Governor Mabor promises disarmament for sustainable peace

The Governor of Lakes State Rin Tueny Mabor has promised intense disarmament next month to ensure lasting peace in the state.

Mabor expressed fears that Lakes State people will always remain worried for as long as disarmament is not done. He added there were an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 untrained and indisciplined youth in the state.

Mabor said the government needs to prioritise the exercise to address insecurity tied to unruliness. 

“I have not started my work. If we have not carried out disarmament then there is still worry. In November, we shall carry out disarmament,” Mabor said.

Joint effort

He stressed that peace in Lakes State would be sustainable with the support from the citizens of the state and President Salva Kiir. 

“This peace will be sustainable. Why is it sustainable? You are here. Who hates peace? People back home don’t hate peace. We appreciate peace. You have owned it now. It is your property,” posed Governor Mabor.

 “Who hates life? Who hates peace? So, this forum is to mobilise you as human resources to work for peace. With your support and the support from President Kiir; this peace will be sustainable.”

He said the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and other organised forces were ready to sustain peace, adding that all the looted resources had been recovered to sustain the peace in the state.

Governor Mabor promised to engage the youth in the cattle camps to collaborate with the state in the expected disarmament process.

“I will be there for the people and I will talk to some intellectuals here. We had been swimming as we chased criminals and some people claimed that some people are not caught. A criminal is a lawbreaker. If a criminal is not captured today, I am confident we will capture him tomorrow. 

It is continuous as long as I am still the Governor. I cannot leave criminal,” he promised.

Mabor urged the citizens to adopt agriculture for a sustainable livelihood, saying the prevailing peace would make it favourable for farming.

Solidarity 

In July, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) released a statement that Lakes and Warrap states authorities were involved in extrajudicial killings which sparked a peaceful protest in Rumbek, the capital of Lakes State.

The protesters termed the report as baseless, biased and unfounded in solidarity with the state government. This was after the government of Lakes State dismissed the report which was released on July 26 alleging the extra-judicial killings of 42 people who were said to have committed heinous crimes.

UNMISS claimed that the victims did not have the opportunity for a fair trial in a court of justice.

 “Since March, UNMISS Human Rights Division has documented at least 14 incidents of extrajudicial killings in Warrap, resulting in the execution of 29 males, including boys and elderly men,” the report reads in part.