Chinese ahead of schedule on S Sudan DDR Camp

Wau, South Sudan (CNS) –China's first peacekeeping engineering team has won kudos from the local government for work done on the Marple DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Resettlement) Camp in South Sudan. The team completed repairs to 4.8 kilometers of roadway and conducted wasteland reclamation over 120,000 square meters, according to figures available February 13 local time.

Three major DDR transit camps were built after South Sudan achieved independence on July 9, 2011, and were designed to provide the professional training needed to help 150,000 soldiers integrate smoothly into their post-war peace time lives after demobilization.

Of the three camps, the Marple DDR Camp was the first to go into operation. On February 7, 32 Chinese officers and soldiers were already on site, and the groundbreaking ceremony was attended by over 400 people including local government officials, religious group representatives and community residents.

The Chinese detachment fulfilled its assigned task under conditions of extreme heat, completing the 4.8 km road exploration three days ahead of schedule.