afrol News, 21 May - A disarmament process launched by the Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, is yielding results, with militias agreeing to surrender their weapons. The move is in tandem with the 4 March Ouagadougou accord signed by the rebels and the government of Côte d'Ivoire.

At a ceremony, the leader of Forces de Resistance du Grand Ouest, General Denis Maho Glofehi, handed over some arms to Mr Gbagbo. These include assault rifles, rocket propellers and mortars.

Mr Gbagbo in turn handed over the weapons to the representative of the United Nations Secretary General to Côte d'Ivoire, Abou Moussa.

Ivorian President said according to Ouagadougou accord, all surrendered weapons should be handed over to the UN representative. Mr Gbagbo said the onus now lies with Mr Moussa to do whatever he likes.

He said the disarmament is clearly indicating that Ivorians are putting the war behind them.

While assuring Ivorians in the western region that his government will always defend their interest, President Gbagbo said he will soon launch a similar exercise in the north alongside Guillaume Soro, the warlord-turned-Prime Minister.

Mr Gbagbo has not set foot in the former rebel North control part of his country. But he had earlier told some women’s associations in Abidjan that time is ripe for him to storm the rebel held areas of Bouaké, Korhogo and Man to bury weapons of war.

He commended the westerners for agreeing to lay down their arms and that his government will soon provide public service centres in the region.

The militia leader of FRGO said the Ouagadougou accord has left them with no choice other than nurturing peace, which is why they are no longer withholding their arms.

General Glofehi asked the government to include his former militias in the national disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme.

Under the programme, former fighters that agree to lay down their arms will be given CFA 500,000 as compensation. Ex-fighters will receive the money in three instalments.

The meeting ended with a big fire to burn obsolete and decades-old weapons in the presence of Ivorian and international authorities.

The militia dismantling operation is expected to finish in two weeks.

The north and south Côte d'Ivoire had been split by a rebel infiltration on 19 September 2002.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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