6/20/08

Congo-Kinshasa: South Kivu - Monuc Sensitizes New Fardc Integrated Brigades in Luberizi


 

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Oscar Mercado

In collaboration with UN agencies and the Congolese government, MONUC began a week long sensitization campaign on June 19, 2008 in Luberizi camp (60km north of Uvira), for the new FARDC integrated brigades as part of their training course. Nearly 1,800 soldiers will be educated in issues such as child protection, human rights, sexual violence and the role of military justice.

The training lies not only within MONUC's mandate of support to the reform of the security sector in the DRC, but as part of the new zero tolerance campaign on the recruitment of children into armed groups, which Alan Doss, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC, launched last week.

The first day was devoted to child protection training. A delegation from MONUC's Bukavu office came to support MONUC Uvira to sensitise some 1,800 FARDC soldiers.

MONUC Uvira child protection officer Rashin Kanu explained the applicable legal texts in the DRC relating to the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups. He also explained the laws on sexual violence in the DRC and the rights of the child in the DRC constitution.

Other subjects included Security Council resolution 1612 on children associated with armed groups, the competence of military justice in this field and the laws against any form of torture.

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These new brigades commenced a 12 week professional training course, and the training of the integrated brigades in Luberizi is ensured by the Pakistani Blue Helmets On the whole, 27 soldiers, including 15 officers, ensure the training of the FARDC troops which includes courses in military tactics, weapons handling, logistics and professional ethics.

This will contribute to improving the behaviour of the FARDC, often accused by the international community of not respecting human rights, of recruiting children and using rape as a weapon of war.

Upon completion of training, these new troops will become part of the14th and 15th Divisions under the authority of the 10th military region. They will be deployed in South Kivu to contribute to the reestablishment of state authority, in an area preyed upon by Congolese and foreign armed groups.






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