UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
In today's newspaper headlines: (1) Hundreds of civilians are fleeing the eastern town of Goma fearing new fighting. (2)Gen Kisempia, the army chief, and Vice President Azarias Ruberwa met yesterday over the army integration process; (3) The draft law on nationality under discussion in the Transitional Government; (4) More comments offered on the dissensions within the RCD-Goma and (5) on 'The Antoine Ghonda case' (this is in reference to the Foreign Minister who is reportedly running the risk of losing his post yet received the support of students yesterday.
' A stampede in Goma', announces LE PALMARES, explaining that hundreds of civilians are fleeing this eastern town fearing fresh clashes between government forces and rebels. Ferries overloaded with passengers are leaving Goma where for several weeks tension has been rising, the paper says. 'Normally there are 100 passengers per boat. But since Monday there have been over 200 per boat. People are afraid,' a port official is quoted as saying.
'Renewed clashes broke out in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gunshots were heard at Kahele, 40 km to the north of Bukavu,' L'OBSERVATEUR notes. Quoting the news agency MISNA, the paper stresses that the clashes oppose regular troops and soldiers of renegade General Laurent Nkunda 'now joined by [the other renegade officer] Colonel Mutebutsi who took refuge in Rwanda after regular army troops regained control of Bukavu.' This new violence, the paper notes, erupted after Laurent Nkunda 'pledged to respect a truce after the sorry events in Bukavu' in mid June. He made that pledge when a MONUC delegation along with the governor of South Kivu met him at the locality of Minova. Also these clashes are occurring after dissensions emerged inside the RCD-Goma resulting in 'the dismissal of eight of its members, all of them Banyamulenge (..) who had returned to Goma,' notes the paper, referring to the MPs and Senators who suspended their participation in the Transitional Parliament.
In Kinshasa meanwhile, L'OBVERVATEUR reports, Azarias Ruberwa, Vice President for Political, Defence and Security Issues, met Tuesday with Gen Kisempia Sumbi Langa, the chief of staff for the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARD) to discuss the troop integration process, 'which is under way and said to be very complex.'
This meeting took place ahead of the upcoming meeting of regional commanders in Kinshasa. 'According to the latest news, all military region chiefs have already arrived, except for the Goma-based commander of the 8th military region, Gen Obedi,' notes the paper, wondering whether 'his absence could be due to the worrying situation prevailing in the East.'
'New spanner in the transition process or misunderstanding'' asks LE PHARE in a story titled 'General Obedi's absence poses a problem.' This development is certainly untimely, the paper says, because 'this misunderstanding or spanner comes just when all eyes are turned towards the nearing peaceful settlement of the shameful case of renegade General Laurent Nkunda Batware.'
Both this paper and L'OBSERVATEUR deplore General Obedi's absence that occurs at the time when dissensions have transpired within the RCD-Goma. But, quoting FARD chief of staff Gen Kisempia, LE PHARE says 'something unforeseen cropped up which prevented the commander of the 8th military region of North Kivu from coming to Kinshasa, but he will be in the second group due to arrive soon to receive instructions from the hierarchy, ahead of the chief of staff's planned visit around the country.' According to LE PHARE, only five regional commanders out of ten have already arrived in the capital.
In an article titled 'No elections without a new army,' LA REFERENCE PLUS, which quotes the army chief, says, 'Without a new integrated restructured national army there will be no elections. The new army must be present not only in Kinshasa, but also in Bukavu, Bunia, Gbadolite and in the rest of the country.' In the period since becoming chief of staff a month and a half ago, General Kisempia says he has accelerated the process of integrating the army, 'which, according to him, constitutes one of the essential prerequisites to the holding of future elections,' reports the paper, explaining that the planned meeting of regional commanders is part of those efforts.
'Bizima Karaha and Co deny any collusion with Laurent Nkunda', titles LA REFERENCE PLUS, referring to a news conference held in Goma Tuesday by the eight rebellious MPs of the RCD. While describing the college of party founders' decision to replace them in Parliament as 'null and void', the eight claimed they remained members of the RCD-Goma and renewed their support to the transitional institutions, according to the paper.
In Parliament, meanwhile, MPs and Senators are gathering to examine the draft law on nationality, which draft was adopted by the Transitional Government on Monday, LE PHARE reports. 'Everyone can see that the debate concerning Banyamulenge has much clarified itself. Indeed the notion of statelessness, which the Council of Ministers retained on Monday July 19, brought new light to this issue about which passion often tends to override the law and political realities,' the paper comments. According to LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, 'the nationality law will be passed without any problem in Parliament.'
'Students demand that [Antoine] Ghonda retain his post', titles FORUM DES AS, referring to a demonstration student staged outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tuesday to show their support for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, after it was reported he was running the risk of losing his post due to a difference of views with his party, the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) led by Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba.
According to L'OBSERVATEUR, 'Students have expressed their support for Antoine Ghonda.' 'Students commend Ghonda for the work he did in Addis Ababa,' LE PHARE notes. Describing the demonstrators, LE PALMARES says 'They were about a hundred to demonstrate noisily, their faces taut, to demonstrate noisily yesterday.' 'I was not born minister. If those who put me in office decide to discharge me, I will accept it,' the paper quotes Ghonda as saying. 'Students want none of this fair play, because they consider that he (Ghonda) can leave the Government only if he betrays the country's interests or in case of proven incompetence, but certainly not due to the will of a foreign power such as Uganda,' the paper reports. 'Students threaten to take to the streets if Ghonda is sacked,' LA REFERENCE PLUS announces. According to LE PALMARES, yesterday's demonstration represented 'a strong signal for Jean-Pierre Bemba.'
In another development, LE PHARE reports that, in a letter to the UN Security Council, 'Human Rights Watch calls for a more robust mandate for MONUC.' The UN mission's current mandate ends this month. 'Such reinforced mandate should enable the mission to ensure better protection for civilian populations, neutralise the warlords who continue defying the Transitional Government's authority, put an end to impunity by ensuring that officers and military chiefs responsible for crimes are taken to justice,' the paper writes.
'Renewed clashes broke out in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gunshots were heard at Kahele, 40 km to the north of Bukavu,' L'OBSERVATEUR notes. Quoting the news agency MISNA, the paper stresses that the clashes oppose regular troops and soldiers of renegade General Laurent Nkunda 'now joined by [the other renegade officer] Colonel Mutebutsi who took refuge in Rwanda after regular army troops regained control of Bukavu.' This new violence, the paper notes, erupted after Laurent Nkunda 'pledged to respect a truce after the sorry events in Bukavu' in mid June. He made that pledge when a MONUC delegation along with the governor of South Kivu met him at the locality of Minova. Also these clashes are occurring after dissensions emerged inside the RCD-Goma resulting in 'the dismissal of eight of its members, all of them Banyamulenge (..) who had returned to Goma,' notes the paper, referring to the MPs and Senators who suspended their participation in the Transitional Parliament.
In Kinshasa meanwhile, L'OBVERVATEUR reports, Azarias Ruberwa, Vice President for Political, Defence and Security Issues, met Tuesday with Gen Kisempia Sumbi Langa, the chief of staff for the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARD) to discuss the troop integration process, 'which is under way and said to be very complex.'
This meeting took place ahead of the upcoming meeting of regional commanders in Kinshasa. 'According to the latest news, all military region chiefs have already arrived, except for the Goma-based commander of the 8th military region, Gen Obedi,' notes the paper, wondering whether 'his absence could be due to the worrying situation prevailing in the East.'
'New spanner in the transition process or misunderstanding'' asks LE PHARE in a story titled 'General Obedi's absence poses a problem.' This development is certainly untimely, the paper says, because 'this misunderstanding or spanner comes just when all eyes are turned towards the nearing peaceful settlement of the shameful case of renegade General Laurent Nkunda Batware.'
Both this paper and L'OBSERVATEUR deplore General Obedi's absence that occurs at the time when dissensions have transpired within the RCD-Goma. But, quoting FARD chief of staff Gen Kisempia, LE PHARE says 'something unforeseen cropped up which prevented the commander of the 8th military region of North Kivu from coming to Kinshasa, but he will be in the second group due to arrive soon to receive instructions from the hierarchy, ahead of the chief of staff's planned visit around the country.' According to LE PHARE, only five regional commanders out of ten have already arrived in the capital.
In an article titled 'No elections without a new army,' LA REFERENCE PLUS, which quotes the army chief, says, 'Without a new integrated restructured national army there will be no elections. The new army must be present not only in Kinshasa, but also in Bukavu, Bunia, Gbadolite and in the rest of the country.' In the period since becoming chief of staff a month and a half ago, General Kisempia says he has accelerated the process of integrating the army, 'which, according to him, constitutes one of the essential prerequisites to the holding of future elections,' reports the paper, explaining that the planned meeting of regional commanders is part of those efforts.
'Bizima Karaha and Co deny any collusion with Laurent Nkunda', titles LA REFERENCE PLUS, referring to a news conference held in Goma Tuesday by the eight rebellious MPs of the RCD. While describing the college of party founders' decision to replace them in Parliament as 'null and void', the eight claimed they remained members of the RCD-Goma and renewed their support to the transitional institutions, according to the paper.
In Parliament, meanwhile, MPs and Senators are gathering to examine the draft law on nationality, which draft was adopted by the Transitional Government on Monday, LE PHARE reports. 'Everyone can see that the debate concerning Banyamulenge has much clarified itself. Indeed the notion of statelessness, which the Council of Ministers retained on Monday July 19, brought new light to this issue about which passion often tends to override the law and political realities,' the paper comments. According to LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, 'the nationality law will be passed without any problem in Parliament.'
'Students demand that [Antoine] Ghonda retain his post', titles FORUM DES AS, referring to a demonstration student staged outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tuesday to show their support for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, after it was reported he was running the risk of losing his post due to a difference of views with his party, the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) led by Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba.
According to L'OBSERVATEUR, 'Students have expressed their support for Antoine Ghonda.' 'Students commend Ghonda for the work he did in Addis Ababa,' LE PHARE notes. Describing the demonstrators, LE PALMARES says 'They were about a hundred to demonstrate noisily, their faces taut, to demonstrate noisily yesterday.' 'I was not born minister. If those who put me in office decide to discharge me, I will accept it,' the paper quotes Ghonda as saying. 'Students want none of this fair play, because they consider that he (Ghonda) can leave the Government only if he betrays the country's interests or in case of proven incompetence, but certainly not due to the will of a foreign power such as Uganda,' the paper reports. 'Students threaten to take to the streets if Ghonda is sacked,' LA REFERENCE PLUS announces. According to LE PALMARES, yesterday's demonstration represented 'a strong signal for Jean-Pierre Bemba.'
In another development, LE PHARE reports that, in a letter to the UN Security Council, 'Human Rights Watch calls for a more robust mandate for MONUC.' The UN mission's current mandate ends this month. 'Such reinforced mandate should enable the mission to ensure better protection for civilian populations, neutralise the warlords who continue defying the Transitional Government's authority, put an end to impunity by ensuring that officers and military chiefs responsible for crimes are taken to justice,' the paper writes.
