Ex-rebel leader launches arms recovery drive

In an effort to reign in his militia and improve national security, former rebel leader Frédéric Bitsangou launched a drive on Monday to recover all guns in his fiefdom: the Pool Department of the Republic of Congo. "This operation is not to be confused with the DDR [disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme] that is the government's responsibility," said Bitsangou, alias Pasteur Ntoumi, who left his stronghold in Loukouo to launch the drive in Vindza, 25 km away. Although the duration of the operation, being conducted in all the department's 14 districts, is unknown its aim is to improve security and thereby encourage residents to return home. The district had been the scene of intense fighting during the civil wars between 1998 and 2002, and has continued to experience acts of banditry by Bitsangou's militiamen and government soldiers. In the ceremony marking the launch of the drive, 18 guns were handed over to Bitsangou, in a symbolic act. He appealed to his militiamen in all districts to heed his call to hand in their weapons. He pledged to engage fully for the success of this campaign. "From now on guns will no longer circulate in Vindza and, indeed, in all of the Pool," he said. "We will be collecting our stockpiled weapons and we will see how we can work with the government." Bitsangou set up a commission and appointed Luc Koussala, one of his lieutenants, to supervise the arms collection operation. Bitsangou's so-called Ninja fighters in other localities in the Pool have helped in launching the arms collection drive and have expressed their desire to contribute to lasting peace in the Pool. Bitsangou's effort to collect weapons is in keeping with the spirit of his undertaking with government to abide by a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities accord they signed on 17 March 2003. The agreement called for a halt to hostilities; for the collection of all weapons; for no hindrance to the rehabilitation of state authority in the Pool Department; for the free movement of people and their goods; for the redeployment of government forces in Pool; and for the completion of the electoral process. In addition, Bitsangou undertook to "contribute to the consolidation of peace and security in the Pool". Since the signing of the accord, the security situation in Pool has been one of "neither peace nor war". Reviewing compliance with their undertakings - one year after their signature - the minister in charge with coordinating government actions, Isidore Mvouba, said the government had respected 90 percent of its undertakings, while the CNR had not complied with any. During the launch of the arms collection drive in Vindza, Bitsangou also called for talks with the government before the polls could go ahead in the Pool. Elections could not be held in the department in 2002 because of insecurity. Given the relative calm, the government now wants the elections held in eight constituencies in the department. "No partial elections in the Pool without an agreement with the CNR," said Bitsangou who invited the government to first organise a population census and issue free birth certificates to children in the Pool. The undertakings of 17 March 2003 between the two parties also require Bitsangou to leave his forest hideout and reside in Brazzaville. In order to speed up the peace process in the Pool, the government and the CNR launched an operation in January 2004 to disarm, demobilise and reintroduce ex-fighters back into society. The operation is aimed at 1,000 former fighters. The CNR estimates that some 50,000 of its fighters in the Pool are waiting to be reintroduced into society. The European Union offered to provide €731,000 (US $953,663) for this, on condition that each fighter surrenders at least one gun. In April 2004, the EU withdrew its offer because no guns had been surrendered.