An armed cattleman at Lakatoc Cattle Camp, Tonj in the past. The area has been rocked by intercommunal violence related to cattle and revenge killings | Credit | Marcus Perkins

Lawmakers representing the Lakes region at the Transitional National Legislative Assembly have proposed for a forceful disarmament to curb deadly communal clashes in the region.

This comes after retaliatory communal clashes between Gony and Rup in Western Lakes State reportedly left 53 people dead.

The fighting, which erupted on Friday evening lasted for two days, according to the MPs.

The legislators now want the parliament to pass a motion that would allow forceful disarmament of civilians in the region.

They presented the motion to the Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly on Monday.

“The death toll was 53, but there are ongoing skirmishes on a daily basis. When they meet, they begin shooting themselves,” Hon. Daniel Dhieu, who represents representing Constituency Number Four of Rumbek East, Western Lakes State at the TNLA, told Eye Radio on Tuesday.

He revealed that over 40 people were injured in the two-day violence.

Hon. Dhieu stressed that the proposal intends to remove all firearms from civilians who are continuously killing themselves in cattle raids and revenge attacks.

Communal clashes in the Lakes region is common due to cattle raids and revenge attacks.