By Yiep Joseph
The government has been urged to strengthen arms management alongside disarmament efforts to end the proliferation of weapons.
This concern arose after the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) announced disarmament in Warrap State and Mayom County in Unity State.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Dr. Gai Chol Paul, Chairperson of the Coalition of Opposition Parties (COOP), welcomed the decision and urged the government to close avenues that allow civilians to access guns and weapons.
He emphasized that effective disarmament and proper arms management can prevent the spread of firearms among civilians.
Chol pointed out that without proper management, civilians will exploit the same gaps to acquire weapons and escalate intercommunal conflicts.
He noted that while several disarmament initiatives have taken place, they have failed to reduce the number of arms in civilian hands.
“The disarmament initiative is positive; however, the same methods have been tried multiple times and have failed. The issue lies in the sources from which civilians obtain arms, including rifles and ammunition. If these sources are not shut down, the disarmament exercise will be futile,” Chol stated.
Arms management involves oversight, accountability, and the management of arms and ammunition throughout their lifecycle, including the establishment of frameworks, processes, and practices for safe acquisition, stockpiling, transfers, tracing, and disposal.
To effectively reduce violence through disarmament, Chol appealed to the government to address all challenges to ensure that guns do not return to civilians after the ongoing disarmament.
He urged the Ministry of Defense to improve the welfare of soldiers and strengthen the code of conduct.
“Even if the exercise starts well, arms will still end up back in civilian hands. The best course of action for the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs is to enhance the welfare of SSPDF personnel and tighten the regulations governing armaments. This is where future disarmament efforts will yield results; otherwise, the SSPDF’s plans for Warrap and Mayom are likely to fail,” he said.
This week, the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) commenced a peaceful yet forceful disarmament operation targeting armed youth in Warrap State and Mayom County.
The directive for disarmament followed a series of armed conflicts in these areas, prompting the President to declare a six-month state of emergency last week.
In response to the military order, Ter Manyang, Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), opposed forceful disarmament.
“Disarmament, in itself, is not inherently harmful. When conducted by a legitimate and trusted government capable of ensuring the safety and dignity of all civilians, it can be a step toward stability,” he stated.
“However, this ideal breaks down when the state fails in its fundamental duty to protect its citizens. In such a vacuum, communities often arm themselves out of necessity—not aggression. They do so because they cannot rely on state institutions to guarantee their survival,” he added.
Manyang called on the government to understand and address the root causes of intercommunal conflict instead of resorting to forceful disarmament.
“Ignoring why people feel compelled to bear arms is not only unjust, but it is also dangerous. It overlooks the root causes of insecurity and strips vulnerable populations of the only means they believe can keep them safe,” he said.
He urged the government to reconsider its decision, warning that it may lead to more harm than solutions.