Ex-fighters allowed to join army

Former fighters from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Civil Defence Forces (CDF) and Sierra Leone Army (SLA) are entitled to join the restructured army if they meet the criteria in the Military Reintegration Plan (MRP) recently endorsed by the government. The MRP, developed by the Ministry of Defence, provides for the screening and selection of ex-combatants who wish to join the restructured army and for the subsequent training of successful candidates, the National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (NCDDR) reported in its bulletin on Friday. The first stage of the process is that all former combatants must disarm to UNAMSIL and go through a demobilisation process. Once completed each person will be entitled to benefit from either the civilian or the MRP. Screening and selection criteria for recruits are being established by the MRP. The the process, based on the principles of equal opportunity, fairness and transparency, is due to start in two months, the NCDDR said. Ex-combatants who fail to meet the army eligibility criteria will still be able to join the civilian reintegration programme. As required by the peace agreement, mechanisms have been established to ensure that the new armed forces "reflect the geo-political structure of Sierra Leone". International advisers have been involved in the development of the MRP. In addition, the international community has been asked to provide independent monitors to ensure that the MRP is implemented transparently, the NCDDR reported.