FILE: Suspected gang members based in Lologo Residential area. (Photo: SSNPS).

The Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with several partners, is set to organize a national conference aimed at formulating a long-term strategy to address gang violence and create new opportunities for young people across the country.

The initiative will include the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Gender, and Civil Society, alongside UNICEF and the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

A significant part of this effort reportedly involves a collaboration between the police chief and the UNICEF chief of child protection and juvenile justice.

The government partners have reached an agreement to work together on tackling the issues related to children involved in crime-related activities.

This partnership is focused on preventing children from engaging in criminal behaviour, protecting their rights, and ensuring they receive the necessary support and rehabilitation.

Brendan Ross, UNICEF Chief of Child Protection, said this collective effort will pave the way for a safer and more promising future for South Sudan’s youth.

“We’re looking forward to working together in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Gender and Civil Society on addressing gang violence issues in South Sudan UNICEF together with UNMISS,” he said.

“Together with other partners are looking at moving forward collaboratively to have a conference that will develop a long-term strategy so that we can begin to address gang violence and provide new opportunities for young people in South Sudan.”

Butrus Yal, the Head of the Department of Women and Juvenile Justice, said one of the key points raised in the meeting was the potential formation of a mobile court.

The Head of Women and Juvenile Justices said the mobile court would be able to travel to Rajaf to try these cases.

“We discussed the issue of children kept in Rajaf cases the children who have been arrested in Rajaf and we talked about how we can handle it,” Yal said.

“One of the issues that we raised in the meeting is the possibility of the forming a mobile court. So, the mobile court can move to Rajaf to trial these cases that will focus on ways to address penalties.”

On his part, National Police spokesperson, John Kassara Koang, said the partners discussed the informal mobile police units that are investigating and prosecuting related matters.

Kassara added that these discussions are part of the broader efforts to address these critical issues collaboratively and effectively.

“Have actually agreed on long-term planning and short-term planning where they also discussed the possibility of having a joint conference on Gang violence on the other issue.”

“We also had a brief informal the mobile police reports that are investigating and also persecuting the matter.”

The Inspector General of Police has been leading a crackdown on criminal gangs since November 2023.

This operation has resulted in the arrest of over 300 individuals, including the girl they were detained at Rajaf Transformation Center.

In December 2023, the Central Equatoria State Legal Administration responded by forming a joint committee to investigate the cases of those arrested.

This committee is tasked with ensuring that the legal processes are followed and that the rights of the detained individuals are upheld as they face charges related to their involvement in criminal activities.