afrol News, 20 June - Southern Sudanese authorities have embarked on a massive campaign to disarm civilians in possession of weapons to end decades of civil war, which has killed hundreds of thousands in the country.

The region's Internal Affairs Minister Paul Mayom said few guns had been handed in voluntarily, calling for a new army backed search for weapons, further promising that even communities nearby would also be disarmed to avoid bloodshed.

"This new approach is comprehensive disarmament, by removing all illegal guns," Mr Mayom was quoted by Reuters in his explanation.

An attempt to disarm civilians by Southern Sudanese authorities in 2005 after government signed a peace deal with Southern rebels to end 21 years of conflict led to death over 1 500 people as nearby communities who were still armed took advantage knowing that their neighbours were vulnerable.

A Swiss-based independent research group, Small Arms Survey, estimated some 1,200 civilians and 400 soldiers were killed in a campaign to disarm the Lou Nuer tribe as their neighbours retained weapons.

Sudan's civil war which has been dragging for decades, has resulted in tribal communities being given or buying weapons to protect their land and cattle.

Sudan is still trying to restore peace in disputed oil rich Abyei region, which has sparked fears of renewed civil war. A joint north-south force has been deployed in the area in an effort to defuse tensions.

Over 50,000 people are reported to have been displaced from the area since bloody fighting erupted last month.

As part of the 2005 deal, nationwide elections are due to take place next year, to be followed in 2011 by a referendum on whether the south should secede.

About 400,000 civilians, including women and children, have been slaughtered, raped or robbed while over 2.5 million displaced since 2003 in continuing merciless violence in Sudan.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories