Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The authorities in the restive Warrap State on Tuesday said the insecurity that engulfed Tonj East, Tonj North, and Tonj South counties in the recent past has abated with the deployment of security forces to collect illegal firearms.
In early June, President Salva Kiir declared a six-month state of emergency in Warrap State and the neighboring Mayom County in Unity State and ordered a disarmament exercise.
According to local officials, many light weapons have been collected in the restless Tonj South County, where Warrap Governor Bol Wek Agoth has temporarily camped.
According to Warrap State Government Spokesman Mamer Bath, the security situation has now normalized in greater Tonj.
“I can assure you that the impact of the disarmament [exercise] is that insecurity has reduced and the security situation is relatively normal and calm in the three countries of Tonj East, Tonj North, and Tonj South,” he said. “As the government, we have formed joint monitoring peace committees in Tonj East and decided to identify 100 youth in the areas of Luach Koth, Akok Deng Achuil, Thiik, Jalwau, and Luanching to be integrated and deployed so that they help the police and SSPDF forces in the collection of guns.”
Minister Bath said no reports of renewed communal fighting have been received since the governor and state officials started the peace and security tour in greater Tonj.
“There has been no report regarding fighting since the government toured counties,” he explained. “However, two days ago, a small group of youth looted traders along the Ngap Agok-Thiik Road, and we deployed 40 security personnel to patrol the areas.”
The minister revealed that the peace tour will now move to Gogrial East, Gogrial West, and Twic counties.
Meanwhile, Moses Madot, the former speaker of the Warrap State Parliament and lawmaker representing Tonj East’s constituency number 25, confirmed that the governor’s peace tour to the counties has alleviated the suffering of civilians as frequent clashes have ceased.
“The state governor decided to meet chiefs in their respective counties to collect guns. The disarmament exercise started in Tonj South, where guns were searched and collected from all the payams,” he clarified. “There is calm and even goods reached Romic, the capital of Tonj East County. So, chiefs accept the disarmament exercise, but they will blame the government when threats and insecurity come from Lakes and Unity states because the youth there have not been disarmed.”
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