29 November 2013 - Firearms control was vital in keeping a country stable and preventing it from descending into chaos, a top UN Police official said today in Juba at the graduation of South Sudan’s first weapons marking class.

“South Sudan is emerging out of a conflict and post conflict situation,” UN Police Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Kundu told a gathering at UN House. “Control of firearms is essential before rule of law can be established.”

Management of weapons was needed to keep track of their numbers and brands, avoid mixing up component parts, reduce their misuse and trace any used to commit offences, Mr. Kundu said.

Some 15 participants drawn from the South Sudanese army, police, national security, wildlife and prison services took part in the two-week course, which was hosted by UNMISS Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration section.

Participants were trained by two internationally recognized companies in marking and tracking systems, FACTT and Traceability Solutions, on 10 mobile weapons marking kits procured by UNMISS at a cost of $45,000 each.

“Eventually we will purchase 10 systems for South Sudan so there are systems for each of the uniformed services and they can operate in all 10 states of the country,” said DDR head of small arms and light weapons unit Klem Ryan.

The project would train a total of 50 personnel in weapons marking, with two more courses planned for next year, he said. “The first 15 here will be the leaders and trainers.”

According to course participant Corporal Dominic Omuna of the National Security Service, the course would greatly assist the government to develop a weapons marking system.

“You find high insecurity in the country because small arms are in the wrong hands,” he said. “This capacity will change that.”

Unregistered weapons were scatted across the entire country, said another participant, Major King Duop of the South Sudan National Police Service. “They are in the hands of rebels, pastoralists and civilians. David Ya Ya (leader of armed group in Jonglei State) is still holding a lot of guns.”

Serving as SSNPS Deputy Chief of Stores, the major said said all guns, regardless of their owners, would be marked. “Change will come when the weapons are in stores … and people must have licenses.”

SPLA Director of Logistics Major General Marshal Stephen Babanen stressed the need for other systems to complement arms marking.

"The country is still building infrastructure,” he said. “Without proper storage for weapons there will be problems. I think this is what we will embark on in the future.”

The Ministry of Justice was drawing up legislation on weapons control, which should be complete within a couple of weeks, noted Riak Gok Majok, head of the Bureau of Community Security and Small Arms Control.

“There will be practical problems in implementing this project but … the government is committed to seeing it through,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Kundu said the pending firearms bill should come into effect as soon as possible. A bill for the general public should then be introduced, restricting small arms to personal safety and hunting purposes.