Ceasefire and ending hostilities agreement between the High Command of the Security Forces and the High Command of the Self-defence Forces of Resistance (FADR)

• Country/entity

  Republic of Congo
  
• Region

  Africa (excl MENA)
  
• Agreement name

  Ceasefire and ending hostilities agreement between the High Command of the Security Forces and the High Command of the Self-defence Forces of Resistance (FADR)
• Date

  29 Dec 1999
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Republic of Congo Civil Wars (1993 - 1994) (1997 - 1999) )
• Stage

  Ceasefire/related
• Conflict nature

  Government
• Peace process

  Republic of Congo peace process
• Parties

  p.p. the High Command of the FADR
  
  Colonel Pierre Boungou-Boungou
  [signed]
  
  
  p.p. the High Command of the Security Forces
  
  General Gilbert Mokoki
  [signed]
  
  Colonel Victor Moukanda
  [signed]
  
  Colonel Emmanuel Boungouanza
  [signed]
  
  Joseph Mbizi
  [signed]
  
  Colonel François Bouesse
  [signed]
  
  p.p. the President of the Republic of Congo and PO
  
  The Interior, Security, and State Administration Minister
  General Pierre Oba
  [signed]
• Third parties

  p.p. the President of the Gabonese Republic and PO
  The State, Interior, Public Security, and Decentralisation Minister
  A. Mboumbou-Miyakou
  [signed]
• Description

  This is an agreement between the high command of the security force and the high command of the self-defense forces of resistance (FADR). Issues covered in the agreement include a ceasefire and monitoring committee, amnesty, DDR, and the free circulation of people and goods.

• Agreement document

  CG_991229_CeasefireandEndingHostilities.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

Ceasefire and ending hostilities agreement between the High Command of the Security Forces and the High Command of the Self-defence Forces of Resistance (FADR)

In Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo

AGREEMENT OF DECEMBER 29th 1999 IN BRAZZAVILLE

Signatories

1. HIGH COMMAND OF THE SECURITY FORCES

2. HIGH COMMAND OF THE SELF-DEFENCE FORCES OF RESISTANCE

Introduction

By this Agreement the High Command of the Security Forces mandated by the Government,

The Party of the First Part

and

The Party of the Second Part

The High Command of the Self-Defence Forces of Resistance (French acronym FADR), mandated by the National Resistance Council (French acronym CNR), are committed to restoring genuine and lasting peace in Congo.

The stakeholders in this agreement are convinced that one of the necessary conditions for the establishment of genuine and lasting peace in our country is the non-use of arms, without exception, to resolve political conflicts.

From now on, this agreement aims to record all the relevant clauses to ending hostilities and their induced effects.

Under the mediation of "the sage of Africa", His Excellency El Hadj OMAR BONGO, President of the Gabonese Republic, both parties agree as follows:

Chapter I:

CEASE-FIRE AND END OF HOSTILITIES

The signatories of this agreement:

• Convinced that without peace, our country, the Congo, cannot preserve and consolidate national unity nor promote democracy and development;

• Convinced that only dialogue and the non-resort to weapons, without exception, can provide a lasting solution to our country's internal and external conflicts.

• Convinced that peace can be restored and preserved through the establishment of a national dialogue, agree to:

Article 1:

Put an end to hostilities throughout the national territory and particularly in the regions of Bouenza, Pool, Lekoumou, Niari, and Kouilou.

Chapter II:

THE MONITORING COMMISSION FOR THE AGREEMENTS ON CEASE-FIRE AND END OF HOSTILITIES

Article 2:

The signatories of this agreement agree to the establishment of a mixed and equal Monitoring Commission for the Agreement on Ceasefire and Ending Hostilities, responsible for:

• Monitoring and verifying stipulations for the implementation of ceasefires in conflict zones;

• Defining the practical implementation of the cease-fire and end of hostilities agreement throughout the country, especially in conflict areas;

• Ensuring the redeployment of the Security Forces throughout the national territory;

• Ensuring the demilitarisation of political parties, movements, and associations;

• Ensuring the collection of all weapons, ammunition and explosives.

Article 3:

The mixed and equal Monitoring Commission for the agreements on cease-fire and end of hostilities is placed under the auspices of His Excellency EL Hadj OMAR BONGO, President of the Gabonese Republic.

Article 4:

The duties and composition of the aforementioned Committee are listed in the appendix.

CHAPTER III:

GENERAL STIPULATIONS

Article 5:

The signatories agree to the following:

• The adoption and promulgation of a General Amnesty law covering acts of war committed from 5 June 1997 up until the date this agreement is signed;

• The free movement of persons and goods, as well as humanitarian personnel, in conflict zones;

• Reintegration of officers, NCOs, and other ranks belonging to the Self- Defence Forces of Resistance (FADR) without consultation;

• The reintegration of civil servants and other State officials from the para-public and private sector, who are members of the Self-Defence Forces of Resistance;

• The reintegration into schools and universities of pupils and students who were previously unable to take-up their schooling place because of war;

• The release of all civilian and military personnel detained because of war;

• Recruitment into the Security Forces and reintegration of Self-Defence Forces of Resistance (FADR) members into society.

• The development of humanitarian corridors, by the signatories, providing assistance to the population, under the control of the mixed and equal Monitoring Commission for the agreements on cease-fire and end of hostilities.

• The unconditional return of civil servants and other State officials to their respective services with a review of administrative situations;

• The unconditional restoration of the rights of civil servants, government officials, and members of the FADR, to defend their retirement rights following the war, as on the date of June 5th they still had one (1) two (2) or three (3) years of service remaining.

CHAPTER IV:

FROM THE SECURITY FORCES

Political stability and peace closely depend on the solutions brought to security issues in general and to the Security Forces in particular.

The status, composition, command and the establishment of the Security Forces must guarantee the stability of institutions, peace, the mutual trust of all brothers in arms in general, and the signatories of this agreement in particular, who undertake to fully contribute to the process of the imperative reorganisation of the Security Forces, while also focusing on issues relating to rebuilding careers.

Article 6:

The signatories of this agreement demand:

• The reorganisation of the Security Forces;

• The unconditional reinstatement into the Security Forces, reprising the same rank they held on June 5th 1997, of soldiers, gendarmes, and other civilian personnel who have joined their respective body no later than the date on which this agreement is signed;

• An end to all military action against the FADR signatories of this agreement;

• Recruitment into the Security Forces and reintegration into society of FADR members.

CHAPTER V:

FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC

Article 7:

The signatories of this agreement recommend:

• The establishment of a National Committee for the Reorganisation of the Security Forces,

• The mobilisation of the national and international community for multiform assistance to the population and huge support of the competent NGOs, with the aim to finance the rehabilitation and retraining of FADR members;

• The recognition of the stipulation to relax the official schooling age in favour of those children whose schooling was disrupted by war.

CHAPTER VI:

COMMON STIPULATIONS

Article 8:

The signatories of this agreement agree to promote and integrate all initiatives that contribute to the preservation of peace in the Republic of Congo.

Article 9:

They ask all citizens and organised groups to contribute to the collection of weapons under the auspices of the Monitoring Commission assisted by the signatories.

Article 10:

They demand the ban throughout the national territory of coercive acts and reprisals against any person or organised group that adheres and commits to promoting peace and national reconciliation.

CHAPTER VII:

FINAL STIPULATIONS

Article 11:

The signatories of this agreement undertake to form a united alliance that can oppose all forces that are hostile to peace and national reconciliation, as well as supporters of violence in all its forms.

Article 12:

They hope for the compliance of ethical policies, guarantee of a pluralist expression of public opinion, the strictly observed practice of moderation and tolerance by both public and private media.

Article 13:

The signatories of this agreement agree to recommend to His Excellency El Hadj Omar Bongo, President of the Gabonese Republic, as international mediator for the continuing efforts for peace in Africa and particularly in the Republic of Congo, the organisation, as soon as possible and with the assistance of the international community, of an inclusive National Dialogue towards lasting peace and the return of democracy in the Republic of the Congo, Brazzaville.

Article 14:

The signatories declare to be fully bound by the terms of the present agreement and promise to implement it completely.

Drawn up in Brazzaville, on December 29th 1999

Signatories

p.p. the High Command of the FADR

Colonel Pierre Boungou-Boungou

[signed]

p.p. the High Command of the Security Forces

General Gilbert Mokoki

[signed]

Colonel Victor Moukanda

[signed]

Colonel Emmanuel Boungouanza

[signed]

Joseph Mbizi

[signed]

Colonel François Bouesse

[signed]

p.p. the President of the Gabonese Republic and PO

The State, Interior, Public Security, and Decentralisation Minister

A. Mboumbou-Miyakou

[signed]

p.p. the President of the Republic of Congo and PO

The Interior, Security, and State Administration Minister

General Pierre Oba

[signed]