The austerity measures are not affecting the demobilization and reintegration programme and the pilot phase is on hold until June waiting for 310 candidates to turn up.
National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Commission Chairperson William Deng Deng met on Monday with the press in Juba to update on the pilot phase of the training Centre in Mapel for candidates from Lakes, Warrap, and Western and Northern Bahr El Ghazal states.He said the austerity measures did not affect the training because the Government is serious about the security sector reform and the DDR programme is one of the security pillars.
Mr Deng said so far only 190 candidates turned up for the pilot phase – 14 female and 176 male – due to the bad roads to Mapel.
He added that the Commission decided to wait until June to see if the missing 310 candidates turned up.
The commissioner said almost everything is in place to start the three-month pilot programme on June.
Mr Deng said the army wants to release 80 thousand soldiers and the police, prison services, fire brigade and wildlife another 70 thousand.
He explained that the released personnel will be trained on the job of their choice, and they will get a 12-month salary plus a reintegration kit when they return to civilian life.
Mr Deng said the Government gave the DDR Commission four million Pounds for the pilot training, the UNMISS three million dollars and the German government 2.5 million dollars.
He added that after the pilot phase, training centres will be opened in Pariak and Torit to upscale the demobilization exercise.
Mr Deng explained that the 150 thousand people planned to go through the DDR training are able bodied soldiers and officers who can work and be reintegrated into civilian life.
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