Hon. John Manyuon Samuel, Jonglei State minister of information - (Photo: Courtesy).

Authorities in Jonglei State said they chose to negotiate the release of 65 abductees from Pibor, instead of arresting their captors because they are more armed than the government security forces.

On Wednesday, more than 60 freed hostages were airlifted back to Pibor following the violence blamed on Jonglei militia group – the White Army.

The abductees, including women and children, were reportedly freed after a serious negotiation between the armed youth from the state.

Jonglei State Information Minister John Samuel Manyuon said the youth are armed even with heavy artillery and the government lacks the capacity to arrest the perpetrators.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Thursday, Minister Manyuon argued that a peaceful negotiation with the youth was the best idea compared to a forceful tactic that might result in clashes.

“Currently, these are youth that are wild, and you can’t arrest them. We only wanted to negotiate with them in a peaceful manner such that we do not have harmful confrontation with them,” he said.

Manyuon also believes that it is not only Jonglei youth that are heavily armed.

He said all over the country, civilians are armed to the teeth, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to prevail over them.

“You know South Sudan, not only in Jonglei, civilians are armed to the teeth and the civil forces who are the police do not have the capacity to apprehend someone who is armed.”

“So, in this case we don’t want to lose lives in all these things that why we have resort to our peaceful negotiation with the criminals or the abductors.”

Over the last three years, national and state government officials have repeated the same remarks saying that the youth are more armed than the government.

A recent survey by South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms suggests that the communities are resisting disarmament arguing the government does not offer enough protection for them and their cattle.