Local youth in the Noi restive area of Warrap State have voluntarily handed 23 guns to the government there over the weekend, community leaders said.
Last month, Warrap state Governor Aleu Ayieny Aleu launched a peaceful disarmament exercise in Thiet Town of Tonj South County. The exercise is aimed at ending inter-communal violence in the area.
Ayii Agiu Kuot, the Paramount Chief of the Noi section in Tonj North County, told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday that the youth in the area surrendered their guns in compliance with the governor’s directive.
“I told my community to bring guns to the Boma and I will report them to the government and my people agreed with this strategy to bring their guns alone and hand them to me.”
“They reported 11 guns to Lou Noi Boma and 13 guns were reported to Magakdit Payam by my cattle camp leader called Makuei Majook Makuei,” Chief Kuot said.
Kuot also appealed to those resisting the exercise and neighbouring communities to obey and avoid military intervention.
Meanwhile, Kanaj Kuol Kuol, a member of parliament representing Warrap State in the transitional legislature also confirmed the handover of firearms.
“This is definitely true, we talked to local communities because we don’t want the army to come and take arms from our civilians,” he said.
“This peaceful way is accepted by the community because they don’t want conflict since guns proliferations encouraged criminals,” he added.
Warrap State has witnessed long-standing inter-communal and cattle-related conflict, especially among the communities of Luacnujang, Thiik, and Lou Paher.
In 2020, more than a hundred people were reported killed during clashes involving soldiers and civilians in Tonj East County.