“Neutral investigators” to kickstart ceasefire implementation

The OAU has deployed eight “neutral investigators” to the government-held town of Kabinda and intends to have all 30 of its investigators on the ground by Friday to monitor compliance with the terms of the Lusaka ceasefire, OAU conflict resolution chief Sam Ibok told IRIN on Wednesday. “Without means of verification, you’re bound to have incidents, claims and counter-claims ... We’re now in a position to monitor compliance, to see who’s doing what, at least in some critical areas,” Ibok said. This “confidence-building deployment” would, for the first time, fully establish the ceasefire with the combatants on the ground and “provide a way of helping to resolve problems locally”, he added.