UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
*Original text in French
Much of today's Kinshasa press focuses on the UDPS leader, Etienne Tshisekedi's declaration on the current political transition in the DRC. The papers also comment on the death of Pope John Paul II.
The leader of the Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Social (UDPS: Union for Democracy and Social Progress), « Etienne Tshisekedi repeats that the transition is to end on 30 June 2005, at midnight,' announces LA REFERENCE PLUS. The paper reports that 'The national president of UDPS has announce that as from 30 June 2005, at midnight, the transition will end as a matter of course, with the current leaders becoming illegitimate. In justifying his announcement, Etienne Tshisekedi claimed that the population had rejected Article 196 of the constitution. As a result of this, according to him, the political order that was introduced by the National Sovereign Conference will be re-established as of 30 April 2005.'
In the same regard, LE PALMARES announces: 'Etienne Tshisekedi promises a change after 30 June 2005.' According to Tshisekedi, this paper reports, 'the current power structure will be replaced by the constitutional order that was established by the National Sovereign Conference (NSC).' While noting that 'with his insistence on the 30 June 2005 deadline, Etienne Tshisekedi is placing the passing mark too high,' LE PALMARES explains that that 'returning to the NSC also means reinstating the Prime Minister elected by that conference as the head of the government responsible for the government's action before the Parliament. And that Prime Minister was none other than Etienne Tshisekedi himself,' the paper adds, pointing out that 'his insistence on the 30 June 2005 deadline can be interpreted as Tshisekedi's way of exerting more pressure and reminding those refusing to face reality that they can't ignore him if they want the current process to be a success.'
The death of Pope John Paul II also features high in today's newspapers. 'The Pope has passed away,' titles LE POTENTIEL, announcing that that people 'around the world, particularly the Christian community have been in grief since Saturday evening, 2 April 2005. The world has lost a great man of the Church: Pope John Paul II of the Roman Catholic Church.' L'OBSERVATEUR notes that the Supreme pontiff whom the paper describes as 'a tireless pilgrim,' 'died at 84, after a 26-year reign.' According to LE PHARE, it 'is a giant who leaves us'. «Never has someone's death stirred up so much emotion and meditation across the world,' LA REFERENCE PLUS says in a comment.
« Joseph Kabila and Jean Pierre Bemba divided over who should attend the Pope's funeral,' LE PALMARES announces. According to this paper, « As head of State, Joseph Kabila is expected in Rome, but apparently Jean-Pierre Bemba wishes to go as well, as he is the Congolese leader to have been received by the Pope most recently.'
Recalling that the deadline (1st April) for Ituri militias to voluntarily disarm has passed, LE POTENTIEL reports: « On Saturday 2 April 2005, MONUC carried out a search and cleaning operation in the localities of Bolonzabo and Khodeza, about 40 km southwest of Bunia.' « The operation involved the equivalent of a reinforced battalion composed of troops from the Bangladeshi, South African, Pakistani and Moroccan contingents, backed by combat helicopters of the Indian contingent,' and 'no casualty report was immediately available,' says LE POTENTIEL, quoting a MONUC statement. However, quoting 'information received from Ituri-based non-governmental organisations,' L'OBSERVATEUR says that 'MONUC's operation against militiamen left at least 19 dead.'
In a different development, LE POTENTIEL quotes the Congolese former minister of Defense, Jean-Pierre Ondekane, in an interview with the Belgian paper LE SOIR. On the Congolese army's troop strength, the former minister is quoted as saying: 'with the forces combined, there were 247,000 soldiers. There were three groups with their respective armies. The government had some 170,000 men, the RCD 46,000 and the MLC 20,000. If you take into account the forces of entities RCD/KML and RCD/N, that makes 274,000 men. That number had increased to 344,000 soldiers when we incorporated elements of the general secretariat.' Responding to a question about 'the embezzlement of 8 million dollars earmarked for soldiers' pay', the former minister says: 'it's a dream; I never saw it so I can't talk about something that I don't know. Even the 13 million dollars for the Kanyabayonga war that they talking about on the radio and television, I never saw it. It never passed by the ministry.' However, Jean Pierre Ondekane recognises that 'there is a problem of impunity in the army».
In the same regard, LE PALMARES announces: 'Etienne Tshisekedi promises a change after 30 June 2005.' According to Tshisekedi, this paper reports, 'the current power structure will be replaced by the constitutional order that was established by the National Sovereign Conference (NSC).' While noting that 'with his insistence on the 30 June 2005 deadline, Etienne Tshisekedi is placing the passing mark too high,' LE PALMARES explains that that 'returning to the NSC also means reinstating the Prime Minister elected by that conference as the head of the government responsible for the government's action before the Parliament. And that Prime Minister was none other than Etienne Tshisekedi himself,' the paper adds, pointing out that 'his insistence on the 30 June 2005 deadline can be interpreted as Tshisekedi's way of exerting more pressure and reminding those refusing to face reality that they can't ignore him if they want the current process to be a success.'
The death of Pope John Paul II also features high in today's newspapers. 'The Pope has passed away,' titles LE POTENTIEL, announcing that that people 'around the world, particularly the Christian community have been in grief since Saturday evening, 2 April 2005. The world has lost a great man of the Church: Pope John Paul II of the Roman Catholic Church.' L'OBSERVATEUR notes that the Supreme pontiff whom the paper describes as 'a tireless pilgrim,' 'died at 84, after a 26-year reign.' According to LE PHARE, it 'is a giant who leaves us'. «Never has someone's death stirred up so much emotion and meditation across the world,' LA REFERENCE PLUS says in a comment.
« Joseph Kabila and Jean Pierre Bemba divided over who should attend the Pope's funeral,' LE PALMARES announces. According to this paper, « As head of State, Joseph Kabila is expected in Rome, but apparently Jean-Pierre Bemba wishes to go as well, as he is the Congolese leader to have been received by the Pope most recently.'
Recalling that the deadline (1st April) for Ituri militias to voluntarily disarm has passed, LE POTENTIEL reports: « On Saturday 2 April 2005, MONUC carried out a search and cleaning operation in the localities of Bolonzabo and Khodeza, about 40 km southwest of Bunia.' « The operation involved the equivalent of a reinforced battalion composed of troops from the Bangladeshi, South African, Pakistani and Moroccan contingents, backed by combat helicopters of the Indian contingent,' and 'no casualty report was immediately available,' says LE POTENTIEL, quoting a MONUC statement. However, quoting 'information received from Ituri-based non-governmental organisations,' L'OBSERVATEUR says that 'MONUC's operation against militiamen left at least 19 dead.'
In a different development, LE POTENTIEL quotes the Congolese former minister of Defense, Jean-Pierre Ondekane, in an interview with the Belgian paper LE SOIR. On the Congolese army's troop strength, the former minister is quoted as saying: 'with the forces combined, there were 247,000 soldiers. There were three groups with their respective armies. The government had some 170,000 men, the RCD 46,000 and the MLC 20,000. If you take into account the forces of entities RCD/KML and RCD/N, that makes 274,000 men. That number had increased to 344,000 soldiers when we incorporated elements of the general secretariat.' Responding to a question about 'the embezzlement of 8 million dollars earmarked for soldiers' pay', the former minister says: 'it's a dream; I never saw it so I can't talk about something that I don't know. Even the 13 million dollars for the Kanyabayonga war that they talking about on the radio and television, I never saw it. It never passed by the ministry.' However, Jean Pierre Ondekane recognises that 'there is a problem of impunity in the army».
