By Gladys Fred Kole
South Sudan cabinet has passed and directed the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ruben Madol Arol to present the amended civil disarmament bill 2023 to parliament for consideration.
This disarmament bill was issued as a provisional order by South Sudan President, Salva Kiir in December 2020, but it was not presented to the parliament for consideration.
Information minister, Micheal Makuei cited that the parliament had earlier rejected the order because it had lapse.
He said that the minister had to write it in the form of a bill to follow the normal legislative process and retable to cabinet.
“It was tabled today before the cabinet and the cabinet passed it and directed the minister to present the bill to the TNLA for consideration,” minister Makue said.
He explained that the bill is meant to disarm the civil population, noting that the government had been facing a lot of difficulties in carrying out the disarmament process.
“This time the disarmament will be concurrent so that we avoid this question of disarming some communities and leaving out others so that the whole approach will be holistic we hope that it will be in the interest of the public,” Makuei stated.
The Minister hoped that the bill once passed will be operationalized and will contribute a lot to bringing peace and stability to the people of South Sudan.
Since gaining Independence, the Country has been grappling with disarming the civilians.
In 2020, at least 127 people were killed in clashes between armed civilians and government forces carrying out a disarmament exercise in the northern Tonj area of Warrap State.