Disarmament must be a wide-ranging and comprehensive duty to truly secure our country. Focusing solely on a few sensitive areas is insufficient; a nationwide strategy is essential to avoid persistent insecurity and the rise of armed groups.

The prevalence of weapons in civilian hands fuels inter-communal violence, which often erupts after long periods of simmering tension, exacerbated by issues like economic hardship or political manipulation. Tragically, this violence is frequently a business facilitated by politicians who use their power and wealth to serve their own interests and destabilize communities.

To achieve lasting peace, disarmament shouldn’t be confined to just one state, like Warrap, but must remove guns from all conflicting areas. This is crucial to prevent the formation of new rebellion groups that put innocent lives at risk.

Imagine the tragedy unfolding in Jonglei State. The rampart availability of guns has led to the formation of the Red Belt rebellion Group. The killing of two people, including a young girl, signifies a great loss and a direct threat to the government’s authority and the safety of its citizens.

This kind of organized attack threatens not only civilians but also the on-going peace process. The ambush on September 27, 2025, where the Red Belt wounded seven entrepreneurs and terrified communities in Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, is a clear sign that if left unchecked, this violence will severely destabilize the country and paralyze normal economic and social activities.

The government has a fundamental responsibility to protect it’s citizens and pre-emptively address these issues before more innocent people are harmed. In states like Jonglei, well-armed youth kill civilians in large numbers and abduct children and women, leading to an alarmingly high and often undocumented death rate.

In South Sudan today, the lines between communal conflict and political opportunism are blurred. Attacks are often politicized, with uneducated or vulnerable young people being manipulated by self-serving politicians. These youths are used without realizing the detrimental long-term effect on their communities and the nation.

Every state has appointed officials—Governors, Commissioners, Mayors, and Chief Administrators—whose duty is to ensure the security and welfare of their citizens. They must step up and be held accountable.

For the development of this country and to achieve stable peace, the government must implement a total disarmament of all cattle raiders and civilians across the states. Complete disarmament is the only way to stop the relentless cycle of killing and abduction.

All collected weapons must be placed under central government control and storage. This action serves multiple vital purposes: It is a significant step toward addressing the issue of the arms embargo by demonstrating responsible management of weapons. The collected arms can be utilized for building and equipping the national army, aiding the crucial process of the unification of forces. This would mark a great achievement for peace agreement implementation.

It empowers the government to solve inter-communal violence by strategically deploying the unified national army under a single command structure.

This decisive action will immediately help reduce cases of abduction, killing, and the sexual harassment of women and children across the country.

I condemn these acts of violence and urge the government to ensure complete and verifiable disarmament is carried out. For the nation to be safe, secure, and ready for progress, we need peace first, followed by education and development.

God protect South Sudan.

Be the spectator!