March 3, 2021(Nyamilepedia) —The newly appointed governor of Warrap State, Gen. Aleu Ayieny Aleu has admitted that the South Sudan government is responsible for arming civilians which has brought about insecurity in Warrap state.
The General who was also the former interior minister made this admission explaining how he and others armed civilians called Gelweng on Friday when he arrived in the state from Juba.
“We know what is happening because we started it.” Military Governor Aleu Ayieny Aleu said.
“During the time we were in the bush, we decided to arm civilians called Gelweng to protect their cattle from northern militias because there was no way we could fight the government in Khartoum and protect cattle from militia. After the war that Gelweng was not taken care of and as such they are now the ones stealing and raiding cattle,” He continued.
He issued a stern warning last Friday to perpetrators of inter-communal violence and cattle rustlers.
The former interior minister said that there were already two courts set in place to handle criminal cases and would soon embark on their duly mandated duties.
“The law that has been violated is what I have come to recover, I have come with courts – one is in Tonj and another one will be here,” said Gen. Aleng after his arrival at Kuajok, the state capital.
He also addressed the rampant corruption among civil servants driving home a harsh warning to all those handling state money. He particularly singled out cashiers and the accounting officers who have inflated state payrolls with names of ghost workers telling them their days were now numbered.
Bona Malual Akec, the Deputy Chairperson for Warrap State Civil Society expressed his happiness saying the power vacuum had led to insecurity across the state.
“There is a power vacuum in the state and even in the county and now the government is fully formed, the county government will be in place, and then the state government will be in place. We need the government to unite, they should not separate themselves that this is from this party or this is from that party. We are people of Warrap state, we are people of South Sudan and our goal is one, we want to deliver services to our people,” said Akec.
The Deputy Chairperson, however, cautioned that dialogue should be prioritized on the disarmament of the armed civil population.
“The first step is dialogue, we call community leaders, the youth, the women and make dialogue, we will support the government, and we will discuss what are the problems,” advised Akec.
“This is the first step and if they refuse later the government will come in with plan B which will be forceful disarmament. But if they put down their guns then we will also ask the government to provide protection against aggression from neighbours.”
