Sudan V-P in Darfur for arms, vehicle collection campaign

Sudan’s Vice President, Hasabo Abdelrahman, held a meeting on Tuesday with the security officials in West Darfur state, as part of his tour of the region to launch the campaign of collecting unlicensed firearms, and other tools used to undermine security in the region, in which he stressed, “war and conflict are now over”.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reports that the government of the state briefed the vice president on the current security situation and the issues that might undermine the stability there, top of which, state officials confirm, the spread of firearms and the presence of unregistered smuggled cars and vehicles.

The vice-president told the meeting that the committee he heads has held a number of meetings and came out with specific strategy for collecting all unlicensed firearms and unregistered and illegally cars that were sneaked into the Sudan from neighbouring countries.

Abdelrahman underlined that trucks and cars were smuggled into the region using the many inlets and crossing points a matter that spurred the state into taking action to halt the practice, given the fact that some of those cars are registered with the Interpol as having been used in unlawful activities in their countries of origin.

The vice president stressed that this campaign would not be confined to Darfur and Kordofan states only, but would cover all the states and regions of the country

Illegal firearms

Abdelrahman told the meeting that the spread of those illegally possessed firearms and unregistered cars has been intimidating citizens and created chaos, saying furthermore that those unlicensed four-wheel-drive cars were being widely used in tribal conflicts and community clashes, thus aggravating the situation that could have been others wide less serious when conflicts occur.

He stressed that the government would strictly apply rules and policies to prevent the circulation of those cars and would collect all unlicensed firearms. He commended the West Darfur state for standing ready to implement these polices and apply those rules.

Punishment

He said all political parties that are part of the Government of National Accord are actively involved in the campaign to collect those arms, saying punishment for government officials would be tougher if caught red handed with those weapons or cars. He said the regular forces would be the only body that would carry arms and would be responsible for all arms in the region.

Abdelrahman expressed confidence that the arms would be collected as scheduled and in accordance with the strategy, expressing hope that his next visit would be for seeing development issues in the state, not on a campaign for collecting unlicensed arms unregistered cars.

He underlined that those caught in contravention of the rules and regulations set by his committee would face tough punishment and would be they would be deported out of the state to spend their prison terms outside their home areas.

The vice-president has underlined that war and conflict in Darfur were now question of the past and that those who are still holding to their arms should come inside the country and join the National Dialogue Conference document so that comprehensive peace could be reached in the country.

(Source: SUNA)