Government Vows to Address Challenges Facing Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control

By Jenifer James

The government has pledged to address operational challenges facing the Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control, following a visit by the caretaker Deputy Minister of Interior, David Marial Gumke, to assess its work and hear directly from staff.

During his visit on Tuesday, Deputy Minister Gumke informed the media that the purpose was to evaluate the institution’s operations and understand the difficulties it faces.

He emphasized that the visit allowed the ministry to grasp the challenges affecting the bureau and assured staff that these issues would be addressed.

“I came to visit the Department of Small Arms Control in the Ministry of Interior to listen to the challenges they are facing. This visit has concluded successfully. We have understood the situation this department is going through, and the Minister has promised to address the challenges that are facing them,” Gumke stated.

Gumke highlighted the bureau’s crucial role in the lead-up to the upcoming general elections, particularly in raising public awareness about the dangers and control of small arms in civilian hands.

“This institution has a very important role to play during this upcoming election in public awareness and mobilization to give awareness on the use of small arms and control in the hands of civilians,” he explained.

He added that the ministry’s visit also aimed to encourage and support the bureau’s activities, signaling the beginning of a new chapter for the institution.

Meanwhile, Andrew Kuol Nyuon, Chairperson of the South Sudan Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control, welcomed the visit, noting it was the first time an interior minister had visited the department since he assumed leadership in 2016.

Nyuon underscored the bureau’s mandate to prevent and control the proliferation of small arms in South Sudan.

“The Minister of Interior has actually decided to visit the Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control. He is the first minister to visit this department since I took over in 2016,” Nyuon said.

He stressed that controlling the proliferation of small arms is vital for the security of both the country and its people.

Nyuon explained that the bureau fulfills its mandate through activities such as marking and proper storage of firearms.

“The bureau’s mandate is to prevent and control the proliferation of small arms. And this is very important for the country and for the people of South Sudan. We do control arms by marking, by proper storing. So all these are the mandate of the bureau,” he elaborated.

Nyuon described the minister’s visit as successful, noting that the commitment to address the bureau’s challenges had greatly encouraged its staff.

“The visit of the Minister is very successful because he has actually promised to address some challenges of the Bureau. And that has actually encouraged the staff of this department,” he concluded.