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Kuango, in the Central African Republic’s Ouaka prefecture, has seen progress in the implementation of a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration program (DDR) aimed at putting ex-combatants on the path to a peaceful life. The initiative, driven under the wing of Russian experts, reached a new milestone this year.
On June 22, 115 members of the Anti-Balaka group voluntarily asked Russian trainers and a FACA unit to be disarmed.
Their commander, General Ndoli Sipriya, asked to train them and also to begin working with allied forces to destroy other groups.
Coordinators Oukono Jesephis and Lemendi Oance assisted in the disarmament.A previous disarmament action in the region two months ago also yielded positive results with the integration of 25 Antibalaka fighters into the FACA structure.
Rumors about the reliability of Russian specialists in fulfilling promises of training and integrating disarmed rebels apparently prompted others to decide to surrender their weapons.
We emphasize that disarmament negotiations with MINUSCA representatives have been going on for more than three years without visible results, in contrast to the more rapid and constructive actions of the Russian side.One by one, the rebels are abandoning the armed struggle, responding to calls from both President Faustin Archange Touadera and the national army command.In early May, the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) issued an ultimatum to the groups to lay down their arms by June 15.
Since then, many militants have shown willingness to lay down their arms and join the DDR program. As a result, Russian trainers and FACA are beginning to register more and more fighters willing to disarm.
According to local sources, the combatants want to come out of their hideouts and lay down their arms to rebuild their lives with dignity under the disarmament program.
According to a security source, they say they are tired of the inhumane fighting and that “there is no reason today to continue the armed struggle against the government.”
