United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)
Nina Yacoubian
27 March 2008
A seminar on organizing the site defensively for 25 FARDC officers is taking place since 17 March 2008 in Kasangulu, 40 km west of Kinshasa, MONUC announced during its weekly press conference on 26 March 2008. MONUC has initiated this training in response to a request by the FARDC Chief of Staff General Kayembe.
The session which began with a theoretical lesson in MONUC Headquarters in Kinshasa had to continue in Kasangulu. But, it was delayed due to lack of logistic means, Lt. Col. Patrick Goué, MONUC military chief of civil affairs in charge of the training, explained. "The situation is being solved now," he said.
After the training, each of the 25 FARDC officer-trainers is to go to a site and teach others some techniques such as defensive combat with the use of obstacles based on barbed wires and trenches as well as underground shelters.
This program, which comes in the framework of «specialized courses» on combat support functions directed by MONUC, also intends to "remedy some deficiencies of instruction, as the majority of FARDC elements do not have basic military knowledge," Lt. Col. Goué said.
In the same setting, another training on artillery is planned for next May for a different group of 24 officers-trainers. Just like the current training, the next one will enhance the professionalism level of the FARDC in several areas of responsibility.
Moreover, MONUC, in agreement with its mandate and its commitment for the security sector reform, continues with its "main training project" for battalions of FARDC's integrated brigades in the East of the country.
"Our role in the past was to police the FARDC; now, we must be their teachers. All parts of the force must seek ways to support training, education... that will assist the FARDC to move toward becoming a national armed force for the people of the DRC," MONUC Force commander said in his operational directive of 2008.
This project concerns, mainly, combat tactics, ambushes, map reading, civism, as well as human rights respect, child protection and fighting sexual violence against women.
Since December 2006, MONUC has trained 10 battalions in the military camps in Rwampara (Ituri), Nyaleke (N. Kivu) and Luberizi (S. Kivu). A total of 28 battalions, or 24,492 FARDC soldiers and officers, is expected to be trained by the end of February 2009.
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