webmaster
© Copyright DEHAI-Eritrea OnLine, 1993-2010
All rights reserved
From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Fri Aug 06 2010 - 11:04:38 EDT
30,000 illegal weapons recovered in S.Sudan--army
Fri Aug 6, 2010 10:58am GMT
* Tens of thousands of weapons still in circulation
* Guns could lead to violence around referendum
By Jeremy Clarke
JUBA, Sudan, Aug 6 (Reuters) - The South Sudan army (SPLA) has recovered
about 30,000 unauthorised weapons in the semi-autonomous region but tens of
thousands more are still in the hands of civilians, the SPLA said on Friday.
Many of the weapons were left over from Sudan's two-decade long civil war,
which ended with a peace accord in 2005.
Analysts say the abundance of guns could spur violence around a referendum
on independence next January.
"Of the 30,000 about half were voluntarily surrendered from the population,
others were seized after tribal conflicts and cattle raids," SPLA spokesman
Malaak Ayuen Ajok said.
"Tens of thousands of weapons are still at large. There are also many types
of machineguns."
Conflicts among tribes in the south, often fought over cattle and ethnic
rivalries, have intensified with the availability of weapons since the
brokered peace.
Aid groups say at least 2,500 people have been killed in tribal violence
since the beginning of last year.
Ajok said unauthorised weapons continue to stream into south Sudan,
particularly from the north, and the army should also slow the influx. Most
political analysts believe southerners will vote for independence on Jan. 9
after fighting the north on and off since 1955 over issues including oil,
religion, ethnicity and ideology.
(Editing by Opheera McDoom and Angus MacSwan)
C Thomson Reuters 2010 All rights reserved
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----