UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
*Original text in French
The on-going political transition in the DRC, the arrest of a militia leader in Ituri and the growing insecurity in Kinshasa are the main subjects in today's press.
The on-going political transition in the DRC, the arrest of a militia leader in Ituri and the growing insecurity in Kinshasa are the main subjects in today's press.
'Transition process: the CIAT angry': titles L'OBSERVATEUR, referring to criticism by the international body overseeing the transition, in regards to the slow pace of the process. 'The International Committee To Accompany the Transition (known by its French acronym CIAT) deplores the government's delay in transmitting to Parliament bills regarding the elections, the referendum ',' the paper reports. Quoting a CIAT member, L'OBSERVATEUR writes: 'We learn that currently the call is with the Government of Transition which must work diligently to pass on the bills concerning the elections, amnesty and referendum by the time the parliamentary holiday is over. Bu we have the impression the Government is dragging its feet.'
On the same subject, LA REFERENCE PLUS warns that 'the coming days promise to be difficult for the government,' because 'failure is more than likely.' 'Busy demonising one another and quarrelling like fishwives, the ex-belligerent components had in February through December 2004 taken the country into a series of political, as well as military conflicts, all of these complete fabrications,' the paper explains. 'It would be no exaggeration to say that the government has failed in its tasks regarding the five objectives of the transition,' LA REFERENCE PLUS concludes.
Whereas LA REFERENCE PLUS speaks of the transition's more-than-likely failure, LE POTENTIEL notes 'a worrying bipolarisation', while 'the countdown to the end of the transition has actually begun.' The paper reveals that 'We are looking at two camps: the camp of those insisting that the transition is coming to end on 30 June 2005, according to the first paragraph of article 196 of the constitution, and the camp of those pushing the idea of maintaining the current institutional order (beyond that date). The latter insist on a broader interpretation of article 196, which in its second paragraph mentions the possibility of a 6-month extension renewable twice.'
Further noting that 'bipolarisation has never proved to be a good thing for the Democratic Republic of the Congo,' LE POTENTIEL assures that reaching some 'political comprise before 30 June 2005 - a compromise that should commits political leaders of all tendencies - would be a good sign.'
Also on the transition process, titling 'The Congolese want to elect their President by universal direct suffrage,' L'AVENIR explains: 'The Democratic Republic of the Congo is emerging from a tumultuous period marked by armed conflicts. This has contributed to eroding any confidence the population may have had in their political actors. And so, if this confidence is to be restored, the population wishes strongly to cast the ballot and come up with leaders of its own choosing.'
Also in regard to elections, LE PALMARES announces 'the electoral commission has only 77,000 dollars in its account.' Wondering what 'the international community is waiting for to disburse the millions pledged,' the paper notes that this 'news can only discourage the Congolese people who are looking forward to having elections.'
Today's press also features the arrest of a militia leader in Ituri. In a piece titled 'Chief Kahwa of the ethnic Hema militia PUSIC under arrest,' LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports: 'Chief Kahwa Mandro, who heads the Party for Unity and Safeguarding the Integrity of Congo is under arrest since Saturday, 9 April 2005, in Bunia. This warlord is charged with several counts including extortions, kidnappings, rapes and murders. His 'arrest comes 8 days after expiration of MONUC's ultimatum that all militiamen causing violence in Ituri and its surroundings voluntarily disarm,' the paper recalls.
On the same subject, L'AVENIR quotes the prosecutor in Bunia as saying 'The Ituri Brigade of MONUC permits us to arrest the criminals that are deployed across Ituri.'
Referring to warlord Kahwa Mandro, LE POTENTIEL notes: 'he is the historical leader of PUSIC, an armed group mostly composed of ethnic Hema from the south, present in Bunia and on the shores of lake Albert. Created in February 2003 with the support of Uganda, his movement is a breakaway group of Thomas Lubanga's Union of Congolese Patriots (UPCL).'
In some papers, several columns are also devoted to the growing criminality in the capital Kinshasa. Titling 'The government overwhelmed by insecurity,' L'AVENIR reports: 'Late last week, someone was killed when gunmen attacked a gas station in the Binza-Delvaux district.' According to the paper, 'The population has the clear impression that the government is not doing noting or little to protect them.'
'The Minister of the Interior is called upon to act', LE POTENTIEL announces in the same regard, ' because the upsurge in criminality worries many in Kinshasa.'
On the same subject, LA REFERENCE PLUS warns that 'the coming days promise to be difficult for the government,' because 'failure is more than likely.' 'Busy demonising one another and quarrelling like fishwives, the ex-belligerent components had in February through December 2004 taken the country into a series of political, as well as military conflicts, all of these complete fabrications,' the paper explains. 'It would be no exaggeration to say that the government has failed in its tasks regarding the five objectives of the transition,' LA REFERENCE PLUS concludes.
Whereas LA REFERENCE PLUS speaks of the transition's more-than-likely failure, LE POTENTIEL notes 'a worrying bipolarisation', while 'the countdown to the end of the transition has actually begun.' The paper reveals that 'We are looking at two camps: the camp of those insisting that the transition is coming to end on 30 June 2005, according to the first paragraph of article 196 of the constitution, and the camp of those pushing the idea of maintaining the current institutional order (beyond that date). The latter insist on a broader interpretation of article 196, which in its second paragraph mentions the possibility of a 6-month extension renewable twice.'
Further noting that 'bipolarisation has never proved to be a good thing for the Democratic Republic of the Congo,' LE POTENTIEL assures that reaching some 'political comprise before 30 June 2005 - a compromise that should commits political leaders of all tendencies - would be a good sign.'
Also on the transition process, titling 'The Congolese want to elect their President by universal direct suffrage,' L'AVENIR explains: 'The Democratic Republic of the Congo is emerging from a tumultuous period marked by armed conflicts. This has contributed to eroding any confidence the population may have had in their political actors. And so, if this confidence is to be restored, the population wishes strongly to cast the ballot and come up with leaders of its own choosing.'
Also in regard to elections, LE PALMARES announces 'the electoral commission has only 77,000 dollars in its account.' Wondering what 'the international community is waiting for to disburse the millions pledged,' the paper notes that this 'news can only discourage the Congolese people who are looking forward to having elections.'
Today's press also features the arrest of a militia leader in Ituri. In a piece titled 'Chief Kahwa of the ethnic Hema militia PUSIC under arrest,' LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports: 'Chief Kahwa Mandro, who heads the Party for Unity and Safeguarding the Integrity of Congo is under arrest since Saturday, 9 April 2005, in Bunia. This warlord is charged with several counts including extortions, kidnappings, rapes and murders. His 'arrest comes 8 days after expiration of MONUC's ultimatum that all militiamen causing violence in Ituri and its surroundings voluntarily disarm,' the paper recalls.
On the same subject, L'AVENIR quotes the prosecutor in Bunia as saying 'The Ituri Brigade of MONUC permits us to arrest the criminals that are deployed across Ituri.'
Referring to warlord Kahwa Mandro, LE POTENTIEL notes: 'he is the historical leader of PUSIC, an armed group mostly composed of ethnic Hema from the south, present in Bunia and on the shores of lake Albert. Created in February 2003 with the support of Uganda, his movement is a breakaway group of Thomas Lubanga's Union of Congolese Patriots (UPCL).'
In some papers, several columns are also devoted to the growing criminality in the capital Kinshasa. Titling 'The government overwhelmed by insecurity,' L'AVENIR reports: 'Late last week, someone was killed when gunmen attacked a gas station in the Binza-Delvaux district.' According to the paper, 'The population has the clear impression that the government is not doing noting or little to protect them.'
'The Minister of the Interior is called upon to act', LE POTENTIEL announces in the same regard, ' because the upsurge in criminality worries many in Kinshasa.'
