By Simon Deng
The Greater Tonj community has endorsed comprehensive civilian disarmament as a crucial step toward ending communal violence.
They are also urging the transitional government, particularly the army and other security institutions, to tighten control over the movement of arms and ammunition.
The Tonj Community, in partnership with the Greater Tonj Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Forum, organized a one-day conference on Saturday.
The conference, themed “Ideas Sharing Towards Ending Communal Violence in Greater Tonj,” aimed to achieve sustainable peace.
Manhiem Bol Malek, former governor of Warrap State and a member of the Greater Tonj community, emphasized that comprehensive disarmament is necessary to curb community violence and severe insecurity.
“The community accepts the conduct of peaceful, simultaneous, and sustainable disarmament that removes illegal arms, disarms the community, and restores law and order without creating grievances,” Malek stated on Saturday during the consultative peace conference in Juba.
Malek revealed that the community proposed establishing designated gun collection points in locations including Warrap town, Akop, Alabek, Marial Lou, Rualbet, Tonj town, Manyang Ngok, and Romic.
“We want disarmament because we want the war to stop. Disarmament can be done, but if there is still no peace, it must involve community leaders and security forces. We need laws for controlling guns and ammunition to be put in place,” he said.
Ring Deng Ading, chairman of the Greater Tonj Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Forum, explained that the Greater Tonj community convened the conference to resolve the ongoing conflict in the three counties of Greater Tonj.
“We discussed the problem back home in Tonj; people have been fighting for the last 15 years. We had an important session, and there are some resolutions on the methods that will be used during the disarmament process,” Ading said.
“We call upon sons and daughters to join community leaders and the peace and reconciliation committee that will be going down for dialogue so that we bring lasting peace and stability to the people of Tonj,” he added.
Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), asserted that the deadly violent conflict in Greater Tonj is fueled by Juba-based generals and political elites.
“Tonj is suffering not because communities need war; Tonj is suffering because we have the curse of the elites. We lack committed leadership that wants to see peace in Tonj; the leaders entertain war,” Yakani said.
“We are disappointed that we have leaders who want to kill innocent civilians, potential governors and commissioners kill civilians to step to power. If we do not close stockpiles supplying arms and ammunition, then disarmament is useless,” he concluded.
Lewis Anei Madut-Kuendit, chairperson of the Greater Tonj community in Juba, stated that the recently concluded peace conference would pave the way for a peaceful resolution of communal conflict in the Greater Tonj areas.
“We called the Tonj community to come and share their views and ideas on how we can stop the bloodshed and violence that has been ongoing for nearly two decades in the three counties of Tonj,” Madut-Kuendit explained.
“We searched for how to stop bloodshed in Tonj; it is the cornerstone for our move to the Tonj area to stop violence. Peace will come, and we will conclude with the conference at the level of Warrap in Tonj town,” he said.
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