9 June 2014 - Focusing on gender-based violence and community policing, a two-week trainer-of-trainers course for 45 South Sudanese police officers began today in the Warrap State capital Kuajok.

Topics of the training, organized by UN Police, include child protection, domestic violence, crime scene investigation and evidence collection, human trafficking, drug trafficking, human rights and HIV/AIDS awareness.

“(As part of) our new mandate, we will work closely with the SSNPS (South Sudan National Police Service) and Sudan People’s Liberation Army to protect civilians,” said UNMISS Acting State Coordinator Haiping Zhu.

He urged participants to take advantage of the training, which would help them serve the South Sudanese people better.

“We have so many people with different backgrounds (and) expertise to support you,” said Mr. Zhu. “This is a good opportunity… to share knowledge. … Knowledge is power; knowledge can change your fate.”

He also encouraged police officers to treat inmates with respect, as this would show the country’s commitment to international laws and treaties that govern the nation.

Welcoming the training, Warrap State Acting Police Commissioner Brigadier Logocho Amachi Logodok asked participants to impart knowledge to other SSNPS units in the state.

“You are 45 (trainees) ... If each of you trains only one person, then there will be 90 people trained, which is good,” he said. “That is the fruit which is needed.”

Brig. Logodok urged participants to build positive working relationships with junior staff so they could all work together to protect human rights in the state. He also called on them to create a conducive atmosphere with their communities to increase trust in the police service.

“Go and create relationships with your surrounding communities (and) traditional chiefs,” he said. “The overall (goal) is human rights, which should be promoted in all sectors of police operations.”