South Sudan extends search for illegal arms to all states

September 12, 2009 (JUBA) — The government of Southern Sudan today said will extend coordinated and joint police and military illegal arms search operation into the ten states in the region.

The southern Sudan police and army troops retrieved thousands of illegally and privately owned weapons including RPGs, PKMs, Kalashnikovs and pistols in the town’s residential areas on Friday. Among them also included 12.7 anti-aircraft weapons privately owned by individuals.

South Sudan minister of internal affairs General Gier Chuang Aluong told Sudan Tribune today that the huge quantity of retrieved firearms necessitated the need to extend such exercise to all the ten states.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayradit yesterday ordered the extension of the operation to all the ten states of southern Sudan with immediate effect, Gier further said.

Kiir on Saturday visited the sites where are displayed all the illegal arms collected in Juba. He praised the efforts exerted by the interior ministry and the other regular forces who participated in the search operation.

Kiir also urged the general public to cooperate with the security organs in identifying criminals working days and nights to derail the CPA.

"This search came as a result of many killing occurring at nights in Juba town by unknown thugs or criminals who are wearing military uniforms” said minister Gier Chuang Aluong.

"These unknown groups of armed criminals dressed military uniforms and positioned themselves in areas often not accessible by our nights patrolling forces," further added minister Chuang.

Asked why the government publicly displays the collected arms, he said the intention is to tell the public about the outcome of the three-day operations.

However, some of Juba residents criticized GOSS decision to publicly display the collected arms and provision before to extend the exercise to the other states.

Both Tut and Ayiik concurrently said GOSS should have conducted the exercise the same day it was carried out in Juba in other states if they intend to miss no arms as happened in Juba.

"The government has missed the timing and this will allow those possessing arms in the states to run away with them, said Ayiik Yak who is a businessman in Juba.

Tut also added that GOSS intention to collect illegal arms now is heard and spread to the other states and hence provides a great opportunity to those involved in illegal arms to go hiding with their arms.

"They will never collect any since information is already leaked to their ears," he adds.

Based on a recommendation made by southern Sudan ministry of interior, Salva Kiir directed today to un-tint all the vehicles of southern Sudan presidency and other GOSS ministries.

Also, he ordered all the members of his government and the SPLA leadership to register all the weapons they have in their houses, in order to limit the possession of arms in the region.

Source: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article32441