Security Will Be USSP’s Top Priority

In the wake of insecurity in South Sudan perpetrated by elements such as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), it is no wonder that “Insecurity has been a major problem in South Sudan since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)”, as USSP Deputy Leader, Brian Badi, writes. “Majority of law abiding citizens and civilians are living in fear. Many people get killed, harassed and intimidated by perpetrators who are never brought to justice. That encourages the atrocities to continue. Many people have had their land seized by force, very often, under gun-point. That is not what South Sudanese had expected to happen in their country after the civil war. They had expected to live in a country that would protect them and enable them to go about their lawful businesses without hindrance, a country that would treat them as equal citizens and offer them equal opportunities. This situation naturally alienates most citizens who feel the government does not belong to them. That is not a good feeling for people, who have a right to be in the country, to have. They feel betrayed, although they may not say anything because they are too scared to speak out. This is obviously a gross failure of the system instituted after the civil war.”

The sources of insecurity in South Sudan are clear and may be divided into five categories:

1. LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) of Uganda
2. Ambororo/Janjaweed—armed Arabs on horseback from the North
3. Armed groups (militia)
4. Individuals possessing illegal weapons and/or firearms
5. Soldiers who take the law into their own hands and use official arms to commit crime because: (a) they do not clearly understand their own national role and obligation to citizens and the civilian population; and (b) they are not paid salaries.

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