Authorities in Tonj East County of South Sudan’s Warrap State said about 900 illegal guns have been surrendered to the state government in the last three weeks.
Warrap Governor Aleu Ayieny Aleu in March launched a peaceful disarmament campaign in the three restive counties of Tonj East, Tonj North, and Tonj South in a bid to mitigate the escalating communal violence.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on phone, John Deng Kok, Tonj East County commissioner said his community has been responsive to the peaceful disarmament exercise.
“After the government launched disarmament in Tonj town of Thiet, we were instructed to carry out disarmament in all dimensions of Greater Tonj and our county Tonj East particular, I have started and reached 900 guns that is 54 AKM and 36 PKM across Tonj East,” he explained.
“Luach-Jang alone brought 600 guns and greater Anei-Atak section surrendered 300 guns these 900 guns were collected in 11 payams,” Commissioner Deng added.
The local official claimed that the exercise will conclude in about a week due to compliance by the population. Deng said local chiefs and leaders collect the arms and present them to the disarmament forces.
“The community of Tonj East apologized for fighting national security forces last year and this time forces for disarmament are not moving to collect guns because it is a peaceful process of disarmament,” he added.
Meanwhile, Moses Madot, Tonj East member of parliament, confirmed that the exercise is going on without any hitches as it was a demand by the community.