UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
*Original in French
The reaction of the UN Security Council following Rwanda's military actions in the DRC, and that of Congolese students constitute the main topics of today's newspaper commentary.
The reaction of the UN Security Council following Rwanda's military actions in the DRC, and that of Congolese students constitute the main topics of today's newspaper commentary.
The Security Council demands the withdrawal of Rwanda troops, announces L'OBSRVATEUR, citing the December 8 presidential declaration in which the Council condemned Kigali's military activities on Congolese territory. The Council demanded that 'Rwanda without delay pull out all troops it still may have on the territory of the DRC,' the paper says. Last week, the UN Mission in Congo (MONUC) said it had serious clues that Rwanda forces had crossed the border into eastern Congo to hunt down Rwanda Hutu rebels.
LE PHARE tells of MONUC being uncertain about the presence a Rwandan military presence in the DRC. On Wednesday, MONUC stated it was unable to ascertain the presence of Rwanda troops in eastern Congo, the paper reports. Quoting Colonel Patrick Colas des Francs, MONUC force chief of staff, the paper says 'after several helicopter and foot patrol operations, conducted daily since November 24, the UN mission only has clues but not concrete proofs of the presence of Rwandan troops in the DRC,' says the paper, quoting Colonel Patrick Colas des Francs, MONUC force chief of staff. These clues include 'traces of freshly abandoned bivouacs that show an important number of troops were there,' it says.
However, LA TEMPETE DES TOPIQUES announces that Congolese army (FARDC) troop reinforcements are on their way to North Kivu province. Citing the Minister of Defence, Jean-Pierre Ondekane, the paper says 'the mission of the units dispatched to North Kivu is not to massacre civilian populations or engage in hostilities against Rwanda.' Rather their mission is to 'hunt down and neutralise the Interahamwe,' the Minister is quoted.
According to LE PALMARES, a new rebellion is taking place in the Kivus, the 'secrete strategies' of which were worked out by Rwanda President Paul Kagame. The movement's political leadership is assumed by Moto Mupenda, a former governor of north Kivu, the paper says. Leading the military branch is General Paul Rwakabuje, a former commander of the FDLR, known to have voluntarily surrendered to Kigali authorities. His forces includes 'elements from the former RCD-Goma army, a local militia called 'Local Defence' and said to belong to the current North Kivu governor, Eugene Serufuli, elements of the Rwandan army deployed on the borders and demobilised Hutu and Tutsi fighters,' according to LE PALAMARES.
In response to the Rwandan threat facing the east of Congo, L'AVENIR reports, a student delegation turned up at MONUC headquarters in Kinshasa on Wednesday, with a memorandum for the UN Security Council. In the memo handed to MONUC, students demand 'a formal and unequivocal condemnation by the Security Council of the Rwandan army's barbarous and savage aggression and its unconditional withdrawal from Congolese territory, as well as the dismantlement of rwandophone colonies established by force of arms in Masisi, Walikalé, Rutsuru, Kanyabayonga, Minova, Kalehe, Minembwe, Vyma,' the paper writes. They also urge a deployment of MONUC forces on the DRC-Rwanda border and ask the UN Security Council to set up a new international commission of inquiry in order to determine the scale of massacres perpetrated and the damage to the villages burned by the Rwandan army. Student also issued a 72-hour ultimatum, threatening to descend into the streets, as they did on June 2, if all their demands are met on the expiration of the ultimatum, reports the paper, raising fears that 'things might get totally out of hand if MONUC does not take the students' threats seriously.'
On the issue on State-owned companies, LE POTENTIEL reports that directors suspended over mismanagement have judicial officials on their heels. Warrants have been issued, calling some of the directors to be questioned, before being formally indicted if sufficient facts emerge to substantiate the charges facing them. How judges handle this case, the paper thinks, will provide a test for judicial independence. According to the paper, the judges have the duty to 'build up public confidence in the country's justice system through fair trials held in conditions of serenity and portraying due process of the law and justice.'
In another development, during their first national convention, leaders of civic movements and civil society in the DRC have shown the Congolese political class 'the red card,' LA REFERENCE PLUS reports. Citing civil society, the paper says, 'the failure is blatant in all areas; for the daily lot of the vast majority of Congolese is one of misery and poverty with no end in sight. '
LE PHARE tells of MONUC being uncertain about the presence a Rwandan military presence in the DRC. On Wednesday, MONUC stated it was unable to ascertain the presence of Rwanda troops in eastern Congo, the paper reports. Quoting Colonel Patrick Colas des Francs, MONUC force chief of staff, the paper says 'after several helicopter and foot patrol operations, conducted daily since November 24, the UN mission only has clues but not concrete proofs of the presence of Rwandan troops in the DRC,' says the paper, quoting Colonel Patrick Colas des Francs, MONUC force chief of staff. These clues include 'traces of freshly abandoned bivouacs that show an important number of troops were there,' it says.
However, LA TEMPETE DES TOPIQUES announces that Congolese army (FARDC) troop reinforcements are on their way to North Kivu province. Citing the Minister of Defence, Jean-Pierre Ondekane, the paper says 'the mission of the units dispatched to North Kivu is not to massacre civilian populations or engage in hostilities against Rwanda.' Rather their mission is to 'hunt down and neutralise the Interahamwe,' the Minister is quoted.
According to LE PALMARES, a new rebellion is taking place in the Kivus, the 'secrete strategies' of which were worked out by Rwanda President Paul Kagame. The movement's political leadership is assumed by Moto Mupenda, a former governor of north Kivu, the paper says. Leading the military branch is General Paul Rwakabuje, a former commander of the FDLR, known to have voluntarily surrendered to Kigali authorities. His forces includes 'elements from the former RCD-Goma army, a local militia called 'Local Defence' and said to belong to the current North Kivu governor, Eugene Serufuli, elements of the Rwandan army deployed on the borders and demobilised Hutu and Tutsi fighters,' according to LE PALAMARES.
In response to the Rwandan threat facing the east of Congo, L'AVENIR reports, a student delegation turned up at MONUC headquarters in Kinshasa on Wednesday, with a memorandum for the UN Security Council. In the memo handed to MONUC, students demand 'a formal and unequivocal condemnation by the Security Council of the Rwandan army's barbarous and savage aggression and its unconditional withdrawal from Congolese territory, as well as the dismantlement of rwandophone colonies established by force of arms in Masisi, Walikalé, Rutsuru, Kanyabayonga, Minova, Kalehe, Minembwe, Vyma,' the paper writes. They also urge a deployment of MONUC forces on the DRC-Rwanda border and ask the UN Security Council to set up a new international commission of inquiry in order to determine the scale of massacres perpetrated and the damage to the villages burned by the Rwandan army. Student also issued a 72-hour ultimatum, threatening to descend into the streets, as they did on June 2, if all their demands are met on the expiration of the ultimatum, reports the paper, raising fears that 'things might get totally out of hand if MONUC does not take the students' threats seriously.'
On the issue on State-owned companies, LE POTENTIEL reports that directors suspended over mismanagement have judicial officials on their heels. Warrants have been issued, calling some of the directors to be questioned, before being formally indicted if sufficient facts emerge to substantiate the charges facing them. How judges handle this case, the paper thinks, will provide a test for judicial independence. According to the paper, the judges have the duty to 'build up public confidence in the country's justice system through fair trials held in conditions of serenity and portraying due process of the law and justice.'
In another development, during their first national convention, leaders of civic movements and civil society in the DRC have shown the Congolese political class 'the red card,' LA REFERENCE PLUS reports. Citing civil society, the paper says, 'the failure is blatant in all areas; for the daily lot of the vast majority of Congolese is one of misery and poverty with no end in sight. '
