Brazzaville says it's reducing military presence in Pool

Military leaders in the Republic of Congo insist they are reducing their presence in the country's Pool region, contrary to reports that they are increasing it, Col Michel Nsamoungana, military commander of the department, told IRIN on Wednesday. "That is just pure disinformation being disseminated by certain ill-intentioned individuals who find pleasure in creating panic," he said. "Our military presence in the department is in the process of being reduced." For the past several weeks, there have been reports of the military sending reinforcements into Pool, and that another eruption of hostilities was imminent. "Quite to the contrary, it is the rebels who are increasing their activity," he added. "They have retaken a large amount of territory, particularly along the rail line and national highway that link the port city of Pointe Noire to Kinkala, capital of the department. Many people travelling these routes have complained of the rebels' behaviour, who demand bribes." On 12 February, a weekly newspaper, La rue meurt, published a declaration issued by the armed wing of the Conseil national de la resistance (CNR), headed by the "Ninja" rebel leader, the Rev Frederic Bitsangou, alias Pasteur Ntoumi, in which the CNR accused the government of preparing for war by sending helicopters to Kindamba, about 200 km southwest of the capital, Brazzaville, loaded with weapons and ammunition. But Nsamoungana said peace was slowly returning to Pool. In Kinkala, all schools have reopened, and former rebels no longer roam the streets carrying weapons. As for the military presence in the region, he said that their mission was to assure the safety of persons and goods as well as to supervise demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants "without which there will never be a true peace in the region". A team of regional military leaders, currently convened in Brazzaville, is discussing the issue of insecurity in Pool. "The government has resolved to build a republican army capable of winning back the confidence of citizens everywhere across the country," Nsamoungana said. Several weeks ago, following a meeting of an ad hoc committee established after the 17 March 2003 peace accord between the government and Ntoumi, the head of the National Peace and Reconstruction Committee, Marius Mouambenga, announced the start of a demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration programme. The programme is being carried out with the financial support of the European Commission, which provided US $801,980 in 2003. Since the 17 March peace deal, peace has remained precarious owing to the large number of light arms still in circulation. The most recent round of fighting between government forces and Ninjas displaced almost half Pool's 200,000 people.