Employ good approaches to disarm civilians –says UN
The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Nicolas Haysom, said disarmament and demobilisation are critical for a sustainable peace that South Sudan’s leaders should commit to implementing across the country.
Haysom who is also the head of the United Nations Peace Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), told the press in Juba on Thursday that proper disarmament would reduce the inter-communal violence-related deaths in South Sudan.
After his assessment across the 10 states, Mr Haysom observed that the majority of society desires activities that would reduce the number of armed civilians in the hands of the civilian population. However, Haysom noted that the approach matters a lot.
“Disarmament, together with some other critical questions like demobilisation and integration of former combatants, is a complex question which has to be taken up by the politicians and agreed upon by the South Sudanese as to how they would go about it,” said Haysom.
He added, “How you undertake that process is always going to be an important but critical question, and there are different ways of going about it.’’
“There is cash for guns, which is known as the Liberian model.” There is the reduction of community violence, which is the model most of the international community would support. “
Several disarmament attempts have been met with resistance. Armed communities have always been suspicious as neighbouring communities would explore the advantage of launching attacks on them.
Also, sometimes organised forces have been killed in the process of disarmament. In 2020, at least 81 organized forces, including civilians, were killed and 31 others wounded during forceful disarmament attempts in Tonj of Warrap State.
Even though the presence of arms in the hands of the civil population remains the major cause of death among the communities, the government has not been able to remove guns from the hands of the communities across the country.
The slow pace of the 2018 revitalised peace agreement, especially the outstanding Chapter Two of the security arrangement, has also greatly contributed to the hesitation to surrender weapons to the government by armed civilians.
Haysom however said disarmament could be distress should the government not employ acceptable approaches that community support.
“Disarmament requires a level of community support before it can be effective, and that requires consultation with communities,” he said.
Haysom said, “It requires politicians to engage with the communities to establish that support.” It can be a fraught process if it doesn’t have that support. “
He added, “There is a demand by many South Sudanese that before there can be a successful disarmament process.” We need to answer the question as to what happens to the demobilised soldiers. “
The UNMISS boss believes lack of trust, which the government should work hard to restore in society, is the major hindrance to disarmament activity in South Sudan.
“But what we do know is that community A does not want to give up its arms unless community B also gives up its arms. So, it has to be a process which implicates everybody at the same time, “Haysom said.
