Weapons, military fatigues banned in public

Authorities in the Republic of Congo have banned soldiers of the Congolese Armed Forces from carrying weapons and wearing military fatigues in public, military officials said. "We will no longer tolerate the presence of soldiers in their military fatigues in the following public places: pubs, mortuaries or cemeteries," said Blaise Adoua, commander of the Brazzaville military region. "We call to the attention of these business owners and other authorities in charge of these areas to no longer welcome these men in uniform." The announcement came in the wake of recent calls by Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso for military reforms. "Today, we must talk about reforming our armed forces, because the recent history of our country led to the decimation of all the divisions within the force during the period of 1991 to 1997, then again from 1997 to 1999," Sassou-Nguesso said in a speech on 31 December. According to government officials, military fatigues have been assimilated into everyday wear since the end of the country's civil war in 2003. Adoua said the men in uniform were not known for being good citizens and often took advantage of their uniforms to scare and coerce citizens. "They refuse to pay transport fare or for their drinks in pubs," he said. "In reality, one must reform the minds of men in uniform, as well as teach them ethics and the meaning of their job," Sassou-Nguesso said.