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, SSPDF spokesperson, affirmed that the measure is part of government efforts to curb escalating intercommunal violence and cattle raids, which have become a serious threat to the safety and stability of local communities.
Speaking at a press conference held in Juba,”Armed youth have been given one week to hand over their weapons to civil authorities or to SSPDF units tasked with carrying out the disarmament process. Once the deadline expires without compliance, a coordinated and forceful disarmament campaign will be launched in the affected areas. “Gen. Ruai said
SSPDF has already begun deploying field units in both Warrap and Mayom to implement both voluntary and forced disarmament operations. “Any resistance or failure to comply will be met with strict punitive measures.”, He stressed that
In a related context, Mr. Ter Manyang Gatwech, Executive Director of the Centre for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), called for inclusive dialogue involving community leaders, chiefs, and youth to prevent potential escalation and ensure the success of the disarmament process.
“If peace is the ultimate goal, then it must begin with dialogue, trust-building, and restoring state legitimacy. Force alone will not succeed and may produce the opposite effect.”, Manyang stated
He warned that failing to address the root causes behind civilians arming themselves — such as insecurity and feelings of marginalization — makes forced disarmament a risky endeavor.
It is worth noting that Warrap and Unity States have witnessed repeated outbreaks of violence and retaliatory attacks in recent months, prompting authorities to intensify efforts to restore order and reassert state authority in the affected areas.
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