The committee mandated to carry out the screening of soldiers to be integrated into the unified armed forces at all training centers in the greater Bahr el Ghazal region has urged the soldiers to cooperate and accept any rank award to them.

While addressing the soldiers on Monday at the Masan Biira Unified Training Camp in Wau where the screening exercise was launched, the deputy head of the team for Joint Defense Board, Lt. General Ashab Kamis Fahal, said the screening is the only way to determine the fit officers and the giving ranks.

“I am seeing there are people here fearing about the word screening. Screening is not something bad,” Gen. Fahal explained. “The screening is to determine which position fits you, what could fit you, there is nobody bad, there is always a job that one is fit for and this is what this committee is here to work for.”

He added: “The committee has a responsibility. We are coming to develop our nation and to develop a nation, everybody has a position. Let us make this work equally without segregating anyone.”

Gen. Fahal urged the soldiers not to resort to violence but to follow rules and regulations and resolve issues through discussions.

“If there is anybody who wants to create a problem, let us tell him that the time of problems is over,” Gen. Fahal said. If there is anything, let us come down to discuss it. Our people have suffered so much and the time has come for us to do development.”

The SSPDF Division 5 commander, Major General Abraham Gum Makauc, sent his condolences to the families of the 45 people who died during the training in Masna Biira.

“I do not have much to say, I thank you for these two years. For the souls of the 45 people who died at this training center, let us stand in solidarity with their souls because they die on duty,” Gen. Makuac said.

On behalf of the state government, the minister of local government and law enforcement, Kamil Wana Uraj, called on the forces to work for the welfare of the citizens.

“We are here to say farewell to all the difficulties that we have passed through in the country and you are here as people who will rebuild the nation because a nation is built by its own people,” Minster Uraj said. “We need to maintain this peace such that we drive this country to a better place. The long delay of the graduation was because we were at war and always to translate it into peace, it takes time.”