UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
Newspapers appearing today (March 2nd, 2004) in the Congolese capital devote the bulk of their headlines to the situation in Bukavu where demonstrations were reported yesterday. They also broach recent incidents in Bunia.
"No MONUC vehicles were seen in the streets of the provincial capital of South Kivu and activities were paralysed at the initiative of the civil society", reports L'AVENIR, which believes that this operation "dead town" launched against the RCD was "an unequivocal message for MONUC". The paper explains that the town was paralysed as a way of denouncing the manners of the RCD as well as "the shameful complicity of the United Nations Mission in the DRC".
Along the same lines, FORUM DES AS notes that the spontaneous march in Bukavu was launched as demonstrators sought to show their exasperation about the current volatile situation. "They wanted to express publicly their dissatisfaction about he fact that the commander of the 10th military region has not appeared in public since becoming a target for RCD officers", says the paper, adding that the anger of the population was exacerbated by the "ostensible" presence of the Rwandan Patriotic Army (APR) troops.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports, without further details, that the peaceful demonstration was suppressed by elements of the armed forces, despite the presence of a delegation from the Military High Command.
LE PALMARES claims that the target of these demonstrations was President Joseph Kabila, accused in particular of having sided with the RCD by freeing Major Kasongo. "In the process, the paper points out, images of the Head of State were burnt". For LE PALMARES Joseph Kabila was once more a victim of misunderstanding. This is why, it says, Information and Press Minister "Vital Kamerhe, regarded there as a hero, is called upon to go and explain that Joseph Kabila was not an accomplice of the RCD in Major Kasongo's liberation."
The situation moves towards calm in the provincial capital of South Kivu, reports LE PHARE, explaining that a meeting was held between the Land Force chief of staff, General Sylvain Buki, authorities of South Kivu, [local representatives of] the civil society and MONUC officials in Bukavu. "MONUC officials in Bukavu read out two decisions that were made – that it is strictly forbidden to carry out searches anywhere and hunt for anyone without authorisation from competent authorities. As for the population, they were invited to renew their confidence in MONUC, which assures them it will continue to execute its peacekeeping mandate in the DRC", the paper says.
In Bunia, Ituri, MONUC has dislodged militiamen disguising as women, reports LE PHARE, referring in particular to MONUC's Sunday night's operation at a mourning site in Bunia. According to the paper, "MONUC patrols are said to have, since Monday, been going after young men who have decided to flee and take refuge elsewhere". Some parts of Bunia were reportedly being depleted of their young men, says the paper, indicating that this operation claimed 4 dead. When asked, MONUC did not confirm any operation aimed at young men, but mentioned the arrest of 32 suspects, the daily paper says.
The paper also announces that a delegation of the Transitional Government is expected in Bunia in order to " help appease the anger of businessmen in that part of the Republic who were protesting against the arrest of a tradesman, and Monday was their fifth day of protest."
In Kinshasa, the Hema Community condemned the massacre of civilians by MONUC soldiers, reports LE PHARE, quoting a statement issued Monday by the Kinshasa-based Hema Community. The statement also accuses MONUC of indulging in grave violations of human rights. It claims that MONUC troops have opened fire during a wake, killing about 10 people and wounding several others. "Survivors were copiously beaten and flogged before being tied up and taken to a MONUC prison", the statement is quoted as saying. "The bodies of those shot dead were immediately taken away by MONUC elements in order to blot out all traces". As a result, the Hema Community invites the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for the DRC, Mr. William Swing, "to order the immediate withdrawal of his troops from Ituri for a return of peace, and to replace Mrs. MacAdam, the director of MONUC/Ituri"
Along the same lines, FORUM DES AS notes that the spontaneous march in Bukavu was launched as demonstrators sought to show their exasperation about the current volatile situation. "They wanted to express publicly their dissatisfaction about he fact that the commander of the 10th military region has not appeared in public since becoming a target for RCD officers", says the paper, adding that the anger of the population was exacerbated by the "ostensible" presence of the Rwandan Patriotic Army (APR) troops.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports, without further details, that the peaceful demonstration was suppressed by elements of the armed forces, despite the presence of a delegation from the Military High Command.
LE PALMARES claims that the target of these demonstrations was President Joseph Kabila, accused in particular of having sided with the RCD by freeing Major Kasongo. "In the process, the paper points out, images of the Head of State were burnt". For LE PALMARES Joseph Kabila was once more a victim of misunderstanding. This is why, it says, Information and Press Minister "Vital Kamerhe, regarded there as a hero, is called upon to go and explain that Joseph Kabila was not an accomplice of the RCD in Major Kasongo's liberation."
The situation moves towards calm in the provincial capital of South Kivu, reports LE PHARE, explaining that a meeting was held between the Land Force chief of staff, General Sylvain Buki, authorities of South Kivu, [local representatives of] the civil society and MONUC officials in Bukavu. "MONUC officials in Bukavu read out two decisions that were made – that it is strictly forbidden to carry out searches anywhere and hunt for anyone without authorisation from competent authorities. As for the population, they were invited to renew their confidence in MONUC, which assures them it will continue to execute its peacekeeping mandate in the DRC", the paper says.
In Bunia, Ituri, MONUC has dislodged militiamen disguising as women, reports LE PHARE, referring in particular to MONUC's Sunday night's operation at a mourning site in Bunia. According to the paper, "MONUC patrols are said to have, since Monday, been going after young men who have decided to flee and take refuge elsewhere". Some parts of Bunia were reportedly being depleted of their young men, says the paper, indicating that this operation claimed 4 dead. When asked, MONUC did not confirm any operation aimed at young men, but mentioned the arrest of 32 suspects, the daily paper says.
The paper also announces that a delegation of the Transitional Government is expected in Bunia in order to " help appease the anger of businessmen in that part of the Republic who were protesting against the arrest of a tradesman, and Monday was their fifth day of protest."
In Kinshasa, the Hema Community condemned the massacre of civilians by MONUC soldiers, reports LE PHARE, quoting a statement issued Monday by the Kinshasa-based Hema Community. The statement also accuses MONUC of indulging in grave violations of human rights. It claims that MONUC troops have opened fire during a wake, killing about 10 people and wounding several others. "Survivors were copiously beaten and flogged before being tied up and taken to a MONUC prison", the statement is quoted as saying. "The bodies of those shot dead were immediately taken away by MONUC elements in order to blot out all traces". As a result, the Hema Community invites the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for the DRC, Mr. William Swing, "to order the immediate withdrawal of his troops from Ituri for a return of peace, and to replace Mrs. MacAdam, the director of MONUC/Ituri"
