Rédaction Africa Links 24 with AZ Africa Links 24
Published on 2024-03-26 18:44:55
Burkina Faso: The National Gendarmerie Strengthens the Capacities of its Provosts with New Infrastructure
Ouagadougou, March 26, 2024 (Africa Links 24) – The national gendarmerie officially received four infrastructures today at the Sig-Noghin town brigade to strengthen the capacities of its provost services.
According to the project manager of COGINTA, Edem Comlan, this involves the construction of four fully equipped provost gendarmerie cells, two in Ouagadougou at the Sig-Noghin and Boulmiougou brigades, one in Kaya, and one in Bobo Dioulasso.
According to the Chief of Staff of the gendarmerie, Colonel Kouagri Natama, the construction of these infrastructures is part of the Support Project for the Strengthening of Military Justice and Proximity Justice to Combat Impunity (AJUMJUP), which started in May 2021.
“This project, funded by the European Union to the tune of 6 million euros, demonstrates the willingness of the European Union (EU) and the high authorities of our country to have an important tool at the service of the law,” said the Chief of Staff of the gendarmerie.
He added that thanks to this project, the national gendarmerie now has quality human resources for implementing actions aimed at strengthening the protection of human rights, as well as equipment and logistics to facilitate the execution of provost gendarmerie missions.
The project manager, Mr. Comlan, also mentioned that the AJUMJUP project included training sessions for provost chiefs, as well as the provision of equipment and vehicles, including 20 Aloba motorcycles and 10 pick-up trucks.
He highlighted that the project also involved the construction of an office building within the military justice department, equipped with computer equipment, and the refurbishment of a meeting room.
“Furthermore, the military justice system received 2 pick-up trucks, a 32-seat prisoner transport bus, as well as 2 motorcycles,” he stated.
“In the same vein, the highest authorities recently adopted the Military Justice Code to ensure the deployment of provosts alongside combat troops in the field,” emphasized the gendarmerie’s Chief of Staff. According to him, these provost cells will be tasked with observing infractions committed during territory reconquest operations and providing advisory support to units deployed in operation theaters.
They will also serve as a link between military justice and units deployed in operation theaters in case of human rights violations. He also urged the provost gendarmes to make good use of this equipment and infrastructure.
“This project allows for the direct deployment of 39 provost gendarmes who can act in the field with all the necessary legal texts, required training, and equipment to enable them to act,” explained Lieutenant William Combary, the project focal point.
For Lieutenant Combary, the provost gendarmerie is a specific entity responsible for ensuring that troops deployed on national territory act in accordance with engagement rules, as well as monitoring their mindset and morale.
The establishment of provost cells comes at a time when rumors of abuses, punitive expeditions, and extrajudicial executions are at the heart of the restoration of trust between the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and the population.
Burkina Information Agency
AMZ/NK/ata
Read the original article(French) on Agence d’Information du Burkina
