By Bida Elly David
The Transitional Government of National Unity is set to kick off deployment of phase one of the graduated unified forces to various locations of duty.
According to the government, the deployment is a mechanism to enhance security and pave way for training and graduation of phase two of unified forces.
Speaking to the media yesterday, Tut Galuak Manime the chairperson of the National Transitional Committee (NTC) said the implementation of the deployment of the first batch will commence next week through the concerned body.
He said, speeding the deployment and graduation of the necessary unified forces is to ensure positive security reforms for civil freedom of movement.
Tut revealed that phase two of the unified forces will be effective by March possibly.
“We have been for a meeting over the status of the forces. We resolved that all the phase one graduated forces shall report to their divisions for immediate deployment to their locations of duty to enable us prepare for graduation of the second phase,” he said.
Gatluak reiterated that they are speeding deployment of the first graduated force and the graduation of the second phase as a means to mitigate the on-going insecurity facing the nation.
“Any soldier who wants peace should report to their cantonment site. We need to restore security for free movement of citizens without fear. We need peace to the nation,” he said.
He said that after immediate deployment of the first phase, all soldiers under the second phase shall be directed to proximately report to their training zones for rehearsal in preparation for graduation.
Gatluak echoed that it is through good security that peace will prevail in South Sudan through the help of the ethical forces.
“The Country will soon reach the season of rain. So, we need to ensure speeding up graduation of the second phase before the initiative is interrupted by heavy downpour across the Country,” he said.
He further pointed that forces belonging to Simon Gatwech and Johnson Olony shall be part of the second phase of the graduation.
Gatluak moreover pronounced that the government will not tolerate inclusion of external forces which are not part and parcel of the accord on security reforms.
“We will not tolerate illegal graduation of forces except those forces that are legally recognized by the agreement on the security arrangement. All forces shall report to their training zones to enable us carry our assessment and avoid cases concerning involvement of white armies,” Tut added.
He appreciated President Kiir and the citizens of South Sudan for fighting for peace and stability.
However, Tut did not disclose the statistics of the second phase of unified forces to undertake the graduation.