By SAH TERENCE ANIMBOM
The North West and South West regional centres for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration, the DDR have launched the reintegration process of Ex Amba fighters into normal civil life in the society. The process in the North West was launched at the North West Regional DDR centre by the Prime Minister’s representative, Fonye Francis, special adviser at the PM’s office.
Made up of sixty two Ex Amba fighters among them seven girls and a two-year-old baby boy born of two of the Ex fighters, the centre will be sending out its first batch of Ex Amba fighters to start normal civil life by being reintegrated into the society after spending at least a year or close to a year at the centre.
The North West Regional Chief of the DDR centre, Gabsa Nyugha Sixtus in his address enumerated some of the values that have been bestowed on the ex fighters as well as life skills so as to self sustain them when they get back into the society, from poultry keeping, pig rearing vegetable farming and others.
He used the opportunity to call on the boys still in the bushes to take the chance with the olive branch extended by the head of state for them to drop their arms and come out of the bushes as well as the special status offered to the North West and South West.
The regional chief of the DDR center also used the opportunity to enumerate some of the challenges faced by the North West Regional DDR center ranging from the lack of adequate space, beds and a fence around the centre to limit uncontrolled movement.
Representing the National Coordinator of the Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission who was unavoidably absent, Jean Claude Obam congratulated the ex fighters for taking the decision to drop their weapons and their time spent at the DDR centre. He said they were at the last stage of the process which is reintegration and assured them that government will do all to see that they are well reintegrated into the society. He simply put the package as a “wait and see package”, promising them that they will not be disappointed.
The PM’s Representative, Fonye Francis in his address told the ex fighters “…as the first batch, you are expected to go out and be the ambassadors of the DDR centre and to participate in the building of our nation Cameroon. I want to announce to you that as you graduate, some job placement has been allocated for you in some sectors and other income generating activities. This will be done in the most equitable manner and on a “first come first serve” basis and with priority given to those who have stayed longer at the DDR centre. The PM has asked that I congratulate you for your discipline throughout your stay at the DDR centre and to urge you to remain disciplined when you go out as well as be the ambassadors of this centre so that your friends in the bushes can come out and join you in the society. The PM also asked me to reiterate the call by the head of state to those in the bushes to drop their arms and come out to the DDR centers.”
One of the ex fighters speaking to the press at the end of the ceremony expressed joy as he said they had been eagerly waiting for the reintegration process to be announced so that they can go back into the society and live like normal citizens. He believes their presence in the communities will be living testimony to those in the bushes to come out without fear and join them.
A similar exercise took place in the South west region, in Buea.