Accord signed for safe passage of rail traffic in Pool

A tripartite agreement was signed on Thursday in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of Congo, in an effort to restart rail traffic in the still-insecure Pool department of southeastern Congo. According to a government statement issued on Friday, the accord was signed by representatives of the army and police force, the state rail company (Chemin de fer Congo Ocean - CFCO) and "Ninja" rebels loyal to Rev Frederic Bitsangou, alias Ntoumi. "I call on everyone to strictly adhere to this new engagement we have made for peace, so that we may attain our objective: normalizing transport along the CFCO," Firmin Ayessa, minister of relations with the National Council, said in the communique. The CFCO is considered to be a "common property", whose operation benefits the national economy, the communique stated. "This accord will enable the CFCO to carry out major operations during the dry season, particularly with redeployment in Pool," CFCO director Joachim Trimardo said. In order for the accord to succeed, leaders of the army and police force would have to control its officers to ensure "the security of persons and goods", the communique stated. "The army and police force is not always without blame with regard to events that have occurred in the department of Pool," it said. "Punitive action must be taken against members of the army and police force who are guilty of misconduct." For his part, Ntoumi, who signed the peace accords of 19 December 1999 and the reaffirmation of those accords on 17 March 2003 "must take his part of the responsibility for restoring peace to the department of Pool," the communique stated. "While Pastor Ntoumi has the right to submit his grievances to competent Congolese authorities, he likewise has the obligation to restore order among his forces who are often guilty of reprehensible acts against peaceful citizens along the railway and in the villages of Pool."