UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
*Original in French
Today's papers devote their columns to the latest developments of the electoral process in the DRC and President Mbeki's mediation in the crisis between DRC President Joseph Kabila and Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba.
Today's papers devote their columns to the latest developments of the electoral process in the DRC and President Mbeki's mediation in the crisis between DRC President Joseph Kabila and Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba.
'In order to speed up the transition process, an inter-institutional commission on elections has been set up,' announces LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, referring to the outcome of Monday's meeting, at the Palais du Peuple, between the International Committee To Support the Transition (ICST) and the two chambers of the Transitional Parliament. 'This decision is consistent with resolution 1565 of the United Nations Security Council. The commission's main objective will be to provide political support, technical assistance and facilitation in the process of elaborating texts essential for the effective execution of the transition,' the paper says.
In recent days there has been a lot of bickering over a possible extension of the transition period. 'The ICST should avoid any complaisance,' warns LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES. 'If, in collusion with the Parliament, the ISCT is considering accepting any extension of the transition, it will be granted no forgiveness,' adds the paper, accusing the ICST of having 'endorsed the cheating [occurring] in the days following the Inter Congolese Dialogue of Sun City.'
Referring to the Parliament's current session, L'OBSERVATEUR announces: 'the components and entities of the Inter Congolese Dialogue will, from January 31st, 2005, be holding negotiations to set up the electoral calendar. This will be an important debate, because the meeting will certainly consider the possibility of extending the transition beyond 30 June 2005.'
In a story titled 'Only five months before the elections: The leaders are waking up because of pressure', LE PHARE expresses surprise that 'a joint commission had to be set up to allow complete drafting of the laws, as if those in the two chambers of Parliament, who are paid to do their jobs, were unable to do so without pressure from the ICST.'
'The M17 says the transition has failed', reports LE PHARE in another piece. The paper is referring to the position of the political party Mouvement du 17 Mai 1997) whose leader has branded the ICST-Parliament meeting as 'a move that tends to give a new mandate to the transition's officials of all sides, and to set new objectives after those negotiated in Sun City have failed.'
Striking an optimistic note, LE POTENTIEL says there is 'No more doubt the elections [will be held] in 2005'. 'Things seem to be moving ahead. One may say that the [recent] general strikes are beginning to bear their fruit. The ruling class is waking up. In less than one week two important meetings have been held: one at the 'Palais de la Nation' between the institutions, the Independent Electoral Commission and the CIAT; another on Saturday between the offices of the National Assembly and the Senate,' writes the paper, wondering if ' the leaders of the transition are coming out of their lethargy''
Commenting on the joint statement published after the ICST-Parliament meeting, L'AVENIR says the 'the ICST and the Parliament pledged to ensure the success of the transition.'
LA REFERENCE PLUS, meanwhile, quotes an AFP dispatch that reads 'the transition in the DRC [is] still shaky five months before the hypothetical elections.' A diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, is quoted as telling AFP 'Everybody knows it is impossible to hold elections by June 30. The Constitution is not yet adopted and the registration of voters has not yet started.'
There have been reports that the South African President was due to come to Kinshasa today. In view of the current differences among the components of the government, LA REFERENCE PLUS believes that ' [Thabo] Mbeki has little chance to resolve the crisis between Kabila and Bemba.' This is, according to the paper, because of the following reasons: 'The PPRD refuses to share with other components the posts of responsibility within the provincial administration; the ICST opts for having provincial administrators shifted around from the East to the West and vice versa; only a frail compromise has been reached on the sharing of posts within the State-run enterprises.'
Speaking about the outcomes of an unexpected reconciliation, LE PALMARES writes: 'J. Kabila and J.P. Bemba set fire between Thabo Mbeki and the [Omar] Bongo-Sassou [Nguesso] duo.' The paper is referring to what it calls the leadership battle among African leaders in addressing the crises on the continent. 'African heads of State have always opposed one another because of a pathological search for leadership,' the paper writes.
Announcing on its front page that 'The Central Bank escapes a hold-up', L'AVENIR says it is surprising that 'the masterminds are among the components [of the government] that are seeking to take control over [the Bank] while this institution should remain independent. Their aim is to grab hold of the necessary funds for the elections '
In recent days there has been a lot of bickering over a possible extension of the transition period. 'The ICST should avoid any complaisance,' warns LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES. 'If, in collusion with the Parliament, the ISCT is considering accepting any extension of the transition, it will be granted no forgiveness,' adds the paper, accusing the ICST of having 'endorsed the cheating [occurring] in the days following the Inter Congolese Dialogue of Sun City.'
Referring to the Parliament's current session, L'OBSERVATEUR announces: 'the components and entities of the Inter Congolese Dialogue will, from January 31st, 2005, be holding negotiations to set up the electoral calendar. This will be an important debate, because the meeting will certainly consider the possibility of extending the transition beyond 30 June 2005.'
In a story titled 'Only five months before the elections: The leaders are waking up because of pressure', LE PHARE expresses surprise that 'a joint commission had to be set up to allow complete drafting of the laws, as if those in the two chambers of Parliament, who are paid to do their jobs, were unable to do so without pressure from the ICST.'
'The M17 says the transition has failed', reports LE PHARE in another piece. The paper is referring to the position of the political party Mouvement du 17 Mai 1997) whose leader has branded the ICST-Parliament meeting as 'a move that tends to give a new mandate to the transition's officials of all sides, and to set new objectives after those negotiated in Sun City have failed.'
Striking an optimistic note, LE POTENTIEL says there is 'No more doubt the elections [will be held] in 2005'. 'Things seem to be moving ahead. One may say that the [recent] general strikes are beginning to bear their fruit. The ruling class is waking up. In less than one week two important meetings have been held: one at the 'Palais de la Nation' between the institutions, the Independent Electoral Commission and the CIAT; another on Saturday between the offices of the National Assembly and the Senate,' writes the paper, wondering if ' the leaders of the transition are coming out of their lethargy''
Commenting on the joint statement published after the ICST-Parliament meeting, L'AVENIR says the 'the ICST and the Parliament pledged to ensure the success of the transition.'
LA REFERENCE PLUS, meanwhile, quotes an AFP dispatch that reads 'the transition in the DRC [is] still shaky five months before the hypothetical elections.' A diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, is quoted as telling AFP 'Everybody knows it is impossible to hold elections by June 30. The Constitution is not yet adopted and the registration of voters has not yet started.'
There have been reports that the South African President was due to come to Kinshasa today. In view of the current differences among the components of the government, LA REFERENCE PLUS believes that ' [Thabo] Mbeki has little chance to resolve the crisis between Kabila and Bemba.' This is, according to the paper, because of the following reasons: 'The PPRD refuses to share with other components the posts of responsibility within the provincial administration; the ICST opts for having provincial administrators shifted around from the East to the West and vice versa; only a frail compromise has been reached on the sharing of posts within the State-run enterprises.'
Speaking about the outcomes of an unexpected reconciliation, LE PALMARES writes: 'J. Kabila and J.P. Bemba set fire between Thabo Mbeki and the [Omar] Bongo-Sassou [Nguesso] duo.' The paper is referring to what it calls the leadership battle among African leaders in addressing the crises on the continent. 'African heads of State have always opposed one another because of a pathological search for leadership,' the paper writes.
Announcing on its front page that 'The Central Bank escapes a hold-up', L'AVENIR says it is surprising that 'the masterminds are among the components [of the government] that are seeking to take control over [the Bank] while this institution should remain independent. Their aim is to grab hold of the necessary funds for the elections '
