War-torn S. Sudan sees drugs as major threat

JUBA

Officials in South Sudan, which remains gripped in a months-long political conflict, are now concerned about another problem threatening society: drug abuse.

"Drugs are widely being abused across the country. It is destroying the livelihood of people because many families are using drugs, and also with young people involved," South Sudanese Deputy Inspector-General of Police Andrew Nyuon Kuol told Anadolu Agency.

On Thursday, the world marked annual World Drug Day (June 26), with the United Nations designating it the "International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking" with the aim of reminding the world of the need to combat drug abuse.

Kuol said the South Sudanese police had signed a memorandum of understanding with the East African Community on fighting all crimes, including drug and human trafficking.

"If we are not taking care, we shall see many drugs coming into the country from abroad," Kuol warned. "Our challenge now is the budget ceiling, which is [too] little for running the activities to curtail drug trafficking."

According to South Sudan's Police Anti-Narcotics Department, 460 people – including women, students and children – are now in custody in Juba for drug trafficking and abuse.

"We have 460 people arrested; criminal cases have been opened against 350 of them already," department director Maj. Hakim Ajak told AA on Thursday.

"A total of 185 of them are foreigners; there are 61 students, 30 women and 25 children. About 110 are men, with 49 of them being the organized forces," Ajak explained.

He said most illegal narcotics were being imported into the country through the Ugandan border and Juba International Airport.

"The most notorious points are Nimule, Kaya and the road to Torit – all through Uganda," he said. "We have also got cases at the airport."

Sanjah Kundu, deputy police commissioner for the U.N. Mission in South Sudan, said that the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in their compound had not been immune from drug trafficking.

"We are arresting people with coca, cannabis and marijuana daily while entering the camps to sell drugs to the IDPs to make money," he said.

"People who make money in drug trafficking also invest in other crimes, including rape, assault, murder and burglary – because drug abuse leads to violence. It's very important for a young nation to be free from drugs," Kundu asserted.

He went on to urge South Sudan's embattled government to be vigilant regarding the trend.

"Drug trafficking has become the number-one global problem, with professional drug trafficking worth $300 billion yearly. It's a huge problem," he added.

"South Sudan is a fertile country so the government should open its eyes, because drugs have huge money – the people of South Sudan could be attracted," warned Kundu.

South Sudan slid into chaos late last year when President Salva Kiir accused a group of army leaders allied to Riek Machar, his sacked vice president, of attempting to overthrow his regime.

Hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese have since been displaced in subsequent fighting, while the conflict has led to a serious humanitarian crisis for large swathes of the population.

The warring rivals signed a peace deal in May following a January cessation-of-hostilities agreement. Neither deal, however, has succeeded in curtailing hostilities.

By Okech Francis

www.aa.com.tr/en