By Yiep Joseph
The Northern Bahr el Ghazal State (NBGs) has refuted the allegations circulating on social media that civilians are being forcefully recruited into the military.
After reports of fighting in some parts of the country, some members of the public, including those in NBGs, alleged that some people were forcefully recruited into the military.
This information, however, went viral on some of the social media platforms as some members of the public blamed the state authorities without verifying the claims.
In response to the allegation regarding recruitment, NBGs Minister of Information and Communication Gabriel Deng Yel urged citizens to cease getting information from unauthorized sources.
He expressed that some individuals have taken upon themselves to spread all lies on social media.
The minister clarified that there is no forceful recruitment in NBGs as claimed by some people on social media.
He added that the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has its own personnel and hence cannot forcefully recruit members of the public as claimed by some people.
The minister acknowledged that the SSPDF always guides its members and hence can look after those who took departure orders and overstayed without returning to their respective units.
“Those who took departure orders and failed to return to their bases are being taken back to resume their duties,” Deng said.
The information minister urged the residents in NBGs to remain calm, citing that there are many social propagandists who continue to spread false information.
He appealed to the members of the public to inquire from the state government about whatever they received from social media in order to avoid confusion.
Recent Warning from Civil Society
Recently a civil society activist, Edmund Yakani, warned against the recruitment and deployment of children in armed conflict as fighting continues in parts of the country.
Yakani, who is also head of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO), expressed deep concern over the resumption of active military confrontations involving the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, the SPLA-IO, and other armed groups.
In a statement to the media, Yakani said CEPO’s national early warning system has detected fresh recruitment activities, raising fears that children may be involved.
He stressed that recruiting anyone below the age of 18 is illegal and violates national, regional, and international laws on child protection.
Yakani also said the practice goes against the National Comprehensive Action Plan signed by President Salva Kiir, in which the government committed to ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers.
“Recently, we have seen fresh recruitment of soldiers and want to bring to your attention that recruiting a person below the age of 18 who is known as a child is forbidden, and it is a violation of all legal frameworks for the protection of children in terms of the national, regional, or international frameworks that our governments have committed themselves to.
“At the same time, it’s a violation of the national comprehensive action plan that the country has agreed before the international community that you will never recruit a child to be a soldier among your fighting force in your military confrontation among yourselves. This is a serious note that I want to bring to attention,” he said.
He warned that CEPO is monitoring recruitment and deployment across the country and will document all violations.
He further warned commanders not to involve children in military activities, including using them as porters, cooks, cleaners, or for any form of labor around military bases.