BLOG

It is estimated that almost every civilian household in Juba, south Sudan, holds at least one gun.  Just a few years after the resolution of decades of civil war in south Sudan, it is clear that civilians still feel unprotected by the state and find it necessary to take the responsibility of protection upon themselves. Just a few months ago, I learned of a similar situation with residents in Karamoja, Uganda who were reluctant to disarm because they felt weapons were their only form of protection.  I also remember feeling the same type of concern in the Central African Republic, when I encountered villagers who had created ‘self-defense units” in order to ward off bandits. These are all clear examples of the extreme gaps in the day-to-day safety civilians feel.

The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of civilians during and after a conflict seems to be one of the biggest challenges of peace building. Though it is vital to maintaining security, the protection of citizens, and supporting law and order in societies, large scale programs often take years to implement and if not completed enable renewed conflict.

In February, Refugees International’s mission to south Sudan found that last year’s compulsory disarmament of civilians was ineffective and led to many casualties. This week the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) launched another operation to disarm civilians.  Security forces have set up road blocks and are going door to door to confiscate weapons that are illegally possessed by civilians. The government’s response to civilian disarmament does not come as a surprise considering the rise in crime in southern Sudan and the south’s claims that northern Sudan has been arming and training groups to create further instability in the South. However, though this is reportedly the largest scale program of disarmament the UN has ever seen, it does not address the root of the problem.

It has proven ineffective to forcibly disarm civilians in unstable environments. People who feel unsafe will go to any means to ensure their protection. Community groups that start off as “self defense units” today, often morph into militias. Initially they are out to protect their communities from bandits and rebels, but find more power and safety in their new roles and are reluctant to lay down their arms.

The Government of Southern Sudan and others must fully commit to civilian protection and employ tactics that gain the trust of their citizens. The GOSS must also reaffirm its support in judicial institutions that address the victimization of civilians and revive people’s faith in the law and not the gun.