Mr. Mai Garkuot, the youth leader of Akobo County in Jonglei state speaking to the press [©Gurtong]
By Gabriel Mayom
BOR, 26th January 2012 [Gurtong] - Youth leaders from Jonglei State’s rival Counties of Akobo and Pibor have called for peaceful disarmament in their respective Counties. The Chairman of Greater Akobo Youth Union urged the Government of South Sudan to disarm the Murle and all youths as well.
Mr. Mai Garkuot, the Chairman of Akobo Youth cautioned the government of South Sudan to be on high alert on citizens who claim to be Ethiopian nationals living in his County in possession of illegal firearms.
Garkuot said that the neighbouring town of Matar of Ethiopia should be watched carefully by Republic of South Sudan because illegal guns in Akobo County mostly come from Ethiopia and late George Athor forces.
“Since George Athor’s operations were paralysed, I think there is no another way to get the guns into the State. The other way is to stop Ethiopian arms trade network. The people from Matar in Ethiopia were not disarmed well so our youths get weapons from them.”
Meanwhile, the youth leader of Pibor County Mr. Nyany Korok Keithok urged the government to promtly deploy joint forces comprised of the police and SPLA to control the area before disarmament begins. He explained that by creating buffer zones between the Lou Nuer and Murle youths, will help government to run the disarmament process successfully.
“The SPLA and police should be stationed at the border between Lou Nuer and Murle youths to avoid retaliatory attacks during the disarmament process,” he said.
In other news, Jonglei State Governor Hon. Kuol Manyang Juuk has said that without security there will be do development is the State. He appealed to the warring communities in his State to resolve their differences through peaceful means.
“The number one function of the government is to maintain of law and order. When there is law and order then there is peace and when there is peace there is development. The private sector can function, the government can deliver services to the people and social economic activities can take place,” the Governor said.