Today South Sudan began a new disarmament program after recently passing a resolution to remove 150,000 combatants from the SPLA/national army. This will leave the country's military forces cut nearly in half in a time when skirmishes with the north are still common. They are not simply removing arms from those discharged from military forces, it is in part a rehabilitation program back into civilian life for those who have lived much of their lives as militant rebels.
Chairperson of the program William Deng Deng also spoke on the matter of child soldiers, refuting that the SPLA/national army is or ever had recruited child soldiers. However, he did acknowledge that children may have independently volunteered to join, and may now be within the ranks. He assures the world community that they will be the first soldiers disarmed and returned back to civilian lifestyle.
Bree Roozen
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