Professor Sirisio Oromo, the head of peace studies at the University of Juba, has reportedly proposed that the South Sudanese government adopt an exchange policy as a means of dealing with illegal firearms in the hands of the public.
The policy would involve the government giving communities cows, money or any other items of value, in exchange for illegal firearms in their possession.
Radio Miraya FM reports that the professor proposed this at a forum called by the Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control. The professor says a similar system was used in communities in northern Uganda, where cows were given in exchange for guns.
“It is our collective responsibility to see that at least our government should come and put a very strong law, a very strong law. It may take a process, but it will save the coming generation,” he said.
Another speaker at the dialogue event, civil society representative Geoffrey Duke, pointed out that guns confiscated during disarmament have a way of ending back in the hands of the public.
“Some communities are vulnerable to attacks from their neighbouring communities. We have also seen more arms spilling into the community after they have been collected. And that has pitched us into a cycle of civilian disarmament and rearmament.”