Brazzaville, Kinshasa agree to repatriate former soldiers

Disarmament and demobilisation experts of the Republic of Congo and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have agreed to repatriate former combants living in both countries. The agreement, reached at the end of a two-day meeting in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo (ROC), was published in a joint communique on Sunday. "The voluntary repatriation and the reintegration of these former combatants in our countries must be implemented in the shortest time possible," the communiqué said. Currently, the DRC hosts soldiers and militias who served under the ousted ROC president, Pascal Lissouba. Similarly, the RoC has, since 1997, been home to some 4,000 soldiers of the defunct Special Presidential Division of the late DRC president, Mobutu Sese Seko, and of his Zairean Armed Forces, or FAZ. The presence of these former soldiers has caused both Congos to trade mutual accusations of supporting coup makers, despite the existence of a non-aggression pact. In March, authorities in Kinshasa accused Brazzaville, and the ex-FAZ, of taking part in the 28 March attack on military targets in the DRC capital, Kinshasa. During the weekend meeting, both delegations agreed to set up a joint committee to oversee the implementation of the disamament, demobilisation and reintegration of combatants into society. The delegations also asked the international community to support their efforts to consolidate peace. In 2002, both Congos signed an agreement with the International Organisation for Migration for the repatriation of the ex-FAZ and former soldiers seeking refuge in RoC but nothing concrete has been achieved.