Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abidjan (Fides Service)- “Hope is last to die but it is sorely tried” a missionary told Fides commenting the failed agreement over the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Rehabilitation process in the country.
After 5 days of talks in the country’s political capital Yamoussoukro, the delegations of the regular army and the New Forces rebels who control the north, decided to suspend negotiations after failing to reach an agreement on a date for disarmament and a calendar for the various stages of withdrawal of arms. Talks should be resumed on Friday 13 May.
“Besides the reasons given by the parties, it is clear there are divergences difficult to overcome” the missionary told Fides. “Most complicated is the position of the New Forces which continue to make new requests forcing the negotiations to be never ending. As soon as the government agrees to one concession, the rebels ask for something else”.
“This attitude is due to the fact the many members of the rebellion want to keep things as they are” the missionary said. “Since September 2002 the north of the country has been in their hands. After stealing and destroying everything, they even occupied the homes of the people forcing the latter to flee to the government controlled area. And now they do not intend to give up what they have gained”.
“Local people who know the rebels well, say the boy soldiers recruited by the New Forces fear the DDR programme because it does not envisage their inclusion in the national army. All that these boys have even known is fighting, they have no schooling and now they are said to be hiding weapons and planning to form gangs to continue to rob the people even after a peace agreement” the missionary said.
“In fact one major problem is how to fund the disarmament process, since the rebels want to be paid for the weapons they hand in. It is also necessary to create the conditions for development of the country ruined by years of civil war, but there appears to be no such programme on the horizon” the missionary concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 9/5/20005 righe 35 parole 422)
