Arms

A lack of laws controlling the sale of small arms and light weapons, has contributed to the proliferation of arms across South Sudan, according to the Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control.

“Although the exact numbers are not available, the rough estimate of 2007 indicated that there are between 1.9 to 3.2 million small arms circulating in South Sudan,” Director of the Bureau, Brigadier-General (ret.) Christo Simon Fataki, told Eye Radio. “Two thirds are outside government control or in the hands of civilians.”

The Honorable Vincent Kojo, the Security Advisor to the Governor of Central Equatoria State, said civilians are not allowed to possess weapons.

He said any civilians found in possession of illegal weapons will be apprehended.

But according to Brigadier-General (ret.) Fataki there is a strong black market operating, which is hard to locate and even harder to police.

“It is very difficult to say how many weapons are in Central Equatoria state because the weapons are everywhere in South Sudan. What we know is that there is a proliferation and illicit trade in small arms,” he also said.  “But I cannot say there are some black markets somewhere in South Sudan, because if they were to be there, we would have stopped them from doing this illegal trade.”

South Sudan has no legislation which controls the sales of small arms and light weapons.

Arms proliferation has contributed to insecurity in South Sudan, including cattle raiding and armed robberies.