Community security and small arms controls

Developing a legislative framework for Southern Sudan

The purpose of this report is to support Southern Sudan’s Bureau of Community Security and Small Arms Control in developing a small arms policy and associated legislation. It also aims to support a process of consultation with relevant actors from the Government of South Sudan (GoSS), its Legislative Assembly and supporting partners.

Southern Sudan is facing severe challenges: a fragile security situation, porous borders, high numbers of weapons in circulation, endemic inter-communal violence, and the stark reality that both the police and the security forces lack basic infrastructure and enforcement capacity. It is within the context of these challenges that the Bureau must develop small arms legislation that is meaningful for Southern Sudan’s people.

This report outlines existing legal controls over firearms in Southern Sudan. However, Southern Sudan lacks primary legislation – such as a Firearms Act – to govern the possession of firearms by civilians. In setting out guiding principles and proposing a framework for small arms controls, the report stresses that an effective small arms
control system must ensure responsible management of arms possessed by civilians and provide an effective guarantor of community security.