13 February 2008
Bujumbura — The National Defence Force is opposed to the disarmament of the retired army officers. The spokesman for the army, Lt. Col. Adolphe Manirakiza, says that retired officers have the right to own guns which are already registered in the army.
The spokesman for the army adds that retired officers keep their army costumes which they wear on exceptional ceremonies of the country. The spokesman for the army says that that the police have to return to the army all weapons that belonged to their retired militaries. He also demands that the police should associate them when carrying out the disarmament for there are people that the army authorised to own weapons.
On 11 February, the police carried out a cordon-search operation in Ngagara 2 where they captured eight guns mostly belonging to retired officers. The owners of the guns showed the police their permissions to carry weapons. Contrary to Kinama and Mutakura, the police did not arrest those who owned weapons in Ngagara. The police have not yet associated the army in their operations. They however associate the former CNDD-FDD demobilised combatants whose role is questioned in many quarters as they have been fingered at as the main sources of insecurity in many quarters.
Today, the police rounded up one quarter of Nyakabiga where they found six guns, military boots and police and army uniforms. Although the police are resolved to continue the disarmament a group of parties and associated affiliated to the Uprona of Charles Mukasi recently made it clear that the disarmament targets mainly Tutsis while the government continues to rearm former CNDD-FDD combatants.
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