UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
*Original in French
Wednesday's Kinshasa press provides a detailed analysis of the impact of what it calls Rwanda's 'third war' against the DRC. The main newspapers also announce the appointment of acting heads of State-owned companies amid continuing protests from their predecessors suspended last week.
Wednesday's Kinshasa press provides a detailed analysis of the impact of what it calls Rwanda's 'third war' against the DRC. The main newspapers also announce the appointment of acting heads of State-owned companies amid continuing protests from their predecessors suspended last week.
According to LE POTENTIEL, 'The Democratic Republic of the Congo is again under attack from Rwanda. [Yesterday,]Paul Kagame has carried out his threat. The Rwandan leader cynically announced this new aggression in his address to his country's Parliament.
The fear, says the paper, is that 'Kagame [may be] determined to march on Kinshasa.' 'And now that the third war against the DRC has begun', the paper comments, 'no one can predict the consequences.' It is surprising that 'While Kagame says yes, MONUC still claims to have seen or heard nothing,' the paper notes. Referring to the June 2004 short-lived rebel takeover of Bukavu, the paper writes 'MONUC had seen nothing until Bukavu fell to insurgents.' The paper, which sees something 'suspicious' in the UN Mission's attitude, writes: 'It would be no surprising at all if MONUC forces should let this happen before pulling away when the situation becomes untenable.'
'To foil Kagame's Machiavellian project will require a general mobilisation against the war,' L'AVENIR suggests. 'To be successful, all efforts must be mobilised inside and outside the country,' the paper says. Citing Joseph Kabila's spokesman, the paper recalls that 10,000 extra troops will be deployed to North Kivu, in the border area. 'The mission of these troops will be to protect the DRC borders, stop the Interahamwe operating from Congo territory and, at the same time, be ready for any eventuality,' the paper reports.
On the need to stabilise the security situation in eastern DRC, L'AVENIR quotes the French Minister for Cooperation, Xavier Darcos, as saying France 'remains convinced of the need for the Congolese army to fully take over as quickly as possible the intervention forces in charge of neutralising and disarming the Rwandan rebel elements still on the run in that part of Congo's territory and do all that is necessary to eradicate the various forms of violence facing innocent civilian populations.' Mr. Darcos was speaking from Paris on Tuesday, following a meeting with visiting Congolese Vice President Azarias Ruberwa
Azarias Ruberwa supported that view by 'calling for Chapter 7 of the UN Charter to be extending to the two provinces of North and South Kivu.'
The Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs 'considers the presence of Rwandan troops [on Congo territory] unacceptable,' reports FORUM DES AS, adding that Carel de Gucht 'counts on the international community to put pressure on Rwanda.' The Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramazani Baya, agrees since the paper quotes him as saying: 'The Government will complain to the Security Council, the African Union and other international institutions.'
In a different development, LA REFERENCE PLUS publishes the list of acting directors of State-owned companies appointed, along with other members of the management committees, to replace those suspended last week. The Minister of State-owned companies made 23 appointments to the following 8 companies: The Congolaise des Hydrocarbures (COHYDRO, which distributes oil and related products), the Société Nationale d'Electricté (SNEL, which supplies electricity), the Compagnie Maritime du Congo (CMC, Maritime shipping company), the Office National des Transports (ONATRA, rail transport company), The Régie des Voies Aériennes (RVA (airport and airways agency), the Office Congolais de Contrôle (OCC, which supervises all exports), the Office National de Tourisme (ONT, which supervises all tourist sites) and the Institut National de Préparation Professionnelle (INPP, vocational training institute).
'The new appointees were selected among staff members on the basis of rank and seniority,' notes LA REFERENCE PLUS, though wondering whether these 'will prove good managers and law-abiding citizens.'
But as LE PHARE sees it, there were 'discriminatory criteria designed to exclude the most senior staff members.' According to the paper, the battle for 'the posts left vacant after some managers were suspended as a result of the Bakandeja Commission's report has created divisions, revived antagonisms and sparked a scramble for power.' 'In so short a time,' the paper notes, 'conflicts of competence have emerged, leading, in one case, to a knife duel to ensure continuity of services. Some staff members sought the support of sponsors to help them get the coveted posts.'
The fear, says the paper, is that 'Kagame [may be] determined to march on Kinshasa.' 'And now that the third war against the DRC has begun', the paper comments, 'no one can predict the consequences.' It is surprising that 'While Kagame says yes, MONUC still claims to have seen or heard nothing,' the paper notes. Referring to the June 2004 short-lived rebel takeover of Bukavu, the paper writes 'MONUC had seen nothing until Bukavu fell to insurgents.' The paper, which sees something 'suspicious' in the UN Mission's attitude, writes: 'It would be no surprising at all if MONUC forces should let this happen before pulling away when the situation becomes untenable.'
'To foil Kagame's Machiavellian project will require a general mobilisation against the war,' L'AVENIR suggests. 'To be successful, all efforts must be mobilised inside and outside the country,' the paper says. Citing Joseph Kabila's spokesman, the paper recalls that 10,000 extra troops will be deployed to North Kivu, in the border area. 'The mission of these troops will be to protect the DRC borders, stop the Interahamwe operating from Congo territory and, at the same time, be ready for any eventuality,' the paper reports.
On the need to stabilise the security situation in eastern DRC, L'AVENIR quotes the French Minister for Cooperation, Xavier Darcos, as saying France 'remains convinced of the need for the Congolese army to fully take over as quickly as possible the intervention forces in charge of neutralising and disarming the Rwandan rebel elements still on the run in that part of Congo's territory and do all that is necessary to eradicate the various forms of violence facing innocent civilian populations.' Mr. Darcos was speaking from Paris on Tuesday, following a meeting with visiting Congolese Vice President Azarias Ruberwa
Azarias Ruberwa supported that view by 'calling for Chapter 7 of the UN Charter to be extending to the two provinces of North and South Kivu.'
The Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs 'considers the presence of Rwandan troops [on Congo territory] unacceptable,' reports FORUM DES AS, adding that Carel de Gucht 'counts on the international community to put pressure on Rwanda.' The Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramazani Baya, agrees since the paper quotes him as saying: 'The Government will complain to the Security Council, the African Union and other international institutions.'
In a different development, LA REFERENCE PLUS publishes the list of acting directors of State-owned companies appointed, along with other members of the management committees, to replace those suspended last week. The Minister of State-owned companies made 23 appointments to the following 8 companies: The Congolaise des Hydrocarbures (COHYDRO, which distributes oil and related products), the Société Nationale d'Electricté (SNEL, which supplies electricity), the Compagnie Maritime du Congo (CMC, Maritime shipping company), the Office National des Transports (ONATRA, rail transport company), The Régie des Voies Aériennes (RVA (airport and airways agency), the Office Congolais de Contrôle (OCC, which supervises all exports), the Office National de Tourisme (ONT, which supervises all tourist sites) and the Institut National de Préparation Professionnelle (INPP, vocational training institute).
'The new appointees were selected among staff members on the basis of rank and seniority,' notes LA REFERENCE PLUS, though wondering whether these 'will prove good managers and law-abiding citizens.'
But as LE PHARE sees it, there were 'discriminatory criteria designed to exclude the most senior staff members.' According to the paper, the battle for 'the posts left vacant after some managers were suspended as a result of the Bakandeja Commission's report has created divisions, revived antagonisms and sparked a scramble for power.' 'In so short a time,' the paper notes, 'conflicts of competence have emerged, leading, in one case, to a knife duel to ensure continuity of services. Some staff members sought the support of sponsors to help them get the coveted posts.'
