18 July 2014 - Completing a three-month intensive training in munitions disposal, basic life support and emergency trauma, 19 South Sudanese police officers graduated today at Rajaf complex outside Juba.

The course for the South Sudan National Police Service in Conventional Munitions Disposal (CMD) was conducted by Irish Defense Forces in partnership with the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and UN Police.

Speaking during the graduation, UN Police Commissioner Fred Yiga urged graduates to use the skills and techniques acquired to save South Sudanese lives.

“Protection of the people who can’t protect themselves is the main core of the mandate,” Mr. Yiga said. “There is no time to waste and people expect services.”

“As UNPOL, we are going to cooperate with the local police to make sure people feel the police presence,” he added. “Police officers should know that it is their duty to protect people’s lives and property.”

Mr. Yiga said UNPOL would help local police identify areas for training in human rights and community policing. “We will equip them so that … IDPs (internally displaced persons) feel comfortable that police are there and go back home.”

Greater Equatoria Police Commissioner and Assistant Inspector General of Police Major General Sabiti Makelele advised participants to use their knowledge to help communities.

“Take the little knowledge you have acquired here and make use of it and help the communities,” he said. “Police must be close to the people and protect the civilians.”

The training was aimed at equipping local police with the capability of safely identifying and removing, where possible, unexploded munitions affecting communities.

The SSNPS recently acquired six CMD-trained teams, which can potentially cover six states in the future.

The years of prolonged conflict in South Sudan has left villages and towns throughout the 10 states contaminated with explosive remnants of war. The UN and other non-governmental organizations have cleared over 850,000 items, but a large number of contaminated areas still remain.