Jospeh Tshimanga / MONUC
The process of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) continues in the province of South Kivu, where all reticent armed groups are sensitised to disengage. A provincial committee team of the Amani programme went this Friday 19 December 2008 to Uvira in South Kivu, to sensitize the Shikito and Zabuloni Maï Maï armed groups still active in the southern part of the province to accept the process of disengagement.
This sensitization is considered a necessary part of the Amani programme to advance the brassage or military training of the troops, in accordance with the calendar that was established last October.
Before going to Uvira, the South Kivu provincial committee team of the Amani programme met on Thursday last for the planning of various activities which must be carried out in Uvira and on the Ruzizi plains.
According to the programme's executive secretary Célestin Bamwisho, the planned activities will extend over four days.
In Uvira, the provincial committee of the Amani Programme worked in coordination with MONUC, civil society organisations, members of the Federation of Enterprises in Congo (FEC), NGOs and religious organizations.
On Saturday 20 December next, the provincial committee will hold meetings with the various heads of the armed groups implicated in the Amani programme. All these meetings aim to popularise the disengagement plan of the armed groups, with a view to their entry into brassage.
Last November, a few thousand Maï Maï combatants should have joined Luberizi training camp, which houses the manpower of future DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) Integrated brigades.
Last August, 1,800 soldiers left this training centre and were deployed in the area.
The DDR project of the Maï Maï armed groups in South Kivu is managed by the Amani programme, with the financial support of the Netherlands government, which has contributed 2.5 million dollars for the creation of three training and regroupment centres in the territories of Uvira and Fizi.